Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the decision of Norway to purchase five Type 26 frigates from BAE Systems on businesses in the North East.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
I refer the hon. Members to the answer given by my noble Friend, the Minister of State in the Ministry of Defence (Lord Coaker), on 16 September 2025 to Question number HL10176 in the House of Lords.
The Norwegian Government’s announcement on 31 August 2025, that it had selected the UK as a strategic partner for their acquisition of Type 26 warships, will sustain around 4,000 jobs across the UK’s supply chain until well into the 2030s.
This is the largest ever UK warship export deal by value and it is expected to provide a £10 billion boost to the UK economy and support more than 400 British companies across all regions, including the north east of England. It is a huge vote of confidence in the UK’s defence industry and supply chains, which are supported by small and medium enterprises.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Strategic Defence Review published on 2 June 2025, whether his Department has considered establishing one of the new munitions factories in the North East.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Strategic Defence Review committed to build at least six new energetics and munitions factories in the UK. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is currently developing a plan to deliver this commitment alongside our wider Defence Industrial Strategy, delivering long-term investment to boost UK growth and generating skilled UK jobs and export opportunities. The MOD is carefully considering arrangements for those factories including potential locations, and more detail will be set out in due course. It is currently considered to be premature to discuss specific proposals or sites until the necessary preparatory work has concluded.
I can reassure the hon. Member that I am aware of lobbying by MPs from then North East looking to increase defence investment in the region and as this Government delivers defence being an engine for growth I believe there are opportunities for the region in the future. I would be happy meeting her and regional colleagues to discuss further.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 8 September 2025 to Question 73856 on Long Covid: Health Services, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of access to long Covid care for people in (a) Newcastle upon Tyne and (b) North Tyneside.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning specialist services for long COVID that meet the needs of their population, subject to local prioritisation and funding. For Newcastle upon Tyne and North Tyneside, this is the North East and North Cumbria ICB.
The ICB is currently carrying out a review of long COVID services across the region which is expected to be completed by the end of March 2026.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Strategic Defence Review published on 2 June 2025, when an announcement will be made of the sites of the six new munitions factories.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Strategic Defence Review committed to build at least six new energetics and munitions factories in the UK. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is currently developing a plan to deliver this commitment alongside our wider Defence Industrial Strategy, delivering long-term investment to boost UK growth and generating skilled UK jobs and export opportunities. The MOD is carefully considering arrangements for those factories including potential locations, and more detail will be set out in due course. It is currently considered to be premature to discuss specific proposals or sites until the necessary preparatory work has concluded.
I can reassure the hon. Member that I am aware of lobbying by MPs from then North East looking to increase defence investment in the region and as this Government delivers defence being an engine for growth I believe there are opportunities for the region in the future. I would be happy meeting her and regional colleagues to discuss further.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of VAT on incentives to refurbish void properties in the social housing sector.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government confirmed an initial £1.29bn of funding for the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund 2025-2028 at the 2024 Autumn Budget. The Government will provide £13.2bn of housing retrofit funding to 2030, delivering our manifesto pledge.
Residential renovations are subject to a reduced rate of VAT of five per cent if they meet certain conditions. These include conversions of buildings from one residential use to another, conversions from commercial to residential use, and the renovation of properties that have been empty for two or more years.
VAT is a broad-based tax on consumption, and the 20 per cent standard rate applies to most goods and services. Exceptions to the standard rate have always been limited and balanced against affordability considerations.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of zero-rating VAT on the refurbishment of social housing.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government confirmed an initial £1.29bn of funding for the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund 2025-2028 at the 2024 Autumn Budget. The Government will provide £13.2bn of housing retrofit funding to 2030, delivering our manifesto pledge.
Residential renovations are subject to a reduced rate of VAT of five per cent if they meet certain conditions. These include conversions of buildings from one residential use to another, conversions from commercial to residential use, and the renovation of properties that have been empty for two or more years.
VAT is a broad-based tax on consumption, and the 20 per cent standard rate applies to most goods and services. Exceptions to the standard rate have always been limited and balanced against affordability considerations.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if she will support Ofcom in developing best practice guidance for telecoms companies on (a) board leadership, (b) governance and (c) the role of internal audit in managing cyber and data security risks.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister 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 Code of Practice provides guidance on how communications providers can meet statutory requirements to secure their networks and services. These include requirements on auditing, governance and board responsibilities. Ofcom monitor and enforce compliance with these requirements. Following detailed engagement with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), Ofcom and communications providers, the Government have launched a public consultation on proposed updates to the Code, which is open until 22 October.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of major broadband providers not having internal audit functions on (a) risk management and (b) cybersecurity governance .
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister 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 Code of Practice provides guidance on how communications providers can meet statutory requirements to secure their networks and services. These include requirements on auditing, governance and board responsibilities. Ofcom monitor and enforce compliance with these requirements. Following detailed engagement with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), Ofcom and communications providers, the Government have launched a public consultation on proposed updates to the Code, which is open until 22 October.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of including guidance on the role of internal audit in providing independent assurance on telecommunications security risks, in the context of the review of the Telecommunications Security Code of Practice.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister 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 Code of Practice provides guidance on how communications providers can meet statutory requirements to secure their networks and services. These include requirements on auditing, governance and board responsibilities. Ofcom monitor and enforce compliance with these requirements. Following detailed engagement with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), Ofcom and communications providers, the Government have launched a public consultation on proposed updates to the Code, which is open until 22 October.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of governance arrangements for broadband providers regulated by Ofcom, in the context of the open letter from the Chartered Institute of Internal Auditors to Ofcom of 1 August 2025.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister 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 Code of Practice provides guidance on how communications providers can meet statutory requirements to secure their networks and services. These include requirements on auditing, governance and board responsibilities. Ofcom monitor and enforce compliance with these requirements. Following detailed engagement with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), Ofcom and communications providers, the Government have launched a public consultation on proposed updates to the Code, which is open until 22 October.