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Written Question
Housing: Health
Tuesday 15th July 2025

Asked by: Mike Reader (Labour - Northampton South)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what consultation his Department has had on the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government's Future Homes Standards work in relation to wellbeing and health standards in homes.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government plans to legislate for the Future Homes Standard this autumn. This legislation will aim to ensure that all new homes are warm, comfortable, and maintain high indoor air quality. This work is being led by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. The Department of Health and Social Care will continue to work with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government as the standards are finalised and implemented, to ensure that evidence on health impacts can be taken into account.


Written Question
Heating: Carbon Emissions
Wednesday 9th July 2025

Asked by: Mike Reader (Labour - Northampton South)

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 plans to take to support the expansion of consumer options for low-carbon heating systems for households that are unable to install a heat pump.

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

The Warm Homes Plan will help households take up measures like solar panels, heat pumps, batteries and insulation, helping them save money on their bills and benefit from cleaner, cheaper heating. The government expect most properties will switch to heat pumps.

The government is analysing responses to the consultation on potential changes to the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, which included proposals to support air-to-air heat pumps and alternative electric heating technologies. The government will continue to review their position on alternative electric heating technologies as the supporting evidence base develops.

Further detail on the Warm Homes Plan will be set out by October.


Written Question
National Grid
Tuesday 8th July 2025

Asked by: Mike Reader (Labour - Northampton South)

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will hold discussions with Ofgem on reducing the time taken to implement reforms to the electricity distribution network.

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

The National Infrastructure Commission published recommendations on 21 February on making the electricity distribution network fit for net zero. The Government published a formal response on 7th July, which agrees with the study’s view that investment in the distribution network is required ahead of need to accommodate expected growth in electricity demand. In developing the response, we have engaged with Ofgem and other delivery partners.


Written Question
Housing: Construction
Tuesday 8th July 2025

Asked by: Mike Reader (Labour - Northampton South)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department plans to update the guidance for Approved Document F of the Building Regulations to recognise smart ventilation systems as a compliant option for homes.

Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Revisions to Approved Document F of the Building Regulations were proposed as part of the Future Homes and Buildings Standards: 2023 consultation. Proposed updates to the minimum ventilation standards for homes were described in section 6.2 and proposed updates to the guidance for ventilation installations were described in section 8.3 of the consultation. We are carefully considering the feedback we received to the consultation. We intend to publish the Government response to the consultation, and the new Approved Document F, in autumn this year.

We are mindful of the impact of increasing airtightness in our homes and workplaces. While this can have a significant impact on the energy efficiency of buildings, it also requires appropriate, controlled ventilation. We will continue to engage with developing ventilation technology and will update Approved Document F as required.


Written Question
Food: Manufacturing Industries
Friday 4th July 2025

Asked by: Mike Reader (Labour - Northampton South)

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the Advanced Manufacturing sector plan on food and drink manufacturers.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government recognises the importance of the food and drink sector as the largest manufacturing industry in the UK. The Industrial Strategy will support the whole economy, including businesses outside the eight growth-driving sectors, through an improved operating environment and long-term stability.

The Advanced Manufacturing sector operates as an ecosystem of complex supply chains and outputs, not as a set of siloed industries. It therefore includes a range of cross cutting interventions that have wide-spread benefits across the sector including for food and drink manufacturers such as innovation, tech adoption and broader business environment measures such as planning.


Written Question
Large Goods Vehicles: Concrete
Friday 4th July 2025

Asked by: Mike Reader (Labour - Northampton South)

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of reducing permitted weights for Volumetric Concrete Mobile Plants from 2028 on the manufacturing sector.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department ran a call for evidence from October to December 2023 seeking views on three potential options on weight limits for Volumetric Concrete Mixers (VCMs). The outcome of this review was published on 18 March 2025 at the following link: www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/volumetric-concrete-mixers-review

VCMs will continue to be permitted on our roads. A temporary weight limit exemption for this type of vehicle (via vehicle special orders) that was put in place to allow operators and manufacturers time to adapt, will end in 2028, as planned. Existing VCMs will be able to continue operating, but only within the applicable weight limits.


Written Question
Combined Authorities: Finance
Friday 4th July 2025

Asked by: Mike Reader (Labour - Northampton South)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, which government funding streams have been available exclusively to Mayoral Combined Authorities since January 2024; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of this on areas without a devolution deal.

Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Most government funding streams delivered by Mayoral Combined (and Combined County) Authorities (MC(C)As) in England are devolved from national government. In areas where there is not yet a Combined Authority in place, national government continues to oversee these funds.

Several ongoing funding streams are targeted only at MC(C)As in England, but in certain circumstances are paid to a broader range of recipients including in the Devolved Administrations or local authorities.

Funds in England exclusive to MC(C)As include:

  • Investment Funds (also known as ‘Gain Share’), which were agreed through Devolution Deals and support multiple themes including transport, infrastructure, skills, culture and enterprise & innovation within MC(C)As.
  • City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements (from 2022-2027; 8 MCAs were eligible). From 2027-2032 9 of the current 13 MCAs are eligible for its successor, the Transport for City Regions fund.
  • The Department for Transport also provides a small number of grants to a subset of Mayoral Combined Authorities for the purposes of supporting transport networks specific to these areas; these grants generally pre-date current devolution arrangements.

The government has not commissioned analysis on the impacts of devolved funding to those without devolution agreements in England.


Written Question
Retail Trade: Crimes of Violence
Friday 4th July 2025

Asked by: Mike Reader (Labour - Northampton South)

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to bring forward legislative proposals to extend the proposed standalone offence for assaulting a retail worker under the Crime and Policing Bill to include retail delivery drivers.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Home Office)

This Government is committed to tackling retail crime. Through our Crime and Policing Bill, we have introduced a standalone offence of assaulting a retail worker to protect the hardworking and dedicated staff that work in stores.

Assaults against delivery drivers are already an offence (Common Assault) under the Criminal Justice Act 1988, and are covered under other legislation such as the Offences against the Person Act 1861, which also covers more serious violence, including actual bodily harm and grievous bodily harm.

Section 156 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 creates a statutory aggravating factor in sentencing cases of assault against public facing workers. It applies where an assault is committed against those providing a public service, performing a public duty or providing a service to the public. This includes those delivering goods to customers and other public-facing roles.


Written Question
Electricity: Consumers
Friday 4th July 2025

Asked by: Mike Reader (Labour - Northampton South)

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent discussions his Department has had with industry representatives on the development of consumer-led flexibility in electricity markets.

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

Ministers' and Permanent Secretaries' meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK.


Written Question
Food: Waste
Wednesday 2nd July 2025

Asked by: Mike Reader (Labour - Northampton South)

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of mandatory food waste reporting on the economy.

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

The potential impacts of mandatory food waste reporting were assessed as part of the consultation process in 2022. As with all policies, if the policy were to be taken forward, a further assessment of costs and benefits would be published as part of the legislative process.

This Government has announced plans to publish a Circular Economy Strategy for England and is committed to transitioning to a circular economy – one that stimulates growth, reduces waste, and alleviates pressure on household bills. As this work is developed, evidence from across the economy will be considered as the interventions that may be needed are evaluated. This includes for the potential introduction of a mandatory food waste reporting requirement for large food businesses.