Asked by: Paulette Hamilton (Labour - Birmingham Erdington)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps he is taking to help ensure that new buildings include (a) insulation, (b) green roofs, (c) passive cooling and (d) other climate-related features through his Department's (i) planning policies and (ii) building regulations.
Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Through the Building Regulations, the Department sets minimum performance standards for new homes and buildings. In 2021, these standards were strengthened to ensure new homes and buildings are highly energy-efficient, with high-quality insulation and effective ventilation. These changes came into force in June 2022. A new overheating requirement was also introduced, requiring residential buildings to be designed to mitigate overheating, with passive cooling encouraged. We intend to introduce further changes to the Building Regulations through the Future Homes and Buildings Standards in the next few months. These new standards will ensure new homes and buildings are extremely energy-efficient and use low-carbon heating, such as heat pumps.
The National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that the planning system should take full account of all climate impacts and help to shape places in a way that minimises vulnerability and improves resilience to the effects of climate change through suitable adaptation measures, including through incorporating green infrastructure and sustainable drainage systems. It is also clear that opportunities to improve biodiversity in and around developments should be integrated as part of their design. The National Design Guide and National Model Design Code highlight the importance of conserving natural resources and measures that support energy efficiency and integrating green infrastructure into development incorporating features such as green roofs.
Asked by: Paulette Hamilton (Labour - Birmingham Erdington)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to assess the potential impact of climate-related risks to (a) health, (b) infrastructure and (c) the economy on the Government's (i) policies and (ii) spending plans.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
It is the Government’s statutory duty to assess climate risks to the UK every five years under the Climate Change Act, a process known as the UK Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA), followed by a National Adaptation Programme (NAP), setting out actions to address the risks identified in the CCRA.
The Government published CCRA3 in January 2022, identifying 61 climate risks and opportunities, including infrastructure, health and the wider economy. NAP 3 brings together policies and actions to address these uncertainties.
Government spending is subject to clear requirements through the Green Book to consider climate change impacts. At SR 2025 HMT set a requirement for capital bids to be assessed according to their climate and environmental impact, including their resilience to the effects of climate change.
The forthcoming publication of the Government’s response to the CCC’s latest adaptation progress report will set out the Government’s approach to managing climate risks.
CCRA4 is due to be laid in Parliament by the UK Government in January 2027. The CCC are coordinating the Independent Assessment (CCRA4-IA) that will be published in 2026 and will form the basis of CCRA4.
Asked by: Paulette Hamilton (Labour - Birmingham Erdington)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the recommendations of the report by the All Party Parliamentary Group on Hospice and End of Life Care entitled Inquiry into the financial impact of a terminal diagnosis, published on 9 September 2025.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department supports people nearing the end of life through the Special Rules for End of Life. These enable people who are nearing the end of their lives to get faster, easier access to certain benefits, without needing to attend a medical assessment or serve waiting periods, and in most cases, receive the highest rate of benefit.
The Universal Credit Act 2025, ensures that all Special Rules for End of Life claimants will receive the higher LCWRA rate, no matter when they make their claim.
The Department values the insights and perspectives provided by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Hospice and End of Life Care and has noted the recommendations made in the report.
Asked by: Paulette Hamilton (Labour - Birmingham Erdington)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of reviewing the effectiveness of the Special Rules for End of Life fast-tracking benefits system.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The primary way the Department supports people nearing the end of life is through special benefit rules which are known as the Special Rules for End of Life (SREL). These enable people who are nearing the end of their lives to get faster, easier access to certain benefits, without needing to attend a medical assessment or serve waiting periods and in most cases, receive the highest rate of benefit.
The system is kept under review to ensure it is meeting its objectives.
The Government is committed to ensuring that the fast-tracked access to benefits via SREL is maintained, while actively exploring how we can continue to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the delivery of the current system.
Asked by: Paulette Hamilton (Labour - Birmingham Erdington)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to help improve the financial security of people at the end of life.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
This Government is committed to providing a financial safety net for those who need it.
The primary way the Department supports people nearing the end of life is through special benefit rules which are known as the Special Rules for End of Life (SREL). These enable people who have 12 months or less to live to get faster, easier access to certain benefits, without needing to attend a medical assessment or serve waiting periods and, in most cases, receive the highest rate of benefit.
Asked by: Paulette Hamilton (Labour - Birmingham Erdington)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will take steps to expand the scope of the terms of reference for the Pensions Commission to enable it to consider the potential merits of allowing people of working age with a terminal illness to access the State Pension.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Terms of Reference for the Pensions Commission, which set out the scope for the Commission, were published on the 21st July. As set out in their Terms of Reference, the Commissioners will consider what is required in the long term to deliver financial security in retirement through a pensions framework that is stronger, fairer and more sustainable. The Commissioners will engage with a wide range of issues relevant to their terms of reference and will publish their findings in due course.
Asked by: Paulette Hamilton (Labour - Birmingham Erdington)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will award maternity pay per baby instead of per pregnancy.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
We want new mothers to be able to take time away from work in the later stages of their pregnancy and in the months following childbirth, in the interests of their own and their baby’s health and wellbeing.
Maternity pay is paid for each pregnancy, not in respect of each child as maternity pay is intended primarily as a health and safety provision for pregnant working women. It is not intended to replace a woman's earnings completely, nor is it intended to cover the cost of having a baby; rather, it provides a measure of financial security to help pregnant working women take time off work in the later stages of their pregnancy and in the months following childbirth.
All current and upcoming parental leave and pay entitlements are in scope of the Parental Leave and Pay Review. The review presents an opportunity to reset our approach and understanding of parental leave and pay and what we want the system to achieve, whilst giving due consideration to balancing costs and benefits to families, businesses and the Exchequer.
Asked by: Paulette Hamilton (Labour - Birmingham Erdington)
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 impact of levels of current funding on palliative care on an assisted dying service.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer the Hon. Member to the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill: impact assessment, which considers the resourcing implications of an assisted dying service on palliative and end of life care services.
Asked by: Paulette Hamilton (Labour - Birmingham Erdington)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans her Department has to introduce new (a) opportunities and (b) training for PIP claimants who will lose their entitlement to PIP due to the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill in addition to those announced in the (i) Green Paper entitled Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working, published on 18 March 2025 and (ii) White Paper entitled Get Britain Working, published on 26 November 2024.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government has listened and committed to making changes to the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill. We will take forward reforms to PIP in a different way through the Timms review, and only make changes to PIP eligibility, activities and descriptors once the review has completed. The aim of the review is to make sure it is fair and fit for the future in a changing world and helps support disabled people to achieve better health, higher living standards and greater independence.
As announced in the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions’ statement on Welfare Reform on 30 June, we have increased the funding for employment support for disabled people and those with health conditions, investing an additional £300m over the next 3 years. This means our ‘Pathways to Work Guarantee’ is now an investment of £2.2 billion by 2030. This brings our total investment in employment support for disabled people and those with health conditions to £3.8 billion over this Parliament.
In addition to our Pathways to Work Guarantee announced in the Green Paper, our Access to Work Scheme provides practical support to help disabled people get into and stay in work.
Asked by: Paulette Hamilton (Labour - Birmingham Erdington)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Spending Review 2025, published on 11 June 2025, what plans her Department has to provide dedicated capital funding for (a) safe, (b) modern, (c) sustainable and (d) inclusive facilities for fire and rescue services in (a) West Midlands Fire Service and (b) England.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
On 3 February, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) published the 2025/26 Local Government Finance Settlement, which sets out funding allocations for all Local Authorities, including Fire and Rescue.
These allocations, which include the National Insurance Contribution Grant, will see standalone Fire and Rescue Authorities (FRAs) receiving an increase in core spending power of £69.1 million in 2025/26. This is an increase of 3.6 per cent in cash terms compared to 2024/25.
In 2025/26, West Midlands FRA has a core spending power of £135.3 million. Decisions on how their resources are best deployed to meet their core functions are a matter for each FRA.
Fire and Rescue Services play a crucial role in making our communities safer, both in prevention and in responding to emergencies. Government will continue to work with the Fire and Rescue sector to understand the investment needed and how that need can be addressed.
Following the Spending Review, my department is now working through departmental allocations. Once this process is complete, I will be able to share what the Spending Review means for the Fire and Rescue sector.