Asked by: Peter Prinsley (Labour - Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to introduce a policy similar to those in NHS Scotland and NHS Wales to support the regrading of specialty doctors to the specialist grade where appropriate.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
While there are no specific plans to introduce a separate regrading policy similar to those in Scotland or Wales at this time, we are considering how best to support appropriate career progression for specialty doctors in England, including through ongoing conversations with the British Medical Association.
The specialist grade was introduced in England in 2021 as part of reforms to improve career progression opportunities for Specialty, Associate Specialist, and Specialist (SAS) doctors. Employers are able to create specialist posts where there is a service need, and individuals, including speciality doctors, should be able to apply for these roles through open, competitive recruitment.
As set out in the National Health Service 10-Year Health Plan, the Department is committed to supporting the continued expansion of the specialist grade where appropriate, to ensure SAS doctors have clear and fair pathways for progression.
Asked by: Peter Prinsley (Labour - Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance his Department issues to local authorities to on conducting consultations with recognised care provider associations when setting adult social care fee rates.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Care Act 2014 places a statutory duty on local authorities, under Section 5, to promote a sustainable and high-quality adult social care market. This includes ensuring that care providers can operate effectively and that fee structures support the delivery of high-quality services. While the Care Act does not prescribe specific methods of engagement, such as recognised provider associations, it sets the overarching requirement for local authorities to understand local market conditions and the costs of care. In practice, this means local authorities are expected to draw on appropriate evidence, which may include information from providers, when setting fees.
On 18 December 2025, the Department published its new annual local authority priority-setting document. This sets out a list of priority outcomes and expectations for local authorities in 2026/27, and one of these is for local authorities to “set fee rates at a sustainable level, in line with commissioning priorities, to help shape markets and enable adult social care providers to recruit a skilled workforce and stabilise and improvement workforce capacity, and in preparation for employment rights reforms, starting from financial year 2026 and the fair pair agreement starting in financial year 2028”.
Asked by: Peter Prinsley (Labour - Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of increases domestic heating oil prices following developments in the Middle East on households; what steps his Department is taking to monitor pricing practices among heating oil suppliers; and what steps he is taking to support rural households that rely on heating oil where price increases place pressure on household finances.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is closely monitoring heating oil, petrol and diesel prices in light of instability in the Middle East. International kerosene prices are >75% higher than they were before the conflict and this is putting pressure on heating oil prices.
The Secretary of State has written to the industry reminding heating oil distributors of their commitments under the UKIFDA Code of Practice, including the need for fair, transparent and justifiable pricing. Ministers have also spoken with the Competition and Markets Authority, who have announced they are reviewing evidence of potential unfair practices and anti-competitive behaviour.
We are keeping under review whether any further support or action is needed to protect consumers.
Asked by: Peter Prinsley (Labour - Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what guidance his Department provides to local authorities and their partners on responding to rough sleeping in town centres, including engagement with local businesses, and on meeting safeguarding and homelessness prevention duties.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Through our National Plan to End Homelessness, the government has committed to developing an Outreach Toolkit, alongside a Single Homelessness and Complex Needs Toolkit. Together these will provide advice on designing and delivering services, including on effective outreach, accommodation pathways including the role of housing-led solutions, including Housing First, and enforcement.
These toolkits will build on the support available to local authorities through my Department’s team of expert advisers and guidance published through gov.uk here. This includes specific guidance on safeguarding, which you can find here.
Asked by: Peter Prinsley (Labour - Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps the Government is taking to help tackle the use of estate management charges on new-build and privately managed housing estates in cases where freehold homeowners continue to pay ongoing maintenance fees for roads, lighting and green spaces that have been adopted by local authorities and for which residents already pay council tax; and whether the Government plans to strengthen regulation of private estate management companies to improve transparency, accountability and residents’ rights.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 18 December 2025 (HCWS1210).
Asked by: Peter Prinsley (Labour - Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what consideration is given to the provision of bungalows and other accessible housing for older people in new housing developments; and whether he plans to strengthen national planning policy to encourage a greater proportion of age-appropriate homes in areas experiencing significant housing growth.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the answers given to Questions UIN 102355 on 12 January 2026, UIN 101501 on 7 January 2026 and UIN 50375 on 23 May 2025.
Asked by: Peter Prinsley (Labour - Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what implementation metrics have been set for the introduction of Staff Treatment Hubs under the 10 Year Plan, including the number of hubs operational by the end of 2026, the regional coverage targets in England and Wales, and the specific performance measures used to evaluate improvements in clinician wellbeing.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The 10-Year Health Plan committed to the roll out of Staff Treatment Hubs, to provide a high-quality wellbeing and occupational health service for all National Health Service staff. Work is underway to develop implementation and operational plans for the Staff Treatments Hubs. This will determine factors such as location, budgets, timeframes, capacity, and processes for monitoring progress and performance.
Asked by: Peter Prinsley (Labour - Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of Plan 2 student loan interest rates on graduates’ outstanding loan balances over time; and whether these rates will be reviewed as part of future student loan policy development.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Plan 2 loans were designed and implemented by previous governments.
Interest rates are applied at the Retail Price Index (RPI) only, then variable up to an upper limit of RPI +3% depending on earnings.This maintains the real value of repayments over a long loan term. As an additional borrower protection, interest rates on post-2012 loans are automatically capped by the prevailing market rate for comparable unsecured personal loans, ensuring borrowers are protected if market conditions change.
Interest rates do not impact monthly repayments made by student loan borrowers. Repayments are made at a constant rate of 9% above the earnings threshold, and this rate strikes a balance between affordability for graduates and fairness to taxpayers. For example, someone earning £30,000 will repay around £4 per month in the 2026/27 financial year under the repayment threshold of £29,385.
Those earning below the earnings threshold do not make repayments. Any outstanding loan, including interest built up, is cancelled at the end of the loan term with no detriment to the borrower, and debt is never passed on to family members or descendants.
Asked by: Peter Prinsley (Labour - Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether consumer credit affordability and creditworthiness checks adequately prevent people with high levels of debt and known gambling-related financial risks from obtaining additional credit cards; and what steps she is taking with the Financial Conduct Authority to strengthen safeguards.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
Lenders offering credit are regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). This oversight ensures that lending practices are fair and that consumers are protected – firms regulated by the FCA must comply with its strict lending affordability rules, lending only to those who can afford repayments based on a thorough assessment of their financial situation. Under the FCA’s Consumer Duty, firms are required to take steps to identify and respond to signs of vulnerability, support customers to disclose their needs, and make them aware of available assistance.
The Government is committed to supporting people who are experiencing problem debt. Through the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS), the Government funds a range of national and community-based debt advice services in England, so households can access the specialist support they need to get their finances back on track.
Asked by: Peter Prinsley (Labour - Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to help improve energy interconnection between the UK and the EU.
Answered by Katie White - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
At the recent North Sea Summit we committed to a joint ambition of 100GW of offshore renewable projects with our European neighbours, including through coordinated energy infrastructure planning.