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 is taking to prioritise the development of small modular reactors as load following sources.

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

The next generation of nuclear, including small modular reactors (SMR), offers new possibilities including faster deployment, lower capital costs, and greater flexibility.

Whilst nuclear energy has a unique role to play in delivering stable, low carbon baseload energy, SMRs may be able to serve the electricity grid more flexibly than traditional nuclear, as well as unlock a range of additional applications in energy sectors beyond grid electricity.

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 planning restrictions on noise levels for heat pumps on installation of those pumps.

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

Research found that noise complaints from air source heat pumps are rare and heat pumps are perceived as being very quiet (Air source heat pump noise emissions, planning guidance and regulations - GOV.UK).

In 2025 the Government amended the Permitted Development Right for air source heat pumps in England, to give households greater flexibility to install an air source heat pump without needing to submit a planning application, while retaining the sound limit. Subsequently, some installers have reported significant reductions in installations requiring planning applications.

The Government continues to explore how to streamline the planning process for low carbon heating.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent discussions his Department has had with local Chambers of Commerce on the implementation of the Employment Rights Bill.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Government is committed to engaging closely with employers throughout the development of Make Work Pay policy and implementation. This will continue throughout and beyond the passage of the Employment Rights Bill. We have engaged directly with over 250 stakeholders across 254 meetings since August 2024. We have engaged directly with 138 businesses of which 75 are Small and Medium Enterprises. Department officials meet routinely with the British Chambers of Commerce, as one of the key business stakeholders.

We will continue to work closely with businesses and business organisations.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will issue guidance on the interaction between his Department's proposed probationary period and employees’ rights to claim unfair dismissal under the Employment Rights Bill.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Government’s Employment Rights Bill Implementation Roadmap, published in July 2025, reiterated our commitment to producing guidance to ensure that employers and employees understand the Plan to Make Work Pay’s changes to employment law, including unfair dismissal day one rights and the statutory probation period.

The Government will work alongside Acas and other partners to ensure the development of practical guidance. We will ensure there is time for employers to prepare and familiarise themselves with the requirements of these changes before they are implemented in 2027.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when she plans to announce the future of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme after 31 March 2026.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The future of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme after March 2026 will be announced when the outcome of the Spending Review and business planning processes have completed.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he plans to provide targeted support for small employers to help meet the cost of day-one Statutory Sick Pay.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

Strengthening Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) is part of the Government’s Plan to Make Work Pay ensuring the safety net of sick pay is available to those who need it most. The Government believes that removing the waiting period is essential to ensure employees feel better able to take the time they need to recover from short term illness, without struggling in work and often spreading infectious diseases such as influenza.

The government conducted a Regulatory Impact Assessment on the changes to strengthen Statutory Sick Pay in the Employment Rights Bill, which was published on 21 October 2024. This includes the impacts on small businesses. The additional cost to business of the SSP reforms is around £15 per employee. The government intends to conduct a post-implementation review of the Employment Rights Bill within five years of implementation.

Previous SSP rebate schemes that were available to employers, such as the Percentage Threshold Scheme were seen as complex, expensive to administer, underused by small businesses and did not encourage employers to support their employees during sickness absence.

The Department for Business and Trade provides a range of offers that SMEs may wish to access.  They include the Business Support Service, Gov.uk, the network of 41 local Growth Hubs across England, and the Help to Grow: Management scheme to help improve leadership and management capabilities. The recently launched Business Growth Service (BGS) makes it easier for businesses across the UK to get the advice and support they need to grow and thrive.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has had discussions with the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Integrated Care Board on the (a) public petition and (b) campaign to safeguard Arthur Rank Hospice.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to improve coordination between hospital trusts, Integrated Care Boards and hospices to support patient transitions from hospital to community-based end-of-life care.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

National Health Service bodies and local authorities have a duty to co-operate to provide appropriate discharge support according to local need to enable effective and timely discharge. This is of particular importance for individuals who may require palliative and end of life care services.

The Hospital discharge and community support guidance outlines that health and care providers should collaborate to prevent common issues that could disrupt the provision of care as part of the discharge process. Providers should also have regard to the fast-track pathway tool for NHS continuing healthcare to ensure individuals receive timely, appropriate, and compassionate support following discharge. The Hospital discharge and community support guidance is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hospital-discharge-and-community-support-guidance/hospital-discharge-and-community-support-guidance

The Department and NHS England are currently working to develop plans on how best to improve the access, quality, and sustainability of all-age palliative care and end of life care in line with the 10-Year Health Plan.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure sustainable long-term funding for hospices through Integrated Care Boards.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department and NHS England are currently working at pace to develop plans on how best to improve the access, quality, and sustainability of all-age palliative care and end of life care in line with the 10-Year Health Plan.

We are supporting hospices in England with a £100 million capital funding boost for adult and children’s hospices to ensure they have the best physical environment for care. We are also providing £80 million for children’s and young people’s hospices over the next three financial years, giving them stability to plan ahead and focus on what matters most, caring for their patients.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the (a) Employment Rights Bill and (b) changes to employers' National Insurance Contributions on small and medium-sized businesses.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

My department has published a robust set of Impact Assessments that provide a comprehensive analysis on the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill, available here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/employment-rights-bill-impact-assessments These include assessments on the impacts to micro, small and medium businesses in line with the Better Regulation Framework.

The Government decided to protect the smallest businesses from the changes to employer NICs by increasing the Employment Allowance from £5,000 to £10,500. This means that this year, 865,000 employers will pay no NICs at all, and more than half of all employers will either gain or will see no change.

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 Employment Rights Bill on levels of hiring confidence among small and medium-sized enterprises.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

My department has published a robust set of Impact Assessments that provide a comprehensive analysis on the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill, available here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/employment-rights-bill-impact-assessments

This analysis includes consideration of increases in labour costs for businesses and the subsequent effects, as well as assessments on the impacts to micro, small and medium businesses in line with the Better Regulation Framework.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to ensure that new regulations on zero-hours contracts reflect (a) seasonal and (b) fluctuating work patterns in the (i) hospitality, (ii) agriculture and (iii) other seasonal sectors.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

We appreciate that work can fluctuate seasonally for certain sectors. The Employment Rights Bill provides powers for the zero-hours measures to cater for seasonal work through regulations. We will consult employers, trade unions, and other stakeholders to inform these regulations.

The Bill already allows businesses flexibility while abiding by the legislation. For example, businesses will still be able to use contracts which offer variable numbers of hours of work at different times of the year. It also allows guaranteed hours offers to take the form of limited-term contracts, where reasonable.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment of the adequacy of (a) NHS and (b) hospice funding allocations in (i) Greater Cambridge and (ii) other high-growth areas.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS England is responsible for determining allocations of financial resources to integrated care boards (ICBs). This process is independent of the Government, and NHS England takes advice on the underlying formula from the independent Advisory Committee on Resource Allocation.

ICB allocations for 2025/26 were published on 30 January 2025, and allocations for 2026/27 to 2028/29 will be published in due course. Further information on allocations in 2025/26 is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/allocation-of-resources-2025-26/

Palliative care services are included in the list of services an ICB must commission. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and service specifications.  The statutory guidance states that ICBs must work to ensure that there is sufficient provision of palliative care and end of life care services to meet the needs of their local populations, which can include hospice services available within the ICB catchment.

The Department and NHS England are currently working at pace to develop plans on how best to improve the access, quality, and sustainability of all-age palliative care and end of life care, including that provided by hospices, in line with the 10-Year Health Plan.

We are supporting hospices in England with a £100 million capital funding boost for adult and children’s hospices to ensure they have the best physical environment for care. The Arthur Rank Hospice in Cambridge is receiving £941,496 from this funding.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that small producers are not placed at a cash flow disadvantage compared with larger producers under the payment structures of the extended producer responsibility scheme.

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

pEPR in the UK has some of the most generous support measures for small businesses across any packaging scheme globally. These are exemptions from disposal fee and recycling obligations for producers with an annual turnover below £2 million and packaging tonnage below 50 tonnes; and an exemption from data collection and reporting obligations for small businesses with turnover below £1 million and packaging tonnage below 25 tonnes. These exemptions apply to approximately 70% of businesses supplying packaging in the UK. To support businesses that are subject to disposal fee obligations we have also provided flexible payment arrangements to help obligated businesses manage cashflow, by paying fees in quarterly instalments. Where producers are a liable and struggle to meet payment plans outlined in the regulations, further options are available on request.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact on community choirs of extending Orchestra Tax Relief to include vocal ensembles.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government supports the creative industries, including orchestras, through funding and via the tax system. Orchestra Tax Relief (OTR) was introduced to recognise and sustain the distinct cultural and economic activity associated with orchestral productions.

Under current rules, qualifying concerts must be performed by a group of at least twelve instrumentalists. The human voice is not considered an instrument for these purposes. However, orchestra concerts with a vocal element are eligible for the relief providing that the orchestra has at least 12 instrumentalists, and the instrumentalists are the primary focus.

In considering any changes to existing tax reliefs or introducing new ones, Government has to consider a wide range of factors, including the specific aims of the relief, the costs and complexity of designing and administering new provisions, and fairness.

Decisions on tax are taken by the Chancellor at fiscal events, in the context of overall public finances.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has plans to consult with representatives of choirs and other vocal ensembles on the scope of Orchestra Tax Relief.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government supports the creative industries, including orchestras, through funding and via the tax system. Orchestra Tax Relief (OTR) was introduced to recognise and sustain the distinct cultural and economic activity associated with orchestral productions.

Under current rules, qualifying concerts must be performed by a group of at least twelve instrumentalists. The human voice is not considered an instrument for these purposes. However, orchestra concerts with a vocal element are eligible for the relief providing that the orchestra has at least 12 instrumentalists, and the instrumentalists are the primary focus.

In considering any changes to existing tax reliefs or introducing new ones, Government has to consider a wide range of factors, including the specific aims of the relief, the costs and complexity of designing and administering new provisions, and fairness.

Decisions on tax are taken by the Chancellor at fiscal events, in the context of overall public finances.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to ensure parity of access to creative tax reliefs between orchestras and choirs.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government supports the creative industries, including orchestras, through funding and via the tax system. Orchestra Tax Relief (OTR) was introduced to recognise and sustain the distinct cultural and economic activity associated with orchestral productions.

Under current rules, qualifying concerts must be performed by a group of at least twelve instrumentalists. The human voice is not considered an instrument for these purposes. However, orchestra concerts with a vocal element are eligible for the relief providing that the orchestra has at least 12 instrumentalists, and the instrumentalists are the primary focus.

In considering any changes to existing tax reliefs or introducing new ones, Government has to consider a wide range of factors, including the specific aims of the relief, the costs and complexity of designing and administering new provisions, and fairness.

Decisions on tax are taken by the Chancellor at fiscal events, in the context of overall public finances.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what measures the government is taking to develop a culture of reading for pleasure in schools as part of the new curriculum.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

I refer to the hon. Member for South Cambridgeshire to the answer of 19 November 2025 to Question 88744.

Bengal Lounge in Linton award of Best Chef of the Year at the Euro Asia Curry Awards 2025

Nettlebed Community School

Tenth anniversary of Storm Desmond

Local government and social care

Cancer waiting times

Local Housing Allowance

Accessible healthcare for deaf people and those with hearing loss

World Antimicrobial Resistance Awareness Week 2025

Access to banks

County FA Recognition Awards 2025

Tackling van and tool theft

Gambling executives' profits

Fly-tipping and illegal waste dumping by criminal gangs

President Trump’s 20-point peace plan

Armed Forces Training Contract and Elbit Systems

UK access to the EU SAFE defence fund

National Tree Week 2025

Crohn’s and Colitis Awareness Week 2025

UK–EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Agreement

Cumulative disruption proposals and the right to protest

Exmoor Forest Inn

Found: members of the Committee during the inquiry: Ellie Chowns (Green Party; North Herefordshire); Pippa Heylings