Asked by: Rosena Allin-Khan (Labour - Tooting)
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 merits of proceeding with phase 2 of the non-domestic minimum energy efficiency standards.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Non-domestic Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards are a key tool in helping businesses reduce their energy bills and strengthen the UK’s energy security, with the potential to deliver £millions in annual energy bill savings from the proposed EPC B deadline. This policy is a part of government’s mission to deliver clean power by 2030 and accelerate to Net Zero. The standards required under the regulations will also generate demand for skilled building retrofit and energy assessor jobs, building on the existing grants for training.
Asked by: Rosena Allin-Khan (Labour - Tooting)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when his Department plans to announce phase two of the non-domestic Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government consulted on strengthening the non-domestic PRS Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards to EPC C by 1 April 2027, and EPC B by 1 April 2030. We are currently reviewing the policy design, including the timelines for introduction, to ensure that it remains fair and proportionate for landlords and tenants. We plan to publish a response to the consultations as early as possible this year.
Asked by: Rosena Allin-Khan (Labour - Tooting)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of existing emergency planning in relation to infants and children.
Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Cabinet Office non-statutory guidance sets out that emergency planning should consider groups that require special consideration, including those who are dependent on others, such as children. All education, childcare, and children’s social care settings should have emergency plans in place. Plans should explain how to respond and take any temporary actions in the event of an emergency. This expectation is set out in DfE’s (non-statutory) emergency planning guidance for education, childcare and children’s social care settings. The guidance includes an expectation to evaluate and test plans. DfE also publishes statutory guidance for schools and colleges on safeguarding children and safer recruitment.
Asked by: Rosena Allin-Khan (Labour - Tooting)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps she is taking to improve (a) response times and (b) service standards at Wandsworth County Court.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
Wandsworth County Court is part of the London Civil and Family Cluster. Performance is discussed weekly, and the cluster priorities agreed. Work is moved around the cluster to ensure that the quickest possible service is delivered. Continuous Improvement exercises continue to be undertaken to ensure the best customer service.
Over the last 12 months, overall workload in the cluster has reduced by 30%, and in Wandsworth by 20%. This has been achieved by sharing work with other courts, additional judicial recruitment, sitting days and digitalisation of online money claims.
While there have been significant recruitment and retention issues at Wandsworth in the past, we have now filled all vacancies following a targeted recruitment campaign.
Asked by: Rosena Allin-Khan (Labour - Tooting)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many cases were awaiting hearing at Wandsworth County Court as of 1 June 2025.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
There were 145 cases awaiting listing for a hearing and 4479 cases already listed at the week commencing 2 June 2025.
Asked by: Rosena Allin-Khan (Labour - Tooting)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of empty properties on the rental market in (a) Tooting and (b) Greater London.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Statistics on empty properties are published annually and are accessible on gov.uk here. We do not hold records on vacant homes per constituency.
Local authorities have strong powers and incentives to tackle empty homes. They have the discretionary powers to charge additional council tax on properties which have been left unoccupied and substantially unfurnished for one or more years. The maximum premium that a council can apply increases, depending on the length of time that the property has been empty for, with a premium of up to 300% on homes left empty for over ten years.
Local authorities can also use powers to take over the management of long-term empty homes to bring them back into use in the private rented sector. Local authorities can apply for an Empty Dwelling Management Order (EDMO) when a property has been empty for more than two years, subject to the production of evidence that the property has been causing a nuisance to the community and evidence of community support for their proposal. More information can be found on gov.uk here.
Asked by: Rosena Allin-Khan (Labour - Tooting)
Question
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, if she will take steps to encourage local authorities to provide free period products in public buildings.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The Government supports a number of schemes so that those in most need can access period products. All women and girls being cared for by the NHS are entitled to be given, on request, appropriate period products free of charge. Similarly, the Department for Education run a scheme to provide free period products to girls and women in their place of study; with all state-maintained primary and secondary schools, and 16-19 educational organisations, eligible.
We recognise that period poverty is a symptom of wider poverty and the wider pressures of the cost of living, which is the government is taking steps to improve the overall affordability of products.
Asked by: Rosena Allin-Khan (Labour - Tooting)
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 merits of including NHS Professionals employees in the NHS Pension Scheme.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
No such assessment has been made. NHS Professionals is a private limited company operating in a competitive environment to secure contracts with National Health Service trusts, and as such it makes its own assessment of the terms upon which it attracts and retains its employees.
Asked by: Rosena Allin-Khan (Labour - Tooting)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what criteria his Department plans to use to decide when personal imports of meat and dairy products from the European Union can be reinstated.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Personal imports of meat and dairy products from the European Union (EU) into Great Britain (GB) are subject to a transitional exemption from rules that apply to personal imports from outside the EU single market. As part of our national mission to protect our food sector and farmers, we have put in place a series of emergency safeguard measures banning personal imports of certain animal products into GB, in response to outbreaks of Peste des Petits Ruminants, African Swine Fever and Foot and Mouth Disease in the European Union. The devolved governments in Wales and Scotland have put in place equivalent measures. Decisions on whether to lift safeguard measures on personal imports of animal products are based on expert risk assessments and advice from the UK Chief Veterinary Officer and the Chief Veterinary Officers in Wales and Scotland. We publish risk assessments on GOV.UK: www.gov.uk/government/collections/animal-diseases-international-monitoring.
Asked by: Rosena Allin-Khan (Labour - Tooting)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what criteria his Department uses to determine when bans on personal imports of food products should be implemented following disease outbreaks.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Personal imports of meat and dairy products from the European Union (EU) into Great Britain (GB) are subject to a transitional exemption from rules that apply to personal imports from outside the EU single market. As part of our national mission to protect our food sector and farmers, we have put in place a series of emergency safeguard measures banning personal imports of certain animal products into GB, in response to outbreaks of Peste des Petits Ruminants, African Swine Fever and Foot and Mouth Disease in the European Union. The devolved governments in Wales and Scotland have put in place equivalent measures. Decisions on whether to impose safeguard measures on personal imports of animal products are based on expert risk assessments and advice from the UK Chief Veterinary Officer and the Chief Veterinary Officers in Wales and Scotland. We publish risk assessments on GOV.UK: www.gov.uk/government/collections/animal-diseases-international-monitoring.