Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to her Department's report entitled Draft Heathrow expansion national policy statement, published on June 2026, page 54, what discussions she has had with the Major of London on potential congestion charges to and from Heathrow Airport.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Secretary of State has not met with the Mayor of London to discuss potential congestion charges to and from Heathrow Airport, in the context of Heathrow Expansion.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of introducing a congestion charge in respect of journeys to and from Heathrow Airport.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
None. The decision to introduce a road user charge is for the relevant traffic authorities for an area to make.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
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 merits of excluding product codes 14 and 27 from the new steel tariffs.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government engaged extensively with both primary steel producers and downstream users, including those in the manufacturing and defence sectors, to inform development of the steel trade measure, including a Call for Evidence in July 2025. The policy has been developed to strike the right balance between securing the future of domestic steelmaking and maintaining secure supply chains.
Detail of the codes under Categories 14 and 27 covered by the measure are available on GOV.UK. We will continue engaging regularly with companies across the supply chain and will closely monitor impacts. This includes a review after twelve months to ensure the measure remains effective and fit for purpose.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what impact assessment he has made of the changes to steel tariffs on the supply chain for the defence industry.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government engaged extensively with both primary steel producers and downstream users, including those in the manufacturing and defence sectors, to inform development of the steel trade measure, including a Call for Evidence in July 2025. The policy has been developed to strike the right balance between securing the future of domestic steelmaking and maintaining secure supply chains.
Detail of the codes under Categories 14 and 27 covered by the measure are available on GOV.UK. We will continue engaging regularly with companies across the supply chain and will closely monitor impacts. This includes a review after twelve months to ensure the measure remains effective and fit for purpose.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what impact assessment he has made of the changes to steel tariffs on the manufacturing sector.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government engaged extensively with both primary steel producers and downstream users, including those in the manufacturing and defence sectors, to inform development of the steel trade measure, including a Call for Evidence in July 2025. The policy has been developed to strike the right balance between securing the future of domestic steelmaking and maintaining secure supply chains.
Detail of the codes under Categories 14 and 27 covered by the measure are available on GOV.UK. We will continue engaging regularly with companies across the supply chain and will closely monitor impacts. This includes a review after twelve months to ensure the measure remains effective and fit for purpose.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when she plans to publish the draft Airport National Policy Statement.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
As set out in the Government’s October 2025 announcement, we are working to consult on the outcome of the Airports National Policy Statement (ANPS) review by the summer.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when the mid-term review of the Suicide Prevention Strategy will be published.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed
Officials are reviewing the Suicide Prevention Strategy, including how best to present updates, acknowledging the successes of the strategy so far as well as re-invigorating cross-Government efforts to go further. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Women’s Health and Mental Health will continue to work with officials and ministerial counterparts across Government to raise the profile of delivering the actions in the suicide prevention strategy, drive progress, and foster collective responsibility around suicide prevention.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what criteria he uses to assess the effectiveness of the Suicide Prevention Strategy.
Answered by Zubir Ahmed
Data, evidence, and engagement with experts informed the actions that sit within the Suicide Prevention Strategy’s action plan. Government departments and other organisations responsible for delivering suicide prevention activity are accountable for the delivery of these actions to ensure progress is made against the ambitions set out in the strategy.
The Department will continue to review emerging evidence and data, to ensure current actions remain suitable and to develop iterative actions, where required, to drive further progress. The Department has regular meetings with the National Suicide Prevention Strategy Advisory Group to aid the monitoring and delivery of the strategy.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much was spent on the Pharmacy First awareness campaign.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Pharmacy First advertising campaign has now run on several occasions. Evaluation of the November to December 2024 campaign showed a measurable increase in public awareness and confidence. Awareness that pharmacies can treat Pharmacy First conditions rose from 71% to 79%, trust in advice from the pharmacy team increased from 61% to 70%, and the proportion of people saying they would use a pharmacy if they experienced a Pharmacy First condition increased from 32% to 37%.
The campaign was rerun between October 2025 and January 2026 to encourage people to seek treatment for seven common conditions at their local pharmacy, supporting continued efforts to relieve pressure on general practices over the winter period. The campaign used a wide range of media channels, including television, radio, outdoor advertising, social media, and online platforms. In 2025/26, NHS England spent £2.017 million on the Pharmacy First advertising campaign.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the capabilities of UK data centres to meet the energy usage required with the increasing use of AI.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government keeps UK data centre capability under review and works closely with energy regulators, network operators and industry.
Through the AI Energy Council, Government is assessing system‑wide impacts, promoting energy efficiency and clean power solutions, and ensuring that growth in AI compute supports economic growth without undermining energy security or climate objectives.
Through AI Growth Zones, the Government is streamlining planning, improving access to power and crowding in investment, while ensuring developments are located where energy system impacts can be managed effectively.
UK Data and AI infrastructure is subject to the UK’s environmental and planning frameworks, which require assessment of impacts such as energy use. Larger data centres, which will be able to apply through the recently introduced Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project route, will also be subject to these requirements.