Satvir Kaur

The Government recognises the role community groups play in our efforts to tackle climate change. Great British Energy’s Local Power Plan will support Local and Combined Authorities and Community Energy Groups to develop up to 8GW of cleaner power by 2030.

The Government also supports the community energy sector through the £10 million Community Energy Fund, which enables communities across England to access grant funding to develop local renewable energy projects for investment.

Electric Vehicle Chargepoint Grants are available for people living in homes without driveways, flat owners, renters, and landlords. These offer up to £350 towards the purchase and installation of a chargepoint. The Government will shortly publish guidance for local authorities on installing cross-pavement solutions for residents without off-street parking.

In addition, the Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Fund supports local authorities in England to work with industry to transform the availability of EV charging for drivers without off-street parking, and will support the installation of tens of thousands of local chargers.

Sustainability of local journalism is an area of particular concern for this Government, across the country and in Southampton Test. We are developing a Local Media Strategy, in recognition of the importance of this vital sector. Our vision is a thriving local media that can continue to play an invaluable role as a key channel of trustworthy information at local level, reporting on the issues that matter to communities, reflecting their contributions and perspectives, helping to foster a self-confident nation in which everyone feels that their contribution is part of an inclusive national story.

We are working across Government and with other stakeholders as the Strategy develops and will announce further details in due course.

The Government’s Industrial Strategy will support the growth of the creative industries, including publishing which contributes £11.6 billion to the economy and supports 127,000 jobs.

In Southampton, Arts Council England (ACE) supports local writers through Artful Scribe, a not-for-profit development agency. ACE has committed over £184,000 to Artful Scribe through to 2027, including those interested in magazine publishing.

Nationally, ACE invests in poetry magazines such as Poetry London (£50,000 annually) and Wasafiri (£60,506 annually), both National Portfolio Organisations. ACE support also extends to writing development agencies like New Writing South (Brighton, £126,477 annually) and Literature Works (Plymouth, £98,333 annually), which offer guidance to writers seeking opportunities in local magazine publishing.

School libraries complement public libraries in giving pupils access to a range of books and other kinds of texts, both in and out of school.

It is for individual schools to decide how best to provide and maintain a library service for their pupils, including whether to employ a qualified librarian, and we give headteachers autonomy to decide how best to spend the core schools funding that is allocated to them by the department. The Autumn Budget announced an additional £2.3 billion for schools for the 2025/26 financial year, compared to 2024/25, bringing the total core schools budget to almost £63.9 billion in 2025/26.

​The government’s reading framework offers non-statutory guidance for teachers and school leaders, including helpful guidance for schools on how to organise their school library, book corner or book stock to make reading accessible and attractive to readers.

The department recently published its latest research on the cost of school uniforms, surveying parents and carers of children aged 4 to 16 attending state-funded schools in England. The research report assessed the relative changes to the cost of school uniforms since the department’s previous report in 2015. It is published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cost-of-school-uniforms-survey-2023.​

The research found that the average total expenditure on school uniform, based on the items required in the 2023/24 academic year, was £249.58 compared with £279.51 for a similar period and adjusted for inflation in 2014/15. It was less expensive for parents or carers of children in primary schools (£217.65 for boys and £246.80 for girls) than for those with children in secondary schools (£266.14 for boys and £289.04 for girls).

Too many families still tell the department that the cost of school uniform remains a financial burden. That is why as part of the King’s Speech we have committed to legislate to limit the number of expensive branded items of uniform and PE kit that schools can require.

Natural England is the statutory authority responsible for designating National Parks and National Landscapes/Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs) in England.

Natural England have undertaken early exploratory work to consider possible approaches to the designation of a new National Park in England. They currently do not have a timeline for progressing this work which is subject to on-going discussions and are not considering any additional landscape designation cases at the current time.

Natural England is not responsible for National Park Cities. The National Park City Foundation (a registered charity) is the steward of the global movement supporting cities all around the world in their aspiration of becoming National Park Cities. The Foundation has provided guidance for prospective National Park Cities including how to register local campaigns and submit applications. The Foundation states that they are on course for at least twenty five global National Park Cities by 2025.

Defra supports the National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU) which helps prevent and detect bird of prey crime by gathering intelligence, undertaking analysis and directly assisting law enforcers. Defra also provides funding to the Wildlife Incident Investigation Scheme which makes enquiries into the death of wildlife that may have resulted from pesticide or rodenticide poisoning.

It is challenging to confirm whether the efforts of NWCU and partners is leading to a decrease in crimes against birds of prey as figures are not officially collected at a national level. The decision to make such offences ‘notifiable’ sits with the Home Office.

In answer to b(i), to ensure risks associated with professional use of anticoagulant rodenticides could be properly managed, the Health and Safety Executive (having policy responsibility for rodenticides) worked with the Campaign for Responsible Rodenticide Use UK to develop an industry-led stewardship regime to promote responsible use. The stewardship scheme is overseen by Government and is currently under review.

For b(ii), it is illegal to supply rodenticides unless they are authorised, and they must only be used in accordance with the conditions of that authorisation. There are robust, multi-agency arrangements in place for taking enforcement against the misuse of rodenticides.

The levels of water pollution are unacceptable. Defra and its Arm’s Length Bodies, continue to take action to tackle agricultural pollution through a suite of regulations, advice and incentives, and advice led enforcement, in order to achieve the Environment Act 2021 target, to reduce nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment from agriculture entering the water environment by 40% by 2038.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) lies at the heart of our approach to minimise the environmental impact of pesticides. IPM is a holistic approach that promotes a range of plant protection methods and keeps the use of pesticides to levels that are ecologically and economically justified.

The UK Pesticides National Action Plan will be published next year and will set out the government’s strategy for sustainable use of pesticides.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) monitors and enforces animal welfare legislation in slaughterhouses in England and Wales. Food Standards Scotland operate in Scotland and the Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs are responsible in Northern Ireland.

FSA animal welfare enforcement non-compliance data can be accessed on their website here. The FSA records non-compliances in all slaughterhouses in the same way irrespective of if the slaughterhouse receives Government funding.

Sepsis has no specific diagnostic test and presentation can vary, making it difficult to diagnose. Early intervention can prevent further deterioration of acutely unwell patients, to help mitigate negative outcomes.

Recent evidence suggests that there is high awareness of sepsis among the general public. The Government and its Arm’s Length Bodies are therefore focused on improving the clinical awareness and recognition of sepsis by healthcare professionals, so that unwell and deteriorating patients are identified promptly and started on life-saving treatment. NHS England has launched several training programmes aimed at improving the diagnosis and early management of sepsis. These programmes are regularly reviewed and revised with support from subject matter experts, as new national sepsis guidance is implemented.

Individual National Health Service trusts may also choose to implement additional initiatives on sepsis locally. NHS England is leading the rollout of Martha’s Rule within 143 hospital sites by March 2025. Martha’s Rule will give staff, patients, and families the ability to initiate a rapid review for acute physiological deterioration, which will inform whether further actions are required to give the patient the most appropriate and safe care.

We support social workers through our existing initiatives such as bursaries, which is the main funding route to support students studying Higher Education Institute courses, and the Assessed Supported Year in Employment, which provides support and assessment for newly qualified social workers.

The Government is committed to prioritising women’s health as we reform the National Health Service. Evidence from the women's health strategy call for evidence in 2021 identified difficulties accessing care due to lack of recognition of symptoms from both women and healthcare professionals, and reluctance of some healthcare professionals to prescribe hormone replacement therapy for menopause symptoms.

A range of information and resources are available to help primary care professionals to support women experiencing menopause symptoms. The Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) has a holistic curriculum of training that all general practitioners (GPs) must cover before they are able to pass the examination to become a member of the RCGP and work independently as a GP. There is a specific section on women’s health, including menopause. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence is also updating its guideline on menopause diagnosis and management.

The Department has also invested £25 million over 2023/24 and 2024/25 to support the establishment of at least one pilot women’s health hub in every integrated care system. These provide more specialist care for women in the community, and many of them also act as a point of training and support for their local GP community. Menopause care is a core service for pilot women’s health hubs.

No assessment has been made of the potential merits of removing car-parking charges for National Health Service patients and staff.

All NHS trusts that charge for hospital car parking provide free parking to in-need groups, which include NHS staff working overnight, frequent outpatient attenders, disabled people, and parents of children staying overnight in hospital.

We will get the National Health Service diagnosing cancer earlier and treating it faster, including blood cancer. This is supported by NHS England’s key ambition on cancer, to meet the Faster Diagnosis Standard, which sets a target of 28 days from urgent referral by a general practitioner or screening programme to patients being told that they have cancer, or that cancer is ruled out.

The Department is committed to implementing the recommendations of Lord O'Shaughnessy’s review into commercial clinical trials, making sure that the United Kingdom leads the world in clinical trials, and ensuring that innovative, lifesaving treatments are accessible to NHS patients, including those with blood cancer.

Making improvements across different cancer types is critical to reducing disparities in cancer survival. Early cancer diagnosis is also a specific priority within the NHS’s wider Core20Plus5 approach to reducing healthcare inequalities.

Professor Lord Darzi has undertaken an independent investigation into the state of the NHS, the findings of which will feed into the Government’s 10-year plan to build a health service that is fit for the future. The Government will therefore set out any further priorities on cancer and health in due course.

The National Disease Registration Service, through the National Cancer Registration and Analysis Services (NCRAS), collects information on how many people in England have cancer. Blood cancer is included as a distinct category, labelled haematological neoplasms. The National Disease Registration Service’s website also shows the number of people treated for different tumour types by treatment type, as well as survival rates, mortality rates, and data on urgent suspected cancer referrals. Further information is available at the following link:

https://www.cancerdata.nhs.uk/

All cases of cancer diagnosed and treated in the NHS in England are registered by the NCRAS. This creates a clinically rich data resource that is used to measure diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes for patients diagnosed with cancer. The data held by the NCRAS supports service provision and commissioning in the NHS, clinical audits, and public health and epidemiological research, all of which contribute to improved outcomes for those diagnosed with cancer.

The UK government is boosting its relationships with Brazilian ministers to prioritise the protection of the Amazon. The Foreign Secretary and Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero regularly underline our shared climate ambitions, including protection of the Amazon rainforest, with their counterparts in calls and meetings. The UK also supports a variety of programmes aimed at preventing deforestation and restoring rainforests destroyed by wildfires. In Ecuador and Peru, we are contributing up to £12.3 million through the Andes-Amazon Biodiverse Landscape Fund and in Brazil, through the Amazon Fund (£80 million contributed, £35 million committed).

The Government continues to call for the human rights of all Afghans to be protected, including those of Hazara communities, most recently in our statement at the UN Human Rights Council on 27 September. We condemn recent attacks against Hazaras. In line with The Hazara Inquiry report's recommendations, we continue to monitor and document discrimination and abuses against Hazaras, including through our support for the UN Special Rapporteur. Officials from the UK Mission to Afghanistan regularly press the Taliban on human rights abuses and the rights of minorities in Afghanistan.

The Government continues to call for the human rights of all Afghans to be protected, including those of Hazara communities, most recently in our statement at the UN Human Rights Council on 27 September. We condemn recent attacks against Hazaras. In line with The Hazara Inquiry report's recommendations, we continue to monitor and document discrimination and abuses against Hazaras, including through our support for the UN Special Rapporteur. Officials from the UK Mission to Afghanistan regularly press the Taliban on human rights abuses and the rights of minorities in Afghanistan.

Shop theft is at a record high, police recorded crime for shoplifting in Southampton Community Partnership area saw an increase of (43%) in the latest year and a higher increase than in England and Wales as a whole (29%).

This Government is taking strong action to tackle this problem by ending the effective immunity, introduced by the previous Government, granted to shop theft of goods under £200. We will also introduce a new offence of assaulting a retail worker to protect the hardworking and dedicated staff that work in stores.

As announced in the Autumn Budget, and building on current Home Office funding, we will provide:

£5 million over three years to continue to fund a specialist analysis team within Opal, the National Policing Intelligence Unit for serious organised acquisitive crime, to crack down on organised gangs targeting retailers;

£2 million over three years to the National Business Crime Centre, a resource for police and businesses to learn, share and support each other to prevent and combat crime; and

£100k in 2025-26 for the National Police Chiefs' Council for further training on prevention tactics.

There are no plans currently to make wildlife crimes notifiable. Any non-notifiable wildlife crime reported to the police can still be investigated where appropriate, as Chief Constables have operational independence to tackle the crimes that matter most to their communities.

This Government recognises the importance of tackling wildlife crime, which is why, along with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Home Office directly funds the National Wildlife Crime Unit to help tackle these crimes.

The Government is committed to creating better access to parks and green spaces for everyone.

The MHCLG-owned Green Flag Award scheme sets the national standard for parks and green spaces that are welcoming, safe, well-maintained and promote biodiversity and community participation, promoting best practice across the sector.

Planning regulations including Local Green Space Designation and Biodiversity Net Gain bolster the creation and protection of green spaces.

Cross government initiatives to increase available natural space and make it more accessible includes Natural England’s Green Infrastructure Framework and Defra's Access for All and Farming in Protected Landscapes programmes.

Local Nature Recovery Strategies, 48 locally led strategies covering all England, set priorities and map proposals for key actions to drive nature recovery and environmental improvement.

The Government is committed to creating better access to parks and green spaces for everyone.

The MHCLG-owned Green Flag Award scheme sets the national standard for parks and green spaces that are welcoming, safe, well-maintained and promote biodiversity and community participation, promoting best practice across the sector.

Planning regulations including Local Green Space Designation and Biodiversity Net Gain bolster the creation and protection of green spaces.

Cross government initiatives to increase available natural space and make it more accessible includes Natural England’s Green Infrastructure Framework and Defra's Access for All and Farming in Protected Landscapes programmes.

Local Nature Recovery Strategies, 48 locally led strategies covering all England, set priorities and map proposals for key actions to drive nature recovery and environmental improvement.

The Government’s approach to Building Regulations remains technology-neutral, to ensure housebuilders have the flexibility to choose the most appropriate and cost-effective solutions for their site. However, we appreciate the benefits of solar panels, including lower bills for households and greater security from fluctuations in electricity prices. That is why in the 2021 uplift to the Building Regulations the performance standards for new buildings were set at a level that means many new homes are already likely to be built with solar panels.

We are clear that rooftop solar, where appropriate, should play an important role as part of new standards to be introduced next year for new homes and buildings. These standards will set our new homes and buildings on a path that moves away from relying on volatile fossil fuels and ensures they are fit for a net zero future. Furthermore, as part of our plans to triple solar capacity, we are consulting on extra measures in the National Planning Policy Framework that highlight the importance of solar power to our clean energy ambitions.

The Government is currently reviewing the increased Right to Buy discounts that were introduced in 2012, with a view to better protecting existing social housing stock. The Government will also review the Right to Buy more widely, including looking at eligibility criteria and protections for newly-built social housing and will launch a public consultation in the autumn.

The Government has committed to delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation. Our aspiration is to ensure that, in the first full financial year of this Parliament (2025-26), the number of Social Rent homes is rising rather than falling. We will update Parliament on our progress.

We have therefore asked Homes England and the Greater London Authority to maximise the number of Social Rent homes in allocating the remaining Affordable Homes Programme funding.

My department published an update on targets in the 2021-26 Programme on 30 July 2024. We have also proposed a number of changes to national planning policy that are designed to support the delivery of Social Rent homes. We will bring forward details of future Government investment in social and affordable housing at the Spending Review.