Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending the inheritance tax exemption for payments made by infected blood compensation schemes to cover payments received by the surviving spouse of a deceased recipient.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The suffering endured by all those impacted by infected blood is profound, and we remain committed to ensuring that justice is not only delivered but reflected in the way compensation is treated.

We recognise that this is a sensitive issue. We are considering whether further steps are needed in relation to IHT relief. However, it is important that we take the time to consider all aspects thoroughly to ensure any solution is both fair and effective.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the report by Sarcoma UK entitled Unique Among Cancers: A state of the nation review of sarcoma care, published on 11 June 2025, what steps he plans to take to help tackle issues noted in that report relating to sarcoma (a) diagnosis, (b) treatment and (c) care.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department has received, and relevant officials are currently considering, Sarcoma UK’s report reviewing sarcoma care across the United Kingdom.

The Department will get the National Health Service diagnosing cancer earlier and treating it faster, including sarcoma. To achieve this, the NHS in England has delivered an extra 40,000 operations, scans, and appointments each week as the first step to ensuring early diagnosis and faster treatment.

NHS England has published a national service specification, covering both bone and soft tissue sarcomas. The specification requires close working between sarcoma services and other NHS partners, co-ordinated by Sarcoma Advisory Groups, to improve care pathways.

The National Cancer Plan for England will have patients at its heart and will cover the entirety of the cancer pathway, from referral and diagnosis to treatment and ongoing care, as well as research and innovation. The plan will seek to improve every aspect of cancer care to better the experience and outcomes for all patient groups, including sarcoma patients.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing standardised eligibility for the Blue Badge scheme across local authorities.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The standardised eligibility criteria for the Blue Badge scheme are published on GOV.UK. Local authorities are responsible for determining and implementing the administrative, assessment, and enforcement procedures which they believe are in accordance with the governing legislation.

The Blue Badge scheme is devolved in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland; each Devolved Administration is responsible for the scheme within their respective areas.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he has made an estimate of the annual cost to the public purse of young people in supported housing working reduced hours due to the interaction between Housing Benefit and Universal Credit taper rates.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

No such assessment has been made. People on a low income living in Supported Housing receive Universal Credit for help with their daily living costs and Housing Benefit for help with their housing costs. Customers living in Supported Housing are also able to access higher levels of housing support through Housing Benefit.

We are considering options to improve work incentives for residents of supported housing and temporary accommodation, while taking into account the views of stakeholders. Any future decisions on housing support will be made in the round, prioritising measures that best meet Government objectives within the current fiscal environment.

It remains the department’s priority to ensure that those who can work are supported to enter the labour market and to sustain employment.

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 with the Scottish Government to ensure that businesses can increase the supply of apprenticeships in response to increases in levels of regional demand for green jobs.

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

Young people in all UK regions and nations will benefit from the good jobs that the clean energy economy can bring. In Scotland, we estimate up to 40,000 additional clean energy jobs by 2030.

Skills policy is devolved, but the UK Government is working closely with the Scottish Government as we train up the next generation.

The Post-16 Education and Skills White Paper outlines our vision for a world-class skills system, giving students better opportunities, skills, and pathways to success, while meeting employer needs.

The Growth and Skills Offer, with apprenticeships at its heart, will deliver greater flexibility for employers.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of ship emissions at berth on disadvantaged communities living near ports; and what steps she is taking to help mitigate that impact.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

In March, the Government published its Maritime Decarbonisation Strategy that will reduce the impact of shipping emissions at berth for disadvantaged communities living near ports.

This includes expanding the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (UK ETS) to domestic maritime from July next year, putting a price on shipping emissions and incentivising the sector to decarbonise. The UK ETS expansion will include emissions from UK domestic voyages and all in-port emissions for vessels over 5000 Gross Tonnage (GT) at berth. The Maritime Decarbonisation Strategy also including a commitment to consider an at berth emissions requirement and we published the Net Zero Ports Call for Evidence to help inform that work. We are considering the responses to the Call for Evidence and what more may be needed to reduce emissions at berth.

Alongside these domestic measures, the Government is also acting internationally to tackle shipping emissions. We are supporting the designation of the North-East Atlantic Emission Control Area at the International Maritime Organization. In combination with the existing North Sea Emission Control Area, this would ensure all UK waters are equally protected by strict limits on sulphur and nitrogen dioxides. Analysis supported by the Government indicates this will cut sulphur oxide emissions by up to 82% and fine particulate matter by around 67%, significantly improving air quality along the UK coastline and reducing health risks for coastal communities.

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on support for the development and rollout of low‑cost, low‑carbon mine water geothermal heating systems in Scotland.

Answered by Kirsty McNeill - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Scotland Office)

Whilst building energy efficiency policy is devolved to the Scottish Government, I recognise the potential of low carbon technologies, including geothermal, to help us achieve net zero at the lowest cost. The UK Government is working closely with the Scottish Government to ensure our respective net zero strategies align.

Moreover the Mining Remediation Authority, which works with a range of partners across Great Britain, has released ‘opportunity maps’, to inform the potential for mine water heat applications:

Mine water heat - GOV.UK

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to publish guidance on managing hypoglycaemia that includes (a) treatment, (b) when to seek medical help and (c) rules for those with diabetes who drive or operate heavy machinery.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has published advice on the management of type 1 diabetes, including advice on managing acute hypoglycaemia, which is available at the following link:

https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/diabetes-type-1/management/

There are no current plans for the Department to publish specific guidance for distinct workforce groups.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Cycle to Work tax exemption initiative on the economy.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Cycle to Work Scheme is made available as a Benefit in Kind and uses the tax exemption for the employer-provision of cycles and associated safety equipment. The scheme was introduced in 1999 to to encourage employees to commute by bicycle by offering a tax-efficient route to access relevant equipment.

HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) commissioned independent research to evaluate the effectiveness of the Cycle to Work Scheme, alongside carrying out economic research on the bicycle market’s implications for the scheme’s success. The evaluation and the economic research were published in April 2025.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help improve women's heart health.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government is committed to prioritising women’s health, and we are delivering our commitment that never again will women’s health be neglected.

In 2023, 31% of those who died prematurely from cardiovascular disease (CVD) were women. We are committed to reducing premature mortality from heart disease and stroke by 25% in the next 10 years. To accelerate progress towards this ambition, we will publish a new CVD modern service framework in 2026. Officials and NHS England are working closely to deliver the framework and are engaging widely throughout its development.

The NHS Health Check, a core component of England’s CVD prevention programme, aims to detect people at risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and kidney disease in those aged between 40 and 74 years old. The programme prevents approximately 500 heart attacks or strokes annually and every year, approximately 770,000 women complete an NHS Health Check.

Work to improve access to the NHS Health Check programme is ongoing, including the development of a NHS Health Check Online service, which will allow women to undertake their health check at home, at a time and place convenient to them.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to the mine water geothermal heat project recently piloted in Gateshead, what steps his Department is taking to support the development and rollout of low-cost, ecological, alternative carbon heating systems using geothermal energy from flooded coal mines or sewer systems.

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

To achieve net zero at lowest cost, we are accelerating low-carbon technologies, including geothermal. Water from coal mines and sewer systems offers strong potential for heat networks. Projects can apply to the Green Heat Network Fund for support. DESNZ promotes sewer heat recovery as a reliable urban heat source, given its stable temperatures and alignment with demand. To ensure sustainable deployment, DESNZ issued Exclusion Zone Guidance to protect sewer thermal integrity and avoid conflicts between abstraction points, giving developers and water companies confidence in performance and investment. The Mining Remediation Authority has also published opportunity maps.

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Ruth Cadbury (Chair); Steff Aquarone; Dr Scott Arthur; Mrs Elsie

Found: Dr Scott Arthur: Yes.

Found: (Labour; Brentford and Isleworth) (Chair) Steff Aquarone (Liberal Democrat; North Norfolk) Dr Scott Arthur

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Ruth Cadbury (Chair); Steff Aquarone; Dr Scott Arthur; Mrs Elsie

Found: Marie McNair MSP Miles Briggs MSP Rachael Hamilton MSP Invited guests Speakers Dr Scott Arthur