Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if his Department will make an assessment of the fairness of income‑banded Council Tax Reduction schemes where a small increase in Universal Credit entitlement results in a large reduction in Council Tax support.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Support for working age households, including the treatment of benefits, is designed by councils in consultation with their residents, taking into account the needs and circumstances of their local communities. Each year, councils must consider whether to revise or replace their scheme. This review may include the provision for those migrating between benefits. For pension age households, councils administer a centrally prescribed Council Tax Reduction scheme, which is reviewed annually. The government currently has no plans to assess these schemes, however it encourages those who are struggling to pay their council tax bill to discuss their circumstances with their council.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of reductions in Council Tax Reduction entitlement following migration to Universal Credit on low‑income households, particularly where the Limited Capability for Work or Work‑Related Activity element results in claimants being placed in a higher income band.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Local council tax support for working age households, including the treatment of benefits, is designed by councils in consultation with their residents, taking into account the needs and circumstances of their local communities. Each year, councils must consider whether to revise or replace their scheme. The government has not undertaken an assessment, including any discussions with local authorities, of the potential impact of Universal Credit migration on individual claimants.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he has had discussions with local authorities on the treatment of the Limited Capability for Work and Limited Capability for Work‑Related Activity elements of Universal Credit as income for the purposes of Council Tax Reduction calculations.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Local council tax support for working age households, including the treatment of benefits, is designed by councils in consultation with their residents, taking into account the needs and circumstances of their local communities. Each year, councils must consider whether to revise or replace their scheme. The government has not undertaken an assessment, including any discussions with local authorities, of the potential impact of Universal Credit migration on individual claimants.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what guidance his Department plans to issue to local authorities on implementing and enforcing a ban on trail hunting.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Enforcing a ban on trail hunting will be a matter for the police.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of banning trail hunting on land management practices, including pest control and countryside access.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

This Government is committed to enacting a ban on trail hunting in line with our manifesto commitment. The Government intends to hold a public consultation to seek views on an effective, enforceable ban. As part of that consultation, the Government plans to seek evidence from all concerned to ensure that the legislation that is brought forward is effective in practice and its potential impact is understood. The Government will consider the responses to the consultation carefully in developing our proposals’ as there is nothing further we can say at the moment.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of banning trail hunting on the additional enforcement resources that would be required by police forces.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

This Government is committed to enacting a ban on trail hunting in line with our manifesto commitment. The Government intends to hold a public consultation to seek views on an effective, enforceable ban. As part of that consultation, the Government plans to seek evidence from all concerned to ensure that the legislation that is brought forward is effective in practice and its potential impact is understood. The Government will consider the responses to the consultation carefully in developing our proposals’ as there is nothing further we can say at the moment.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department plans to consult landowners, rural organisations and local authorities before introducing legislation to ban trail hunting.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

This Government is committed to enacting a ban on trail hunting in line with our manifesto commitment. The Government intends to hold a public consultation to seek views on an effective, enforceable ban. As part of that consultation, the Government plans to seek evidence from all concerned to ensure that the legislation that is brought forward is effective in practice and its potential impact is understood. The Government will consider the responses to the consultation carefully in developing our proposals’ as there is nothing further we can say at the moment.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential economic and social impact on rural communities of proposals to ban trail hunting.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

This Government is committed to enacting a ban on trail hunting in line with our manifesto commitment. The Government intends to hold a public consultation to seek views on an effective, enforceable ban. As part of that consultation, the Government plans to seek evidence from all concerned to ensure that the legislation that is brought forward is effective in practice and its potential impact is understood. The Government will consider the responses to the consultation carefully in developing our proposals’ as there is nothing further we can say at the moment.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what evidence her Department has used to inform its decision to bring forward proposals to ban trail hunting in England.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

This Government is committed to enacting a ban on trail hunting in line with our manifesto commitment. The Government intends to hold a public consultation to seek views on an effective, enforceable ban. As part of that consultation, the Government plans to seek evidence from all concerned to ensure that the legislation that is brought forward is effective in practice and its potential impact is understood. The Government will consider the responses to the consultation carefully in developing our proposals’ as there is nothing further we can say at the moment.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department has met with representatives of the eco‑homes and retrofit sector to discuss the risk of redundancies arising from the time period between Energy Company Obligation and its successor scheme.

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

The government recognises that ending ECO presents challenges for the supply chain. We will support the transition to opportunities provided by the Warm Homes Plan, in particular the additional £1.5 billion for upgrading low-income households.

For this additional funding, we will use the procurement regime for all new funding to support the retrofit workforce affected by the closure of ECO, working closely with the retrofit supply chain, housing associations and local authorities.

Officials are also working with the Department for Business and Trade on support that can be provided to employees and companies in the construction sector during this time.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department has conducted an economic impact assessment of the transition period between the Energy Company Obligation and the Warm Homes Plan on small and medium‑sized enterprises in the home‑retrofit industry.

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

The government recognises that ending ECO presents challenges for the supply chain. We will support the transition to opportunities provided by the Warm Homes Plan, in particular the additional £1.5 billion for upgrading low-income households. For this additional funding, we will use the procurement regime for all new funding to support the retrofit workforce affected by the closure of ECO, working closely with the retrofit supply chain, housing associations and local authorities. Officials are also working with the Department for Business and Trade on support that can be provided to employees and companies in the construction sector during this time.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, What the £1.5 billion transition fund announced for the period between ECO and its successor scheme will cover; and when guidance for businesses on accessing this funding will be published.

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

The £1.5 billion extra funding allocated to the Warm Homes Plan at the Budget will be spent on low-income households. This takes the total capital investment in the Warm Homes Plan to £15 billion – the largest ever public investment in home upgrades.

This comes on top of the measures announced at the Budget, which took an average of £150 of costs off energy bills from April 2026.

From 2025-28, funding for low-income home upgrades will be delivered through the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund and the Warm Homes: Local Grant as previously announced, to help millions of households benefit from solar panels, batteries, heat pumps and insulation that can save a typical household £550 a year compared to a gas boiler – reducing our exposure to the volatile international fossil fuel markets which have driven the cost-of-living crisis.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to ensure continuity of work for companies delivering insulation, heating upgrades, and other energy‑efficiency measures during the transition from the Energy Company Obligation to the Warm Homes Plan.

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

The government recognises that ending ECO presents challenges for the supply chain. We will support the transition to opportunities provided by the Warm Homes Plan, in particular the additional £1.5 billion for upgrading low-income households. For this additional funding, we will use the procurement regime for all new funding to support the retrofit workforce affected by the closure of ECO, working closely with the retrofit supply chain, housing associations and local authorities. Officials are also working with the Department for Business and Trade on support that can be provided to employees and companies in the construction sector during this time.

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 on the Government’s net‑zero and home‑energy‑efficiency targets of delays in implementing the Warm Homes Plan.

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

Our landmark £15 billion Warm Homes Plan is already delivering on our commitment to lower energy bills and upgrade up to 5 million homes by 2030, as evidenced by BUS-supported heat pump installations rising 40% in the year to November 2025 compared with the previous year. We have also committed to other home upgrade targets such as raising minimum energy efficiency standards in the private rented sector and deploying solar panels on the rooftops of up to 3 million more homes by 2030. The government is committed to its net zero targets, tackling fuel poverty, and strengthening our energy security.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an estimate of the number of jobs potentially at risk in the Energy Company Obligation supply chain as a result of the gap between the closure of ECO and the implementation of its successor scheme.

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

The government recognises that ending ECO presents challenges for the supply chain. We will support the transition to opportunities provided by the Warm Homes Plan, in particular the additional £1.5 billion for upgrading low-income households. For this additional funding, we will use the procurement regime for all new funding to support the retrofit workforce affected by the closure of ECO, working closely with the retrofit supply chain, housing associations and local authorities. Officials are also working with the Department for Business and Trade on support that can be provided to employees and companies in the construction sector during this time.

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 effect on employment in the home‑insulation and retrofit sector of the decision to end the Energy Company Obligation scheme before publishing details of its replacement.

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

The government recognises that ending ECO presents challenges for the supply chain. We will support the transition to opportunities provided by the Warm Homes Plan, in particular the additional £1.5 billion for upgrading low-income households. For this additional funding, we will use the procurement regime for all new funding to support the retrofit workforce affected by the closure of ECO, working closely with the retrofit supply chain, housing associations and local authorities. Officials are also working with the Department for Business and Trade on support that can be provided to employees and companies in the construction sector during this time.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether alternative regulatory options were considered before deciding to ban on trail hunting.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Alternative regulatory options were considered by Ministers but it was decided a ban was the most effective way of implementing the manifesto commitment to ban trail hunting.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when he plans to publish full details of the Warm Homes Plan; and whether he has made an assessment of the effect of the delay on businesses operating in the energy‑efficiency and eco‑homes sector.

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

The Government published the Warm Homes Plan on 21 January 2026. The Warm Homes Plan will invest £15 billion, making it the biggest ever public investment to upgrade British homes and cut bills.

We will help millions of households benefit from solar panels, batteries, heat pumps and insulation that can save a typical household £550 a year compared to a gas boiler – reducing our exposure to the volatile international fossil fuel markets which have driven the cost-of-living crisis.

This comes on top of the measures announced at the Budget, which took an average of £150 of costs off energy bills from April 2026.

We will reach up to 5 million homes by 2030, tackle fuel poverty and create good jobs across the country. Our plan will unlock £38 billion in total investment across this Parliament, and with additional funding for skills, innovation and UK manufacturing, we will ensure that British workers and businesses reap the benefits.

Found: .21 (j) Derbyniwyd argymhellion Adolygiad Shawcross gan yr Ysgrifennydd Cartref ar y pryd, Suella Braverman

Found: (j) The recommendations of the Shawcross Review were accepted by the then Home Secretary, Suella Braverman