Asked by: Toby Perkins (Labour - Chesterfield)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of insurers (a) repricing, (b) limiting and (c) withdrawing their cover for the impacts of climate change on communities.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government recognises the risks that climate change may pose to the insurance market. HM Treasury continues to work with the insurance industry, regulators and across government to understand and monitor the potential impacts of increasing climate-related risks.
Insurers make commercial decisions about pricing and the terms of cover they offer based on their assessment of the relevant risks. However, the government is determined that insurers should treat customers fairly and firms are required to do so under the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) rules. The FCA is the independent body responsible for regulating and supervising the financial services industry and has powers to take action against firms that do not meet its requirements.
Different insurers may take different views of risk when determining whether to offer insurance and at what price. Consumers may wish to contact the British Insurance Brokers’ Association, which can provide guidance on accessing the insurance market and help consumers find specialist brokers where appropriate.
Asked by: Toby Perkins (Labour - Chesterfield)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to ensure that people affected by climate damage have equitable access to insurers.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government recognises the risks that climate change may pose to the insurance market. HM Treasury continues to work with the insurance industry, regulators and across government to understand and monitor the potential impacts of increasing climate-related risks.
Insurers make commercial decisions about pricing and the terms of cover they offer based on their assessment of the relevant risks. However, the government is determined that insurers should treat customers fairly and firms are required to do so under the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) rules. The FCA is the independent body responsible for regulating and supervising the financial services industry and has powers to take action against firms that do not meet its requirements.
Different insurers may take different views of risk when determining whether to offer insurance and at what price. Consumers may wish to contact the British Insurance Brokers’ Association, which can provide guidance on accessing the insurance market and help consumers find specialist brokers where appropriate.
Asked by: Toby Perkins (Labour - Chesterfield)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the scale of climate damage on the UK insurance industry.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government recognises the risks that climate change may pose to the insurance market. HM Treasury continues to work with the insurance industry, regulators and across government to understand and monitor the potential impacts of increasing climate-related risks.
Insurers make commercial decisions about pricing and the terms of cover they offer based on their assessment of the relevant risks. However, the government is determined that insurers should treat customers fairly and firms are required to do so under the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) rules. The FCA is the independent body responsible for regulating and supervising the financial services industry and has powers to take action against firms that do not meet its requirements.
Different insurers may take different views of risk when determining whether to offer insurance and at what price. Consumers may wish to contact the British Insurance Brokers’ Association, which can provide guidance on accessing the insurance market and help consumers find specialist brokers where appropriate.
Asked by: Toby Perkins (Labour - Chesterfield)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Marine Spatial Prioritisation Programme remains active; what progress has been made since its introduction; and what plans she has for the next phase of the programme.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Marine Spatial Prioritisation work continues to help ensure more strategic decisions are taken about how the English sea is used, including through improving colocation outcomes. For example, in June 2025 the Government provided The Crown Estate with a steer on Government policy priorities to support their spatial refinement for future offshore wind locations.
Asked by: Toby Perkins (Labour - Chesterfield)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when she will publish the holistic future policy framework for biomethane.
Answered by Katie White - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government recognises biomethane’s contribution to energy security and decarbonisation. The Department is considering future policy support for the sector, taking account of affordability, value for money and biomethane's role in the wider energy system. We recognise the need for certainty and will set out a clear direction for the sector once those decisions have been taken.
While decisions on future support are still to be taken, the Government is already progressing a range of measures to support the biomethane sector, including work on planning barriers, digestate management, carbon capture and non-pipeline CO₂ transport.
Asked by: Toby Perkins (Labour - Chesterfield)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when the consultation on GB's deforestation regulations will be published.
Answered by Jenny Riddell-Carpenter - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government plans to consult later this year on our aim to introduce an approach that operates alongside the EU Regulation on Deforestation free Products (EUDR). We will seek views from businesses, civil society and international partners on our proposed policy.
Asked by: Toby Perkins (Labour - Chesterfield)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when the Circular Economy Growth Plan will be published.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Government is committed to delivering a more circular and resilient economy for good growth in every place. We established a Circular Economy Task Force to co-design our approach and will outline our next steps shortly.
Asked by: Toby Perkins (Labour - Chesterfield)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what impact assessment was made of the decision to withdraw the Prostate Cancer Risk Management Programme guidance; and whether his Department considered the findings of the Cochrane review entitled Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test for prostate cancer screening by Franco et al, published on 15 May 2026.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Despite some recent misinformed media coverage, I can confirm to the Hon. Members that there has been no change to the policy in respect of prostate specific antigen (PSA) testing for men aged over 50 years old. Any such man who is concerned about prostate cancer, regardless of whether they have symptoms, remains free to make an appointment with their general practitioner, raise their concerns, and ask for a PSA test, exactly as they have done in the past. No impact assessment was therefore made when the guidance in this area was consolidated and updated in June, as there was no change in policy to assess.
The two main studies from the Cochrane review were included in the UK National Screening Committee modelling when they made their most recent recommendation regarding prostate cancer screening, and it should be noted that the Cochrane review came to the same statistical conclusions as the UK National Screening Committee regarding ‘mortality reduction", sometimes called lives saved, from PSA testing and subsequent treatment.
With regard to the next review of prostate cancer screening, I refer the Hon. Members to the article published by the UK National Screening Committee on 11 August 2026, which is available at the following link:
Asked by: Toby Perkins (Labour - Chesterfield)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment her Department has made of the potential implications for its policies of the findings of the Cochrane review entitled Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test for prostate cancer screening by Franco et al, published on 15 May 2026.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Despite some recent misinformed media coverage, I can confirm to the Hon. Members that there has been no change to the policy in respect of prostate specific antigen (PSA) testing for men aged over 50 years old. Any such man who is concerned about prostate cancer, regardless of whether they have symptoms, remains free to make an appointment with their general practitioner, raise their concerns, and ask for a PSA test, exactly as they have done in the past. No impact assessment was therefore made when the guidance in this area was consolidated and updated in June, as there was no change in policy to assess.
The two main studies from the Cochrane review were included in the UK National Screening Committee modelling when they made their most recent recommendation regarding prostate cancer screening, and it should be noted that the Cochrane review came to the same statistical conclusions as the UK National Screening Committee regarding ‘mortality reduction", sometimes called lives saved, from PSA testing and subsequent treatment.
With regard to the next review of prostate cancer screening, I refer the Hon. Members to the article published by the UK National Screening Committee on 11 August 2026, which is available at the following link:
Asked by: Toby Perkins (Labour - Chesterfield)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when the UK National Screening Committee will next review its recommendation on prostate cancer screening.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Despite some recent misinformed media coverage, I can confirm to the Hon. Members that there has been no change to the policy in respect of prostate specific antigen (PSA) testing for men aged over 50 years old. Any such man who is concerned about prostate cancer, regardless of whether they have symptoms, remains free to make an appointment with their general practitioner, raise their concerns, and ask for a PSA test, exactly as they have done in the past. No impact assessment was therefore made when the guidance in this area was consolidated and updated in June, as there was no change in policy to assess.
The two main studies from the Cochrane review were included in the UK National Screening Committee modelling when they made their most recent recommendation regarding prostate cancer screening, and it should be noted that the Cochrane review came to the same statistical conclusions as the UK National Screening Committee regarding ‘mortality reduction", sometimes called lives saved, from PSA testing and subsequent treatment.
With regard to the next review of prostate cancer screening, I refer the Hon. Members to the article published by the UK National Screening Committee on 11 August 2026, which is available at the following link: