Asked by: Tom Hayes (Labour - Bournemouth East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment her Department has made of the financial sustainability of higher education institutions; and what information her Department holds on the proportion of higher education institutions that are operating in deficit.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The Office for Students (OfS), the independent regulator of higher education (HE) in England, monitors the financial health of providers to ensure it has an up to date understanding of the sustainability of the sector.
Its latest report, published on 8 May 2025, highlighted a decline in financial performance across the sector in 2023/24, with 44% of institutions forecasting a deficit in 2024/25.
The government recognises the financial pressures facing the sector and acknowledges that some providers are making difficult restructuring decisions to safeguard long-term sustainability. As autonomous institutions, universities must take appropriate financial decisions to remain viable. However, we expect providers to work with staff, using their knowledge and experience to help identify how best to operate efficiently. All efficiency measures taken by the sector should provide a better long-term future for staff, students and the country.
Asked by: Tom Hayes (Labour - Bournemouth East)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans her Department has to support support students affected by (a) course closures and (b) redundancies at universities in financial deficit.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The Office for Students (OfS), the independent regulator of higher education (HE) in England, monitors the financial health of providers to ensure it has an up to date understanding of the sustainability of the sector.
Its latest report, published on 8 May 2025, highlighted a decline in financial performance across the sector in 2023/24, with 44% of institutions forecasting a deficit in 2024/25.
The government recognises the financial pressures facing the sector and acknowledges that some providers are making difficult restructuring decisions to safeguard long-term sustainability. As autonomous institutions, universities must take appropriate financial decisions to remain viable. However, we expect providers to work with staff, using their knowledge and experience to help identify how best to operate efficiently. All efficiency measures taken by the sector should provide a better long-term future for staff, students and the country.
Asked by: Tom Hayes (Labour - Bournemouth East)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help support (a) local authorities and (b) businesses to (i) comply with new plastic regulations and (ii) transition to sustainable alternatives.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We have interpreted this question as referring to Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging, as well as our work on reducing Single Use Plastics.
The Government has provided approximately £700,000 to support local authorities in enforcing the 2023 bans and restrictions on single-use plastics. The 2023 bans cover single-use plastic cutlery, balloon sticks, drinks stirrers, and food and drink containers made of expanded and extruded polystyrene. In addition, there are restrictions on supplying single-use plastic plates, bowls, trays, straws, and cotton buds, subject to certain exemptions.
Updated guidance has been published on GOV.UK to assist both Trading Standards officers and businesses in interpreting the scope of the legislation. The guidance can be accessed here: Single-use plastics bans and restrictions - GOV.UK
These resources are intended to strengthen enforcement and ensure effective implementation of the Regulations.
The Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging and Packaging Waste) Regulations 2024, which introduces an obligation for producers to pay for the collection and disposal costs of their household packaging when it becomes waste, came into effect on 1 January 2025. On Friday 27 June 2025, PackUK released a policy statement on the modulation of pEPR fees, which will be introduced in year 2 of pEPR (2026) and will raise or lower the base fees per material to incentivise materials that are recyclable. pEPR will secure Local Authority (LA) funding (c£1.4bn annually) for the improved management of discarded packaging materials, driving in turn improvements in the quality and quantity of recycled packaging materials.
Asked by: Tom Hayes (Labour - Bournemouth East)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much funding her Department plans to provide for plastic reprocessing infrastructure in each of the next three years; and if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of that funding on (a) trends in the level of (i) landfill, (ii) incineration and (iii) domestic recycling capacity.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra currently has no plans to fund plastics reprocessing infrastructure. There are existing mechanisms including the market-based Packaging Waste Recycling Notes (PRN) system to provide direct funding to the reprocessing sector.
This year sees the start of Defra’s packaging reforms. Simpler Recycling mandates that all local authorities and businesses in England collect the same core set of materials for recycling. These reforms will support private investment in infrastructure, including plastics, by building certainty and guaranteeing supply of materials for recycling. Simpler Recycling requirements will be extended to flexible plastics by 31 March 2027.
Asked by: Tom Hayes (Labour - Bournemouth East)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to support (a) design innovation and (b) the recyclability of plastic products to help accelerate the the transition to a circular economy for plastics.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This Government is committed to moving to a circular economy – a future where we keep our resources in use for longer, waste is reduced, we accelerate the path to net zero, we see investment in critical infrastructure and green jobs, our economy prospers, and nature thrives.
The Government has convened a Circular Economy Taskforce of experts to help develop the first ever Circular Economy Strategy for England, which we plan to publish for consultation in the coming months. As we develop our Circular Economy Strategy for England, we will consider the evidence for further action that can be taken to address the challenges associated with plastic products. We recognise the importance of managing and reducing plastic waste, and in taking a whole-economy approach.
To support the recyclability of plastic products, the Government funds the UK Plastics Pact (UKPP) through the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP). Pact Members cover the entire plastics value chain and are responsible for the majority of plastic packaging sold through UK supermarkets, and around two thirds of total plastic packaging placed on the UK market. Members of the Pact have increased the average recycled content of their packaging from 8.5% to 26% since 2018.
In parallel, our reforms to the packaging sector and recycling collection systems will clamp down on plastic pollution and litter and clean up our environment with packaging for Extended Producer Responsibility in particular incentivising the use of less packaging and more recyclable packaging.
Asked by: Tom Hayes (Labour - Bournemouth East)
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 has (a) commissioned and (b) reviewed research on the potential (i) environmental and (ii) health impact of (A) microplastics and (B) nanoplastics on (1) ecosystems and (2) food chains.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
In 2022, Defra initiated a research project to investigate the risks of intentionally added microplastics, which reviewed the emissions from microplastics, and the risks they pose both to human health and the environment. Earlier this year, we published this Option Appraisal for Intentionally Added Microplastics, which provides a welcome addition to our sum of knowledge on the options to protect human health and the UK environment from the risks of microplastics.
The Environment Agency (EA) is supporting collaborative research which will support future policy and regulatory decisions on microplastics and nanoplastics by extension. This includes six investigations with the water industry under the Chemical Investigations Programme, considering generation of microplastics within wastewater treatment works through breakdown of plastic equipment, emerging sewage treatment technologies, and pathways of microplastics from biosolids applied to land to soils and groundwater. The EA is also conducting research into tyre wear particles and associated chemicals – one report has been published this year and another is due to be published later this year. The EA is also supporting National Highways and academic partners on research into microplastics generated during driving and strategies to intercept them in highway runoff. While the EA’s research is driven by environmental risk, the data could benefit public health risk assessment by the relevant bodies.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) continues to monitor and assess emerging data regarding microplastics in food. The Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products, and the Environment (COT), an independent scientific committee that provides advice to the FSA and other Government departments is currently considering the issue of microplastics. The COT has previously concluded that the available data was insufficient for a complete assessment. The FSA is keeping the issue of microplastics under review as new evidence becomes available.
Asked by: Tom Hayes (Labour - Bournemouth East)
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 biodiversity net gain requirements on the (a) cost and (b) timeline for the development of grassroots sports facilities.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government has recently concluded a consultation on improving the implementation of Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) for minor, medium and brownfield development. It sought views on a potential partial exemption to BNG for parks, public gardens and playing fields development. Responses are being analysed, and the Government will publish a response to the consultation in due course.
Asked by: Tom Hayes (Labour - Bournemouth East)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of exempting (a) parks, (b) gardens and (c) playing fields from biodiversity net gain requirements.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government has recently concluded a consultation on improving the implementation of Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) for minor, medium and brownfield development. It sought views on a potential partial exemption to BNG for parks, public gardens and playing fields development. Responses are being analysed, and the Government will publish a response to the consultation in due course.
Asked by: Tom Hayes (Labour - Bournemouth East)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if She will make an assessment with Cabinet colleagues of the potential impact of increasing funding for grassroots football on costs to (a) the NHS and (b) local authorities.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government’s NHS 10 Year Health Plan recognises the importance of physical activity in tackling the nation’s health and relieving NHS pressures. The latest evidence provided by Sport England shows that physical activity directly prevents 3.2 million cases of long term health conditions per year, including 1.3 million cases of depression and 600,000 cases of diabetes, equating to over £10 billion worth of healthcare savings each year.
The FA’s Social Return on Investment 2024 report estimates the 15.7 million participants involved in grassroots football contribute £11.8 billion to society in direct economic value, as well as over £3.2 billion in savings to the NHS through prevention of diseases.
Asked by: Tom Hayes (Labour - Bournemouth East)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has held recent discussions with the Football Foundation on the level of funding it requires from the Government to (a) plan strategically and (b) implement community projects.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government is determined to ensure that everyone has access to quality sport and physical activity opportunities. That is why we have committed another £400 million to transform facilities across the whole of the UK over the next four years. This funding builds upon the additional £80.3 million being delivered in England this year through the Football Foundation as part of the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme.
As part of the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme’s ongoing delivery, officials are in regular contact with the Football Foundation to understand levels of demand, and how to best plan strategically to deliver community projects - now, and in the future. This includes engaging with the Football Foundation regarding their recently refreshed Local Football Facility Plans, which inform how they plan and target their investment.
In July, I held a roundtable with several of the sector’s National Governing Bodies and the Football Foundation to discuss future funding of community sports. We are continuing to work closely with sporting bodies and local leaders to establish what communities need, and will then set out further plans on how future funding will be allocated across the UK.