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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what consideration she has given to reviewing the requirement for planning applications to deliver a 10% Biodiversity Net Gain where a site is otherwise unviable and a considerable period of time has passed since the development site came forward.

Answered by Jenny Riddell-Carpenter - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

In April 2026, the Government announced a package of reforms to Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) to make it quicker, cheaper and easier for developers. This includes a new 0.2 hectare exemption which came into effect on 6 August 2026 and forthcoming changes to how priority habitat mosaics on brownfield sites are assessed and compensated for. Government continues to focus on implementing those changes already announced.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to deliver the economic abuse commitments in the Financial Inclusion Strategy; and what mechanisms are in place to monitor and report on progress in delivering those commitments and improving outcomes for economic abuse victim-survivors.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

Tackling economic abuse is a priority for this Government which is why it is included as a theme of the Financial Inclusion Strategy. The Strategy commits to interventions which will support victim-survivors regain financial independence by improving access to bank accounts, addressing the impact of coerced debt on credit files, and creating guidance for the insurance sector to improve support for victim-survivors.

Across these interventions, the Government is working closely with expert consumer representatives, the regulator, and industry to ensure successful delivery. As Economic Secretary, I also chair the Financial Inclusion Committee – a forum of consumer and industry representatives which was established to support the Strategy’s development and oversee its implementation. The Strategy will be reviewed two years on from publication to provide a comprehensive update on progress.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will integrate the births, deaths and marriages register.

Answered by Jo White - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

There are currently no plans to integrate civil registration registers.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he plans to introduce legislation enabling parents experiencing economic abuse and accessing the Child Maintenance Service to safely transition from Direct Pay into Collect and Pay.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Government plans to abolish the direct pay service entirely so all parents can access the collect and pay service.

The removal of the Direct Pay service to a streamlined Collect and Pay service will enable CMS to monitor all payments and intervene promptly if an arrangement breaks down, as well as removing the need for parents to manage payment arrangements directly, providing a safer, more consistent service for families.

The Government believes that this is the most effective to improve compliance within CMS and strengthen protections for victims and survivors of domestic abuse, which includes economic abuse.

Our intention is to implement these changes as soon as Parliamentary time allows.

In the meantime, the CMS is strengthening its support for victim/survivors by making it easier for parents to switch to the Collect and Pay service through improvements to the ‘change to service type’ process. It is also being clearer in its communication about what support is available for victims and survivors of domestic abuse and how to access it.

Work is also ongoing with stakeholders to understand what additional support we can give to victims and survivors of abuse across the CMS customer journey.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking in response to the recommendations of the UK Parliamentary Right to Food Commission.

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

This Government welcomes the Right To Food Commission's report. While this Government is committed to delivering on the intent of the Right to Food, we do not have plans to legislate for it at this stage. Through ambitions set out in the Good Food Cycle, this Government is working to ensure access to safe, affordable healthy, convenient and appealing food options for everyone, with a particular focus on vulnerable and low-income households.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of (a) the potential merits of providing fire services with a wider range of enforcement powers to police the use of campfires and barbecues when the prevailing conditions make them dangerous and (b) the potential impact of providing fire services with these powers on the number of wildfires.

Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 provides the police, local authorities and other local agencies with a range of tools and powers, including Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPO) that they can use to respond to anti-social behaviour. The powers in the 2014 Act are deliberately local in nature, and it is for local agencies to determine whether their use is appropriate in the specific circumstances.

A PSPO allows a local authority to address persistent anti-social behaviour in a public place through proportionate restrictions or requirements. Before making a PSPO, councils must consult the police, the Police and Crime Commissioner, landowners affected by the order and other appropriate community representatives, and must be satisfied that the statutory legal test is met. It is for individual councils to decide how and to what extent to use these powers.

To manage wildfire risk specifically, a temporary ban on disposable barbecues came into force on Friday 14 August 2026 along with an emergency alert issued to step up action to protect communities from the threat posed by wildfires.

The Government will consider the case for further restrictions and will consider what more we can do as part of the wildfire summit.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will take steps with Cabinet colleagues to introduce a statutory early years SEND service to all areas of England.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system is already underpinned by statutory duties across the 0 to 25 age range, including early years settings. My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education and my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care set out plans to strengthen early identification and support in early years settings through the SEND reform consultation.

The department is investing over £200 million over three years in Best Start Family Hubs for SEND, each with a named Best Start Inclusion Practitioner, providing flexible, early support for children aged 0 to 5 with emerging needs and their families, without requiring a formal diagnosis.

This sits alongside £1.8 billion so that every community has experts on hand, £1.6 billion going directly to settings for early intervention, over £200 million to train every teacher and an additional £3.7 billion capital investment between 2025 and 2030 to create 60,000 specialist places.

The SEND reform consultation has now closed and we are reviewing all responses.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the capacity of the ADHD assessment process.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Independent review into prevalence and support for mental health conditions, ADHD and autism, led by Professor Peter Fonagy, was published on 9 October.

The Government issued an initial response on the day of publication which is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-pledges-earlier-support-to-tackle-mental-health-crises

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of legislating for the mandatory neutering of cats by six months of age.

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Defra’s Code of Practice for the Welfare of Cats includes information and advice for owners on the benefits of neutering cats.

As part of the Animal Welfare Strategy, published in December 2025, this Government committed to improve its understanding of the cat breeding sector and consider any further steps which may improve welfare practices in the sector and encourage responsible ownership.

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 level of risk of the spread of Avian Flu arising from the practice of breeding game birds in cages.

Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

No bespoke risk assessment for game birds in cages has been undertaken. Before release, gamebirds are considered poultry and are subject to the same avian influenza rules as other poultry. The likelihood of infection depends on the biosecurity maintained at the establishment.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the latest financial rules for NHS trusts on (a) patient outcomes, (b) staffing pressures and (c) capacity in NHS trusts in the South West; and what steps she will take to address these impacts.

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

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 17 September in response to Question 28148.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the answer of 14 September 2026 to Question 27682 on Palliative Care: Eligibility, if she will require a referral to a Specialist Palliative Care assessment from (a) hospitals and (b) community centres to be triggered following a diagnosis of terminal illness.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Specialist palliative care services support people with more complex needs. Not all patients with a terminal illness will need specialist palliative care input. For many patients, their palliative care needs can be managed effectively with access to high-quality generalist services.

Through our forthcoming Modern Service Framework for Palliative Care and End-of-Life Care, we want to see robust generalist delivery of palliative and end-of-life care across the board, alongside ensuring timely access to specialist palliative care support when required. We recognise the importance of strengthening links between generalist and specialist services, ensuring that the services are joined up and integrated.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of including a requirement to check whether a vehicle's number plate is a ghost plate during an MOT.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Vehicle registration plate checks are included within the MOT test. Registration plates are visually inspected to ensure they are legible, correctly displayed and comply with legal requirements, and non-compliant plates can result in an MOT failure.

The Department recognises concerns about vehicles using illegal or so-called "ghost" number plates and is working with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), the police and other partners to address this issue. We will continue to consider all appropriate measures as part of our wider work on illegal number plates.

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 the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation on small and micro businesses in the UK that sell goods directly to customers in the EU.

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

Defra is aware of concerns among UK small and micro-businesses on the potential impact of PPWR compliance. Defra has raised concerns around the potentially disproportionate impact of compliance on these businesses, particularly regarding the need to appoint multiple authorised representatives, through engagement with the European Commission, and will continue to engage on this issue.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of media freedom in Israel; and what steps he is taking to support independent journalists and media organisations transiting through Israel to operate in and reporting on Gaza and the West Bank.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK has been clear in our engagement with the Government of Israel that journalists must be able to operate safely and in line with international humanitarian law, which provides explicit protections for civilians, including media workers. Through the Media Freedom Coalition, the UK, alongside our partners, has called on the Government of Israel to allow independent foreign media access to Gaza and the West Bank and afford protection to journalists operating there.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what support is available through the Export Support Service for small businesses seeking to comply with the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Export Support Service (ESS) provides a single point of contact for export enquiries regarding regulations, rules of origin, paperwork, and market entry.

ESS is part of the Business Growth Service hosted on business.gov.uk. Business can request support through the online export enquiry form. All requests receive a response either from an Export Adviser to support directly or to signpost the business to the most appropriate area for support.

With regards to the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, there are bespoke on-demand webinars available via the Business Academy / Export Support Service to interpret and clarify these rules.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she has made an assessment with Cabinet colleagues of the effectiveness of information provided to people on Universal Credit to ensure they understand eligibility rules for free prescriptions, dental care and eye care; and if she will take steps to update (a) posters in pharmacies, dentist clinics and optometrist clinics and (b) wording on Universal Credit self-certification forms to clarify such eligibility criteria.

Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The following table shows the number of Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) issued for 2024/25 and 2025/26 where Universal Credit was claimed as the exemption from the charge for prescriptions or dental treatment:

Source: NHS Business Services Authority (NHS BSA).

Notes:

1. the data held by NHS BSA does not show if a patient is in receipt of Universal Credit, only if it was the exemption claimed for the prescription or dental treatment; and
2. data is not held for eye care.

The Universal Credit statement informs claimants that they may be entitled to help with certain National Health Service health costs. It does not provide a personalised assessment of entitlement, and claimants are directed to NHS guidance and processes to confirm eligibility.

NHS BSA produces digital resources, social media content, easy-read documents, printable posters and leaflets for stakeholders to share with the public to explain exemptions from NHS charges. NHS BSA also signpost patients to the NHS BSA's "Check Before You Tick" tool, enabling them to verify their entitlement before claiming an exemption.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what data her Department holds on the number of penalties charged to people receiving Universal Credit who have incorrectly claimed for (a) prescriptions, (b) dental treatment and (c) eye care in 2024/25 and 2025/26.

Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The following table shows the number of Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) issued for 2024/25 and 2025/26 where Universal Credit was claimed as the exemption from the charge for prescriptions or dental treatment:

Source: NHS Business Services Authority (NHS BSA).

Notes:

1. the data held by NHS BSA does not show if a patient is in receipt of Universal Credit, only if it was the exemption claimed for the prescription or dental treatment; and
2. data is not held for eye care.

The Universal Credit statement informs claimants that they may be entitled to help with certain National Health Service health costs. It does not provide a personalised assessment of entitlement, and claimants are directed to NHS guidance and processes to confirm eligibility.

NHS BSA produces digital resources, social media content, easy-read documents, printable posters and leaflets for stakeholders to share with the public to explain exemptions from NHS charges. NHS BSA also signpost patients to the NHS BSA's "Check Before You Tick" tool, enabling them to verify their entitlement before claiming an exemption.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the publication of the Building Control Panel Report on 20 May 2026, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that large developers comply with Building Regulations; and what mechanisms are in place to investigate suspected breaches following a developed property's approval.

Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Department is considering the 21 recommendations in the Building Control Independent Panel report. The report highlights the importance of building control in acting in the public interest to ensure developers are complying with the building regulations. The report identified low capacity in the sector as contributing to enforcement outcomes. The Government has provided £50m over three years to help recruit and train building inspectors, building capacity. The Government initially responded to accept the principles set out by the Panel. We will provide a full response to the Panel's final report in due course.

The Building Regulations place duties on those who procure, plan, manage and undertake building work to ensure that designs and completed work comply with the applicable requirements. Duty holders are also required to have the necessary competence and organisational capability to undertake their roles and to appoint competent individuals and organisations. In England, building control bodies conduct checks during building work to assure compliance with the building regulations. If at any point it is found that a person carrying out building work has breached the building regulations the Building Safety Regulator and local authorities then have the power to bring prosecutions without time limits.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to support debt relief in low-income countries.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

The UK Government is committed to policies that tackle unsustainable debt. We progress this work through various multilateral fora, including the G20, the Paris Club and the Global Sovereign Debt Roundtable. Through the G20, we participate collaboratively in the Common Framework, helping to deliver coordinated and sustainable restructurings for low-income countries facing debt vulnerabilities.

As part of the government’s strategy to engage with the private sector on sovereign debt, I co-chair the London Coalition on Sustainable Sovereign Debt, alongside José Viñals, former chairperson of Standard Chartered Bank. The Coalition brings together government and private sector stakeholders, to find innovative solutions to more sustainable sovereign debt financing in developing economies.

The UK is looking forward to hosting the G20 Presidency in 2027 and G7 in 2028. We are considering how the UK can build on existing progress and support practical action on debt architecture, transparency, and the pressures created by high debt-service costs.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will expand Ministerial Surgery appointments for Civil Service Pensions to be available to Teachers' Pensions.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Responsibility for the Teachers’ Pension Scheme (TPS) rests with my right hon. Friend, Secretary of State for Education. Regular sessions are held with Members of Parliament, at which they are invited to raise concerns relating to any area of my ministerial portfolio.

Alongside this, established routes are available for members to raise queries or concerns with Teachers’ Pensions, which administers the scheme on behalf of the department. Where appropriate, matters can also be raised with the department through its existing correspondence channels.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he has made an assessment with Cabinet colleagues of (a) the number of cars being withdrawn from use or scrapped due to the introduction of higher rates of Vehicle Excise Duty for cars registered before 2017 and (b) the environmental impact of this.

Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General

To help meet the UK's legally binding climate targets, cars first registered between 1 March 2001 and 31 March 2017 pay VED annually according to CO2 emissions.

The Government expects the number of cars taxed under this system to decline over time, as people move to newer cars, including electric vehicles.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of Military Aid to the Civil Authorities.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

Military Aid to the Civil Authorities exists to support and bolster civil authorities in their response to disruptive challenges. Through a network of regional liaison officers Defence is engaged with local responders, ensuring that we are ready to support and respond if required, in the event of an emergency.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what data her Department holds on trends in the number of complaints about building safety in non-high-rise properties following developers being permitted to use non-local authority building inspectors.

Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Department does not hold specific data on trends in the number of complaints related to private sector building control bodies. Since April 2024, the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) has overseen the performance of building control professionals and bodies, including private Registered Building Control Approvers, under a framework of Operational Standards Rules. The BSR monitors and analyses performance to improve standards across the sector.

In response to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Report, the Government established the Building Control Independent Panel to consider the future of building control, including the role of commercial interests. The Government has accepted the principles of the Panel’s proposals for reform and agrees that change must be proportionate, carefully sequenced, and built on work already in place. The Government will respond more fully to the Panel’s recommendations in due course.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she has made an assessment of the potential merits of reforming the criminal records system to remove spent and childhood convictions from individuals' criminal records.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Government recognises the importance of ensuring that the criminal records system supports rehabilitation while continuing to protect the public.

Spent convictions and cautions are not disclosed on a basic DBS certificate. However, for roles involving children, vulnerable adults and other sensitive positions, certain spent convictions and cautions may continue to be disclosed where this is considered necessary for safeguarding and public protection.

The Government has committed, through the Youth Justice White Paper, to set out a targeted and proportionate package of potential reforms to the childhood criminal records regime by the end of 2026. This work is considering whether changes are needed to ensure the disclosure regime remains fair and balanced, while continuing to safeguard children and vulnerable adults.

Harry Kane's Ballon d'Or

Autumn Budget 2026

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Speed camera guidance

Work of Sands and Baby Loss Awareness Week

Defibrillators in police vehicles

Autumn Budget 2026 (No. 3)