Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to regulate how multi-academy trusts address concerns raised by parents of children whose school is joining a multi-academy trust.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Section 5 of the Academies Act 2010 requires maintained schools to consult appropriate persons on whether the school should convert to academy status before the conversion goes ahead. This does not apply to schools that are eligible for intervention.

In the ‘Every Child Achieving and Thriving’ White Paper, the department committed to consult on requiring school trusts to have local governance structures that together include all their schools, hold annual parental forums, and ensure boards hear directly from parents and school communities. The consultation will draw on the strongest sector practice in engaging parents and communities, to ensure that trust boards benefit from clear, consistent insight into the needs and priorities of the families they serve.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what training is provided on the use of non-animal methods to inspectors in the Animals in Science Regulation Unit who are responsible for assessing project licence applications.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

All Home Office Inspectors are specifically trained to assess licence applications rigorously and robustly and thereby assure compliance with the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA). The National Centre for the 3Rs (NC3Rs) are providing training for all Inspectors which includes accessing 3Rs knowledge. Inspectors are also signposted to further resources, including Replacing Animal Research’s “Replacement Checklist”.

The responsibility of ensuring the principles of the 3Rs (replacement, reduction and refinement) have been fully applied in applications belongs to the applicant. The role of the Home Office is to assure that the applicant has conducted the necessary activity to maximally apply each of the 3Rs.

Establishments which test on animals must establish an Animal Welfare and Ethical Review Body (AWERB). AWERBs have a statutory responsibility under ASPA to advise on the application of the 3Rs within establishments. Home Office guidance stipulates that all applications for a new project licence must be evaluated by the local AWERB.

The Government is committed to non-animal alternatives in science and has published a strategy which sets out our long-term vision for a world where the use of animals in science is eliminated in all but exceptional circumstances. The strategy is available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/replacing-animals-in-science-strategy/replacing-animals-in-science-a-strategy-to-support-the-development-validation-and-uptake-of-alternative-methods

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has any newly available (a) evidence or (b) modelling related to carriage studies and the potential impact of routinely offering Meningitis B vaccinations for people aged 13-25 on their health.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department of Health and Social Care has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what his planned timetable is for introducing legislation to end new onshore oil and gas licensing in England.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

On 1 October 2025 the Secretary of State confirmed plans to bring forward legislation to end new onshore oil and gas licensing in England. We will seek to introduce this when Parliamentary time allows.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Live Labs 2 programme.

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

The Live Labs 2 programme is supported by a built‑in monitoring and evaluation period that runs beyond the programme’s delivery phase, which is yet to conclude.

Initial results published by the Association of Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning & Transport (ADEPT) already demonstrate tangible progress, including East Riding’s award‑winning deployment of AI‑based video analytics to inform low‑carbon lighting strategies, and early findings from the Centre of Excellence for Decarbonising Roads, which has secured national recognition for its innovations in low‑carbon materials and asset management.

The Department has recently confirmed the extension of the Live Labs 2 programme for an additional year. This extension is to support wider uptake of project findings across local highway authorities, particularly in relation to innovative, low-carbon maintenance methods.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to increase the use of recycled plastic materials in road construction.

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

The Department for Transport continues to support innovation in the local highways sector by creating the conditions for the safe and evidence‑based adoption of new approaches, while leaving decisions on specific technologies to local highway authorities. This includes providing a record investment of £7.3 billion for local highways maintenance over the next four years.

In addition, through the £30 million Live Labs 2 programme, the Department is helping local authorities trial innovative approaches to road maintenance, including the use of recycled plastic materials in resurfacing. As part of this programme, North Lanarkshire Council has trialled a technology that replaces traditional oil-based polymers with recycled plastic, reducing carbon emissions from asphalt production by up to 20% while maintaining durability. Further information on this is available online, at: https://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/news/recycled-plastic-technology-used-uk-road-first-time.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of teachers' wellbeing on their ability to deliver high quality teaching.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

I refer the hon. Member for Mid Dorset and North Poole to the answer of 3 March 2026 to Question 115068.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to improve teachers' (a) wellbeing and (b) working conditions to support them to deliver consistent high quality teaching.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

I refer the hon. Member for Mid Dorset and North Poole to the answer of 3 March 2026 to Question 115068.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an assessment with Cabinet colleagues of the potential impact of interest rates on student loans on graduates’ likelihood of becoming home owners.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Interest rates do not impact monthly repayments made by student loan borrowers as repayments are linked to income, not to the amount borrowed or interest applied. If a borrower is earning above the repayment threshold, repayments are made at a constant rate of 9%. This rate strikes a balance between affordability for graduates and fairness to taxpayers. For example, someone earning £30,000 will repay around £4 per month in the 2026/27 financial year under the repayment threshold of £29,385.

Those earning below the earnings threshold do not make repayments. Any outstanding loan including interest built up, is cancelled at the end of the loan term with no detriment to the borrower, and debt is never passed on to family members or descendants.

Having an outstanding student loan is not a barrier to accessing a mortgage, however regular student loan repayments will be considered alongside other living costs as part of the affordability check for mortgage applications.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of recent trends in (a) visa extensions and (b) visa switches on her Department’s net migration targets.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Home Office publishes a variety of analysis considering the impact of the visa system on net migration. Home Office Impact Assessments and wider analysis can be found here: Migration analysis at the Home Office - GOV.UK.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has plans to review the commencement date of interest accruing on student loans.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

We inherited the student loans system, including Plan 2, which was devised by the previous government. Threshold freezes have been introduced to protect taxpayers and students now, alongside future generations of learners and workers.

Borrowers on Plan 5 student loans only accrue interest at Retail Price Index, currently 3.2%. This means graduates will not repay more than they borrow in real terms.

Interest accrues on loan balances from the first day the loan is paid to the learning provider, and/or to the student, until the loan has been repaid in full or cancelled. Interest rates do not impact monthly repayments made by borrowers.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the answer to Question 110629 on 9 February, what assessment his Department has given to the potential merits of exempting charities from sections of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Act 2024 relating to the (a) subscription regime and (b) 14 day cooling off period.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The government has consulted on the implementation of the subscriptions regime in the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024. The consultation received over 70 responses including 15 from charitable organisations, and the government has engaged closely with the sector to understand the impacts on both consumers and these bodies.

The requirement for an initial 14 day cooling off period is an existing requirement under the Consumer Contract Regulations 2013 for distance and off-premises contracts.

MS Awareness Week 2026 (No. 2)

St George’s Day 2026

Impact of the Iran war on transport costs

Supporting UK hauliers and reducing border friction through UK–EU cooperation

Meta and YouTube and legal liability for addictive design and online harms

NHS maternity services

Support for hospitality businesses

GP access

Introduction of reforms to Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief

Food Bill

UK defence bonds

MS Awareness Week 2026

100th birthday of Sir David Attenborough

Water sector reform

King's Guard's ceremonial bearskin caps

Changes to Overseas Development Assistance

Funding for rural Britain

Conflict in Lebanon

LGBTQ+ veterans

Student finance system reform

State visits to the US

Found: Sarah Russell (Labour; Congleton) Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst (Conservative; Solihull West and Shirley) Vikki Slade

Found: Chair); Matt Bishop; Pam Cox; Warinder Juss; Tessa Munt; Sarah Russell; Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst; Vikki Slade

Found: meeting Members present: Andy Slaughter (Chair); Linsey Farnsworth; Warinder Juss; Tessa Munt; Vikki Slade