Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, for what reason the consultation on changes to Feed in Tariffs offers two ways of calculating payments for the generation of solar power at home and selling spare electricity back to the grid.

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

The consultation sets out two possible approaches for adjusting Feed-in Tariffs (FIT) to transition from the Retail Prices Index (RPI) to the Consumer Prices Index (CPI). These options are an immediate switch to CPI indexation or a temporary freeze of indexation with a gradual realignment to CPI. The RPI is now widely considered to be an outdated and unsuitable measure of general inflation in the UK. The Government believes it is right to review and potentially change inflation indexation on the FIT scheme, in order to reduce energy bill costs as soon as possible.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if her department has considered the use of AI to help tackle the backlog of asylum applications.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Asylum Case Summarisation (ACS) tool uses artificial intelligence (AI) to summarise asylum interview transcripts. The Asylum Policy Search (APS) tool is an AI search assistant that finds and summarises country policy information. The tools were designed as an aid for decision-makers to improve efficiency but do not, and cannot, replace any part of the decision-making process. APS has been rolled out and is accessible to all Asylum decision makers and ACS development continues, with a full roll out planned in the new year. Further tooling is being worked on including an asylum letter writing assistant for caseworkers which supports the decision-maker in the drafting of outcome letters. It does not make the decision for the decision-maker.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if the Department has reviewed charges from energy suppliers on households wishing to have gas meters removed.

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

Ofgem recently launched a “Gas Disconnections Framework Review” — a “Request for Information” gathering stakeholder views and data on the wider disconnections process are how they are handled for domestic and small-business consumers. The conclusions of this exercise will be published in early 2026.

Energy suppliers can arrange to remove a gas meter and the gas distribution network operator can arrange for the gas pipe to the property to be safely disconnected from the mains supply.

Charges for these services can differ depending on the amount and complexity of work required, location, and other work that may be going on at the same time, such as fitting a heat pump.

We expect that where a consumer wishes to have their meter removed and supply capped, their supplier will do so promptly and at the lowest cost possible.

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 Answer of 24 July 2025 to Question 69040 on Park Homes: Sales, when he plans to seek further evidence from the sector on the rationale for the commission.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government recognise that there are longstanding concerns about the requirement to pay site owners a commission upon sale of a park home. The previous government published a report in June 2022 on the impact of a change in the maximum park home sale commission. It can be found on gov.uk here. We will set out plans in due course to seek further evidence from the sector on the rationale for the commission.

Question to the Attorney General:

To ask the Solicitor General, what recent discussions she has had with the Serious Fraud Office on the closure of Vashi jewellers.

Answered by Ellie Reeves - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)

To assist with my oversight of the Serious Fraud Office, I hold regular superintendence meetings with the SFO’s executive team to keep me appraised of relevant SFO casework matters.

The SFO is a relatively small, highly specialised government department that is permitted by law to investigate only the most serious and complex cases of fraud and bribery affecting the UK.

Decisions on which cases to investigate are taken independently by the SFO, with the Director determining whether to authorise an investigation in accordance with the criteria set out in the Director’s Statement of Principle.

Question

To ask the hon. Member for Battersea, representing the Church Commissioners, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the end of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme on (a) Christ Church in Woking and (b) other community services run by Churches.

Answered by Marsha De Cordova

The Church of England continues to await proposals from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport for the future of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme and has not seen the results of the Department’s recent evaluation. These proposals will have an important bearing on the repair work that can be undertaken and the Department is aware of our concerns in this respect. With the existing scheme scheduled to end in March 2026, assurance for the future is now urgent.

Were the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme to come to an end, it would mean that every project to repair a listed parish church or cathedral would need to find an additional 20% to cover the cost of VAT, requiring more charitable fundraising, donations, and grants to cover the additional costs needed.

In their ‘House for Good’ report the National Churches Trust (using Treasury Green Book calculations) estimated that £1 invested in a church generates £16 in value for the local community. The impact of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme is significant in enabling substantial community investment, especially in areas with lower economic activity.

In the Woking constituency Christ Church Woking and St Mary of Bethany are listed churches that require significant projects to repair and restore their buildings. Both churches offer support to their local community through addressing loneliness, improving mental health, and providing spaces for young people and intergenerational work. Without the finances to undertake the restoration of these two buildings, the community projects run by these two churches will be at risk, as will be the contribution they make to the local community.

McLaren title win for British motorsport

Missing Evri deliveries

UN Convention on the Rights of Older Persons

Future of Cambridge Veterinary School

Nuclear Regulatory Review and habitats regulations

Changes to Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief in the Autumn Budget 2025

Winter NHS corridor care

60th anniversary of Re-engage Epsom and Ewell

150th anniversary of Sandown Park Racecourse

UK arms export licensing and conflict in Sudan

Convention on Cluster Munitions and preventing UK involvement in their production

Volumetric Concrete Mobile Plants and Vehicle Weight Restrictions

25th anniversary of Blyth Offshore Wind Farm

Northern Powerhouse Rail and Wales

Lando Norris wins Formula One World Driver's Championship

Horton Cemetery

Valporate report

Royal Naval Association Torbay

Detention of Hassan Mushaima and Dr Abduljalil Al-Singace

Palestinian children in Israeli military detention

Russian shadow fleet

Business relief for pubs

High streets

Found: • Mrs Sharon Hodgson: First anniversary of the Hughes report on valproate and pelvic mesh • Will Forster