Asked by: Kirith Entwistle (Labour - Bolton North East)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to support local authorities with Dedicated Schools Grant deficits.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government recognises that local authorities are continuing to face significant pressure from the impact of Dedicated Schools Grant deficits on their accounts.
Government will set out its ambitious plans for reform of SEND provision early in the new year to deliver a sustainable system which supports children and families effectively. The 2025 Spending Review provided investment for SEND reform. Future funding implications will be managed within the overall government DEL envelope, such that we would not expect local authorities to need to fund future special educational needs costs from general funds, once the Statutory Override ends at the end of 2027-28. We will set out further details on our plans to support local authorities with historic and accruing deficits through the upcoming Local Government Finance Settlement.
Asked by: Kirith Entwistle (Labour - Bolton North East)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the Fair Funding Review methodology will take account of historic and projected cost pressures arising from SEND demand and associated Dedicated Schools Grant deficits when determining funding allocations to local authorities.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Fair Funding review will introduce a fairer, evidence-based funding system that reflects local circumstances and directs more support to the most deprived areas, ensuring the best value for money for government and taxpayers. New methodology will ensure funding is distributed to the places that need it most, using our most up-to-date assessment of need and demand across the system. These updates will account for local circumstances, including for different ability to raise income locally from council tax, and the variation in the cost delivering services.
There is no direct link between Dedicated Schools Grants deficits and allocations following the Fair Funding Review. However, Government recognises that local authorities are continuing to face significant pressure from the impact of deficits on their accounts, and will address this outside of the Fair Funding Review
Ambitious plans for reform of special educational needs provision will be set out early in the new year to deliver a sustainable system which supports children and families effectively. Future funding implications will be managed within the overall government DEL envelope, such that we would not expect local authorities to need to fund future special educational needs costs from general funds, once the Statutory Override ends at the end of 2027-28. We will set out further details on our plans to support local authorities with historic and accruing deficits through the upcoming Local Government Finance Settlement.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, who the members are of the Cabinet Office Sustainability Steering Group; when the group was established; how often it meets; and what its terms of reference are.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Cabinet Office Sustainability Steering Group consists of the Head of Sustainability and Deputy Directors from Human Resources, Property, Procurement, Digital and Finance. The Group was formed in July 2024 and meets quarterly.
The Terms of Reference for the Group are to focus on delivering the ESG sustainability strategy at a business unit level, including accountability for tracking individual function-level sustainability targets, oversight of sustainable initiatives, monitoring and reporting to the People & Operations Committee (POpsCo), setting the direction of the sustainability strategy, oversight of compliance with Greening Government Commitments (GGCs), Task-Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosure (TCFD), Environment Principles Policy Statement (EPPS) and Green Book.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Norwich (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they will take to support global initiatives to reduce deforestation, following the announcement that they will not be investing in the Tropical Forest Forever Facility launched at COP30.
Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Reducing deforestation globally underpins UK security and growth and is vital to delivering our global goals on climate and nature. Tropical forests in particular safeguard regional rainfall and agriculture, underpinning UK food security. The UK will continue to drive progress in support of global efforts to reduce deforestation. We co-chair the Forest and Climate Leaders Partnership and work with forest countries and communities to improve forest governance, sustainable trade and mobilise finance for forest protection and restoration. We continue to provide technical assistance in support of the Tropical Forest Forever Facility and have just announced additional support for the Accelerating Innovative Monitoring for Forests programme, which makes use of technical innovations such as space data, to help forest countries monitor and reduce deforestation.
Asked by: Kirith Entwistle (Labour - Bolton North East)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of unresolved Dedicated Schools Grant deficits on the ability of local authorities such as Bolton Council to benefit from a redistribution of resources arising from the Fair Funding Review.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Fair Funding review will introduce a fairer, evidence-based funding system that reflects local circumstances and directs more support to the most deprived areas, ensuring the best value for money for government and taxpayers. New methodology will ensure funding is distributed to the places that need it most, using our most up-to-date assessment of need and demand across the system. These updates will account for local circumstances, including for different ability to raise income locally from council tax, and the variation in the cost delivering services.
There is no direct link between Dedicated Schools Grants deficits and allocations following the Fair Funding Review. However, Government recognises that local authorities are continuing to face significant pressure from the impact of deficits on their accounts, and will address this outside of the Fair Funding Review
Ambitious plans for reform of special educational needs provision will be set out early in the new year to deliver a sustainable system which supports children and families effectively. Future funding implications will be managed within the overall government DEL envelope, such that we would not expect local authorities to need to fund future special educational needs costs from general funds, once the Statutory Override ends at the end of 2027-28. We will set out further details on our plans to support local authorities with historic and accruing deficits through the upcoming Local Government Finance Settlement.
Asked by: Kirith Entwistle (Labour - Bolton North East)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential implications of Dedicated Schools Grant deficits, including that of Bolton Council, for the implementation of the Fair Funding Review’s objective of directing resources to areas with the greatest levels of need.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Fair Funding review will introduce a fairer, evidence-based funding system that reflects local circumstances and directs more support to the most deprived areas, ensuring the best value for money for government and taxpayers. New methodology will ensure funding is distributed to the places that need it most, using our most up-to-date assessment of need and demand across the system. These updates will account for local circumstances, including for different ability to raise income locally from council tax, and the variation in the cost delivering services.
There is no direct link between Dedicated Schools Grants deficits and allocations following the Fair Funding Review. However, Government recognises that local authorities are continuing to face significant pressure from the impact of deficits on their accounts, and will address this outside of the Fair Funding Review
Ambitious plans for reform of special educational needs provision will be set out early in the new year to deliver a sustainable system which supports children and families effectively. Future funding implications will be managed within the overall government DEL envelope, such that we would not expect local authorities to need to fund future special educational needs costs from general funds, once the Statutory Override ends at the end of 2027-28. We will set out further details on our plans to support local authorities with historic and accruing deficits through the upcoming Local Government Finance Settlement.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the long-term consequences of the recent storm damage in Jamaica; and what plans they have to offer long-term financial support and other contributions.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
I refer the Noble Lord to my statement to the House on 4 November 2025, UIN HLWS1016. The UK will continue working with Jamaica and Caribbean partners on disaster preparedness and climate resilience to deliver long-term recovery projects, including sustainable infrastructure, and to advocate internationally for increased climate finance for vulnerable states, especially Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans to require large investors and pension funds to publish net zero transition plans.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Transition plans are central to the UK’s ambition to be a global leader in sustainable finance, supporting clean energy growth and transparency in financial markets, including for large investors and pension funds. Credible transition planning helps allocate capital effectively and builds market confidence.
Earlier this year, the Government consulted on implementation options for transition plans, seeking views on how to take forward transition planning in a way that supports the market’s need for credible and decision-useful information, encourages action in line with the UK climate commitments, and drives economic growth. This consultation closed on 17 September. The Government is currently processing feedback and will publish its response in due course.
Asked by: John McDonnell (Labour - Hayes and Harlington)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of renegotiating current private finance debt to fund neighbourhood health centres with any potential savings.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Private finance initiative contracts are not held by the Department. Contracts are held between the local National Health Service trust and their respective private finance company.
The Department’s Private Finance Centre of Best Practice (CoBP) team, together with the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority, provides expert support and advice to public authorities with private finance initiative contracts, to improve the performance of existing contracts and manage their expiry.
The Department focuses on supporting trusts to assess the costs and performance of their contracts, to help maximise support for frontline services and make every penny of our NHS funding count. The Department supports trusts on a case-by-case basis considering all options available whilst maintaining contractual compliance. The contracts were let for a prescribed period of time, with the terms set at the outset with limited areas for renegotiation. The CoPB team, however, continues to assess opportunities to refinance debt where possible and where it would provide value for money.
As set out in the 10 Year Infrastructure Strategy (the Strategy) and the 10-Year Health Plan, in addition to significant capital investment, the Government would explore the feasibility of using new Public Private Partnership (PPP) Neighbourhood Health Centres (NHCs).
The Budget, published on 26 November 2025, builds on the Strategy and the 10-Year Health Plan by confirming that the NHS Neighbourhood Rebuild Programme will deliver new NHCs through upgrading and repurposing existing buildings and building new facilities through a combination of public sector investment and a new model of PPPs.
To ensure the NHC PPPs are managed transparently and are fiscally sustainable, these partnerships will be budgeted for as if they are on a balance sheet.
Delivering new NHCs through a combination of public investment and PPPs will also allow, for the first time, for evidence to be built and compared between different delivery models.
Asked by: Peter Fortune (Conservative - Bromley and Biggin Hill)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what support is available to small British manufacturers of natural stone products to help increase their role in the sustainable construction sector.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is committed to the growth of a sustainable construction sector and to creating the right environment for small and medium sized businesses to thrive. Small British manufacturers of natural stone products can access support through the Business Growth Service, which offers online advice on issues such as decarbonisation and energy efficiency and services: for example, through connecting businesses to British Business Bank schemes such as a Business Finance Hub helping SMEs identify suitable finance options; and other support including access to the Department's International Trade Advisers.