Asked by: Lord Kamall (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Minister of State for Health and Social Care on 4 September (HC70174), what is the meaning of "in due course" for confirming the funding arrangements for children and young people's hospices in 2026–27.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Minister of State for Care is currently having discussions with NHS England and Department officials about the funding arrangements for children and young people’s hospices in 2026/27. We hope to be able to provide further communication on this later in the year.
Asked by: Baroness Coffey (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many meetings ministers in the Department of Health and Social Care have had with promoters of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill since November 2020.
Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Ministers in the Department have had 15 meetings with the sponsors of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, namely the Hon. Member Kim Leadbeater and Lord Falconer of Thoroton.
Asked by: Charlotte Cane (Liberal Democrat - Ely and East Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with local authorities on flood preparedness.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Floods Resilience Taskforce meets quarterly to coordinate and drive forward work on national flood resilience by national and local government, including representatives from Local Resilience Forums, Mayoral Authorities and MHCLG. It met on 8 September and reviewed preparedness for flooding this autumn and winter.
The Taskforce discussed the risk of flooding and the improvements made by Taskforce members to prepare, respond and recover. They also discussed national flood modelling and forecasting, communication of flood warnings, exercising of the National Flood Response Centre and improving the awareness of flood schemes.
Lead local flood authorities (unitary and county authorities) are required to manage local flood risks from surface water, groundwater and ordinary watercourses. Local flood risks should be identified and managed as part of a local flood risk management strategy.
The Environment Agency and Defra will continue to work with their partners in local authorities to improve flood readiness, including Lead Local Flood Authorities.
Asked by: Max Wilkinson (Liberal Democrat - Cheltenham)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of property businesses that do not adequately renovate town centre commercial properties on economic growth.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
There are no plans to make such an assessment. However, the National Planning Policy Framework supports the role of high streets and town centres, by expecting local plans to create a positive framework for their growth and adaptation.
This Government is fully committed to rejuvenating our high streets. To address the blight of vacancy, the Government has implemented High Street Rental Auctions, which empowers local authorities in England to auction the lease of persistently vacant commercial high street properties.
Asked by: Sorcha Eastwood (Alliance - Lagan Valley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory's report entitled Legal analysis of the conduct of Israel in Gaza pursuant to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, published on 16 September 2025.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 18 September to question 72500.
Asked by: Sorcha Eastwood (Alliance - Lagan Valley)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she plans to take in response to the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory's report entitled Legal analysis of the conduct of Israel in Gaza pursuant to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, published on 16 September 2025.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 18 September to question 72500.
Asked by: Charlotte Cane (Liberal Democrat - Ely and East Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with the Environment Agency on the adequacy of the level of flood preparedness in Ely and East Cambridgeshire constituency.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Environment Agency (EA) is supporting 26 flood groups across Cambridgeshire, alongside Cambridgeshire County Council, to be prepared for flooding by creating a flood plan and access to a flood kit. There are two active flood groups in the Ely and East Cambridgeshire area: Cottenham, and Little Downham and Pymoor.
Regarding the ongoing inspection, maintenance, and repair of the raised earth embankments river defences in the area, a risk-based approach has been adopted to ensure resources are directed to where they provide the most flood risk benefit.
To prepare better for the future, the EA has several strategic projects focused on improving long term flood resilience, these include Fens 2100+ and the Cranbrook/Counter Drain project. Fens 2100+ is developing a long-term plan to manage future flood risk in the Fens and the Cranbrook/Counter Drain project is working on water storage proposals through the restoration of sand and gravel workings.
Asked by: Sarah Green (Liberal Democrat - Chesham and Amersham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has had discussions with her (a) Israeli and (b) American counterparts on reinstating the United Nations-led aid delivery system in Gaza.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We continue to work with partners, including the United Nations, the United States and Israel, to push for unrestricted humanitarian access to Gaza, most recently in the Foreign Secretary's discussions at the UN General Assembly meetings in New York.
Asked by: Sarah Green (Liberal Democrat - Chesham and Amersham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she is taking diplomatic steps to ensure the safe passage of humanitarian aid convoys through the Kerem Shalom crossing.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We continue to work with partners, including the United Nations, the United States and Israel, to push for unrestricted humanitarian access to Gaza, most recently in the Foreign Secretary's discussions at the UN General Assembly meetings in New York.
Asked by: Sarah Green (Liberal Democrat - Chesham and Amersham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has had discussions with her US counterparts on the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We continue to work with partners, including the United Nations, the United States and Israel, to push for unrestricted humanitarian access to Gaza, most recently in the Foreign Secretary's discussions at the UN General Assembly meetings in New York.