Tim Farron MP: written questions

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many times trains have been delayed or cancelled on the West Coast Main Line due to livestock being on the line in 2021-2022, 2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25, 2025-26.

Answer: The Department does not hold data on delays and cancellations caused by livestock on the West Coast Main Line, as Network Rail records such incidents at a regional level. The closest available data is for Network Rail's North West and Central region, whic...

Answered 4 Sept 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the annual farming budget is for (a) 2025–26 and (b) 2026–27; and how the spending is broken down for each year.

Answer: The Government has allocated a record £11.8 billion to sustainable farming and food production over this parliament. On 12 March 2025 we set out how we planned to spend the budget (£5 billion) across the 2024/25 and 2025/26 financial years. SchemeBudget f...

Answered 10 Jul 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish the methodology used to allocate the £70 million radiotherapy funding announced in the National Cancer Plan.

Answer: In December 2024, NHS England wrote to all radiotherapy treatment providers inviting them to apply for funding to replace ageing radiotherapy machines. Funding was then allocated to trusts using criteria that NHS England developed. These criteria focused ...

Answered 3 Jul 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the allocation of the £70 million for radiotherapy machines took account of existing regional variation in radiotherapy access.

Answer: In December 2024, NHS England wrote to all radiotherapy treatment providers inviting them to apply for funding to replace ageing radiotherapy machines. Funding was then allocated to trusts using criteria that NHS England developed. These criteria focused ...

Answered 3 Jul 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of the £70 million radiotherapy machine funding announced in the Autumn Budget 2024 has been allocated to each NHS region.

Answer: In December 2024, NHS England wrote to all radiotherapy treatment providers inviting them to apply for funding to replace ageing radiotherapy machines. Funding was then allocated to trusts using criteria that NHS England developed. These criteria focused ...

Answered 3 Jul 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish a breakdown by NHS region of where the radiotherapy machines (LINACS) funded by the £70 million announced in the Autumn Budget 2024.

Answer: In December 2024, NHS England wrote to all radiotherapy treatment providers inviting them to apply for funding to replace ageing radiotherapy machines. Funding was then allocated to trusts using criteria that NHS England developed. These criteria focused ...

Answered 3 Jul 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has identified areas of England where satellite radiotherapy units would have the greatest impact on reducing travel times for cancer patients.

Answer: Through the National Cancer Plan, we are modernising cancer services, expanding the workforce, and tackling inequalities in access, so that all patients receive high-quality care regardless of where they live.The Department remains committed to ensuring t...

Answered 3 Jul 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has identified areas of England where satellite radiotherapy units would have the greatest impact on reducing travel times for cancer patients.

Answer: Through the National Cancer Plan, we are modernising cancer services, expanding the workforce, and tackling inequalities in access, so that all patients receive high-quality care regardless of where they live.The Department remains committed to ensuring t...

Answered 3 Jul 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many proposals for new satellite radiotherapy units have been submitted to NHS England in each of the last five years.

Answer: Through the National Cancer Plan, we are modernising cancer services, expanding the workforce, and tackling inequalities in access, so that all patients receive high-quality care regardless of where they live.The Department remains committed to ensuring t...

Answered 3 Jul 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that cancer patients in England have equitable access to advanced radiotherapy techniques where clinically appropriate.

Answer: Through the National Cancer Plan, we are modernising cancer services, expanding the workforce, and tackling inequalities in access, so that all patients receive high-quality care regardless of where they live.The Department remains committed to ensuring t...

Answered 3 Jul 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what accountability mechanisms will apply in instances where local strategic plans for cancer do not adequately address radiotherapy access, capacity or variation.

Answer: The treatment of cancer normally involves surgery, systemic anti-cancer therapy, and radiotherapy, given individually or in combination, as appropriate to the type and stage of cancer and choices made by patients, in consultation with their doctor. Under ...

Answered 8 Jul 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether local strategic plans for cancer will be required to assess radiotherapy treatment access and capacity.

Answer: The treatment of cancer normally involves surgery, systemic anti-cancer therapy, and radiotherapy, given individually or in combination, as appropriate to the type and stage of cancer and choices made by patients, in consultation with their doctor. Under ...

Answered 8 Jul 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his department has issued guidance to Integrated Care Boards on the inclusion of radiotherapy services in local strategic plans for cancer that were outlined in Action 20 of The National Ca

Answer: The treatment of cancer normally involves surgery, systemic anti-cancer therapy, and radiotherapy, given individually or in combination, as appropriate to the type and stage of cancer and choices made by patients, in consultation with their doctor. Under ...

Answered 8 Jul 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the level of unmet need for radiotherapy among cancer patients in England.

Answer: The treatment of cancer normally involves surgery, systemic anti-cancer therapy, and radiotherapy, given individually or in combination, as appropriate to the type and stage of cancer and choices made by patients, in consultation with their doctor. Under ...

Answered 8 Jul 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy radiotherapy capacity to meet the Government’s target of returning cancer waiting times to the 62-day standard by March 2029.

Answer: In December 2024, NHS England wrote to all radiotherapy treatment providers inviting them to apply for funding to replace ageing radiotherapy machines. Funding was then allocated to trusts using criteria that NHS England developed. These criteria focused ...

Answered 3 Jul 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the implications for her Department's policies of the report by Science for Sustainable Agriculture entitled UK Food Security – Outlook to 2050, publish

Answer: In the recently published Land Use Framework, the Government made a clear, long-term commitment to maintain overall food production in England by increasing farm productivity and profitability. The Government will support this ambition through a range of ...

Answered 26 Jun 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department plans to take legislative steps to ensure food self-sufficiency does not fall below its current level.

Answer: In the recently published Land Use Framework, the Government made a clear, long-term commitment to maintain overall food production in England by increasing farm productivity and profitability. The Government will support this ambition through a range of ...

Answered 26 Jun 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she is taking steps to increase domestic production of plant proteins for direct human consumption in the UK.

Answer: The Government is monitoring scientific developments in alternative proteins and supporting UK Research and Innovation-funded initiatives such as the National Alternative Protein Innovation Centre. Sector Growth Plans (SGPs) will take a sector approach to...

Answered 26 Jun 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Written Ministerial Statement of 31 May 2026 on Preparing for a future Sanitary and Phytosanitary Agreement with the European Union: Business readiness informatio

Answer: The Government invited views from businesses and stakeholders on the UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Agreement through a Call for Information, to understand awareness of the agreement and how it may affect them. The Government is analysing response...

Answered 9 Jun 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what financial assistance the Government plans to make available to businesses required to make operational or regulatory changes as a result of a future UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanita

Answer: The Government is working to support businesses to prepare for future changes to sanitary and phytosanitary arrangements with the European Union. Negotiations are ongoing. An agreement will make agrifood trade with our biggest market easier, cutting costs...

Answered 9 Jun 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate her Department has made of the number of small and medium-sized enterprises that may need to make changes to production processes, certification, labelling, IT systems or

Answer: The precise impacts of the agreement will depend on the outcome of the negotiations. As technical negotiations progress, this Government expects to follow normal processes for any necessary legislative changes and assess impacts accordingly. This Governme...

Answered 9 Jun 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many businesses in each sector are included within the Government's estimate that up to 500,000 businesses may be affected by a future UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary Agreement.

Answer: The Sanitary and Phytosanitary Agreement agreement affects in some way: most of the 209,000 farm holdingsmost of the 20,000 food and drink manufacturing businessesmany of the approximately 170,000 food and beverage services (not including accommodation)ap...

Answered 9 Jun 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate her Department has made of the total cost to businesses of complying with any new certification, labelling, IT system, and regulatory requirements arising from a future U

Answer: The precise impacts of the agreement will depend on the outcome of the negotiations. As technical negotiations progress, this Government expects to follow normal processes for any necessary legislative changes and assess impacts accordingly. Defra officia...

Answered 9 Jun 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of the Environment Agency requiring National Highways to apply for permits to operate outfalls into the River Lune.

Answer: The Environment Agency (EA) is able to use its enforcement policy and sanctions on those that pollute the environment. As the EA needs to prioritise its resource on tackling sources with the greatest environmental risk it is taking a collaborative approac...

Answered 27 Apr 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Environment Agency allows National Highways to discharge untreated toxic run-off into the River Lune.

Answer: The EA works closely with the National Highways Agency to minimise the environmental risk from surface water outfalls from public highways.

Answered 27 Apr 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, for what reasons the Environment Agency is not measuring pollution, including polyaromatic hydrocarbons, from motorway outfalls into the River Lune at Tebay.

Answer: If the Environment Agency is notified of pollution in watercourses such as the river Lune, then this is dealt with as a pollution incident and investigated and /or attended on a risk basis. Regarding the Lune at Tebay, the Environment Agency is already ac...

Answered 27 Apr 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate his Department has made of the total calorific value of food available within the UK in the event of a disruption to supply chains.

Answer: The UK does not have national food stockpiles or current plans to create these. The UK has a resilient food supply chain that is well equipped to deal with potential disruption. This high degree of food security is built on supply from diverse sources inc...

Answered 16 Apr 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate she has made of the number of days of food stocks nationally in the event of a significant disruption to supply.

Answer: The UK does not have national food stockpiles or current plans to create these. The UK has a resilient food supply chain that is well equipped to deal with potential disruption. This high degree of food security is built on supply from diverse sources inc...

Answered 16 Apr 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the resilience of food supply chains.

Answer: The UK does not have national food stockpiles or current plans to create these. The UK has a resilient food supply chain that is well equipped to deal with potential disruption. This high degree of food security is built on supply from diverse sources inc...

Answered 16 Apr 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the level of surplus water availability during periods of expected drought.

Answer: Water companies must plan for secure supplies during severe droughts, without the need for emergency restrictions. The 2024/2025 annual review of water company data showed that England has an overall surplus. However, this is less than expected in half of...

Answered 15 Apr 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate his Department has made of the level of national water storage capacity.

Answer: The Environment Agency’s National System Simulation Model, which includes 90% of England’s supply system, shows the current national total storage capacity of 2.03 billion cubic metres for public water use.Havant Thicket reservoir is currently under const...

Answered 15 Apr 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans his Department has to develop food storage and distribution capacity for use in national emergencies.

Answer: The UK does not have national food stockpiles or current plans to create these. The UK has a resilient food supply chain that is well equipped to deal with potential disruption. This high degree of food security is built on supply from diverse sources inc...

Answered 16 Apr 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate his Department has made of the adequacy of the volume of food held in storage for use in a national emergency.

Answer: The UK does not have national food stockpiles or current plans to create these. The UK has a resilient food supply chain that is well equipped to deal with potential disruption. This high degree of food security is built on supply from diverse sources inc...

Answered 16 Apr 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what role the National Crime Agency currently plays in tackling organised waste crime.

Answer: National leadership for tackling waste crime sits with the Environment Agency. Its Joint Unit for Waste Crime (JUWC) brings together operational partners (including the NCA) to coordinate the response. The NCA can investigate waste crime where cases meet ...

Answered 20 Apr 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of designating waste crime as a national strategic policing priority.

Answer: The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs recently published the Waste Crime Action Plan, which sets out how we will tackle waste crime through prevention, enforcement, and accelerating the clean-up effort. National leadership for tac...

Answered 20 Apr 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many illegal waste sites are known to the Environment Agency in each English district in the most recent year for which data is available; and what estimate she has made of the tot

Answer: The Environment Agency (EA) has provided the attached dataset which shows the number of illegal wastes sites by Local Authority Area as of 7 October 2025, from the total of 517 sites active at that time. The EA does not hold a view on what would make a si...

Answered 16 Apr 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many waste crime officers are currently employed by the Environment Agency; and how many large-scale illegal waste sites have a designated waste crime officer assigned to them.

Answer: There are 331 full-time employees directly involved in waste crime. This number includes officers in the Area and National operational teams who respond to illegal waste sites, prevent and disrupt waste crime at sites in England, prevent illegal exports o...

Answered 16 Apr 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what was the cost to the public purse of landfill site regulation, monitoring, and remediation over the last five years.

Answer: The Environment Agency (EA) regulates permitted landfill sites on a full cost‑recovery basis. The costs of regulation are met by the landfill operators, primarily through annual subsistence charges which are paid by permit holders. These charges cover rou...

Answered 16 Apr 2026

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much revenue has been raised from Landfill Tax in each of the last five years.

Answer: Landfill Tax receipts for the latest five financial years (2020-21 to 2024-25) are published here: HMRC tax receipts and National Insurance contributions for the UK

Answered 20 Apr 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what penalties she plans to bring in for waste companies that persistently breach their operating licence.

Answer: The Government’s new Waste Crime Action Plan commits to making fuller use of existing Environment Agency (EA) powers so that high-risk waste sites can be stopped early before they escalate. Earlier EA interventions using Fixed Penalty Notices will deter t...

Answered 15 Apr 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans his Department has for the NHS to do cardiac testing on young people.

Answer: The Government recognises how worrying heart health can be for the families of young people. The National Health Service already offers cardiac tests for young people who present with symptoms that could indicate a cardiac issue. Testing young people who ...

Answered 20 Apr 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of whether the newborn screening programme is fit for purpose and screens for all conditions.

Answer: The NHS Newborn Blood Spot Programme screens for ten rare but serious conditions and consistently achieves very high coverage, with the most recent figure at 98% in quarter two of 2025/26.Coverage of babies who move into the area after birth is lower, at ...

Answered 15 Apr 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many Outdoor Learning Specialist apprenticeships are projected to start in the current funding year; how long the standard has been operational; and what he estimates to be the cost saving associate

Answer: The Outdoor Learning Specialist standard was approved for delivery from February 2022.The department publishes a range of apprenticeships data, including on apprenticeship starts, and those for the current academic year are published here: Apprenticeships...

Answered 13 Apr 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she is providing support to improve security in Burkina Faso in the context of recent attacks conducted by Islamist armed groups.

Answer: The UK is deeply concerned by the deteriorating security situation in Burkina Faso, including regular attacks by terrorist groups. This year, the UK provided £173 million to support programmes across the Sahel, including to alleviate the root causes of co...

Answered 31 Mar 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to increase the provision of TMS for depression.

Answer: There are no plans at present to increase the provision of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for depression based on current National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance. Integrated care boards are responsible for providing health and care s...

Answered 30 Mar 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many NHS mental health Trusts currently provide a TMS service to people experiencing depression and how many people have received a full course of TMS treatment.

Answer: There are no plans at present to increase the provision of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for depression based on current National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance. Integrated care boards are responsible for providing health and care s...

Answered 30 Mar 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how much funding her Department provides to support secure internet access, circumvention technologies and independent Persian-language media for people in Iran; and whether

Answer: On 23 January, the UK supported UN Human Rights Council resolution SS39/1 calling on Iran to immediately restore full internet access and telecommunications services, and in February, we spoke out as part of the Freedom Online Coalition for the Iranian pe...

Answered 18 Mar 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to introduce an expedited visa and scholarship scheme for at-risk Iranian activists, journalists and human-rights defenders seeking sanctuary and study in the UK.

Answer: The Home Office is monitoring the situation in Iran and the impacts it will have.The UK has not introduced a bespoke visa route in response to the conflict. Existing visa routes remain available and Iranian nationals who wish to come to the UK can apply t...

Answered 16 Mar 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to protect Iranian dissidents, journalists and human-rights defenders resident in the UK from surveillance, harassment and threats linked to the Iranian state.

Answer: The Home Office works closely with other Government departments as well as relevant agencies and law enforcement to protect those identified as being at risk. We will continue to use all appropriate tools at our disposal to protect the UK and its people ...

Answered 16 Mar 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the humanitarian impact of UK sanctions on Iran; and what steps she is taking to ensure that sanctions are focused on human-rights violators a

Answer: I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 26 February in response to Question 114342. Further to this, I add that the UK seeks to mitigate any unintended negative impacts of sanctions, including on humanitarian delivery. The UK does not sanction fo...

Answered 18 Mar 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will commit to expanding targeted sanctions against Iranian officials and security force commanders responsible for killings, torture and internet shutdowns during the

Answer: I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 26 February in response to Question 114342. Further to this, I add that the UK seeks to mitigate any unintended negative impacts of sanctions, including on humanitarian delivery. The UK does not sanction fo...

Answered 18 Mar 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the situation of women, girls and ethnic and religious minorities in Iran following the protests that began in December 2025; and what steps h

Answer: The human rights situation in Iran, including for women, girls and minorities, has long been unacceptable. As the Foreign Secretary said to the House on 13 January: it takes huge bravery to protest and to speak out in the face of this oppression - especia...

Answered 18 Mar 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the recent recall of Aptamil and SMA on NHS infant-formula supply; and what discussions his Department has had with UK manufacturers on that r

Answer: Following the recent recalls of specific batches of infant formula due to the possible presence of the cereulide toxin, the Food Standards Agency has led the incident response, engaging directly with the manufacturers concerned and coordinating public not...

Answered 2 Mar 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department is taking steps to assess the safety of dams and reservoirs given potential climate impacts, including monitoring and standards; and whether her Department has e

Answer: Reservoir safety in England is regulated under the Reservoirs Act 1975 for which the Environment Agency (EA) is the Enforcement Authority. Reservoir owners and operators are required to employ specialist civil engineers to build, supervise, inspect, and m...

Answered 23 Feb 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to ensure a just transition and economic fairness for communities when reducing air pollution from the energy sector.

Answer: The government’s approach to the transition is built on the principle of fairness – for households by ensuring energy security and protecting billpayers, and for workers by ensuring decarbonisation is a route to reindustrialisation.The transition will unl...

Answered 13 Feb 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential (a) direct and (b) indirect impact of current levels of (i) ambient and (ii) indoor air pollution on the (A) current and (B) future health o

Answer: Ambient and indoor air pollution have long- and short-term health impacts on children and young people, for example respiratory effects including reduced lung function and exacerbation of asthma. The Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants has ...

Answered 11 Feb 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of poor air quality in (a) ambient air and (b) indoor air on different age groups of people in England.

Answer: Poor air quality is a major public health risk in the United Kingdom. An estimated 29,000 to 43,000 deaths were attributable to long-term exposure to ambient air pollution in the UK in 2019 among adults aged 30 years old and over.Indoor residential exposu...

Answered 17 Feb 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information his Department holds on air pollution impacting people's health in relation to (a) ambient air and (b) indoor air in England.

Answer: The Department and the UK Health Security Agency have published a range of information and evidence on health impacts of air pollution, to support action to reduce exposure to harmful emissions.The Chief Medical Officer’s Annual Report 2022: Air Pollution...

Answered 11 Feb 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to (a) bring awareness to and (b) help address the potential adverse impact of poor ambient air quality.

Answer: The Government’s 10-Year Health Plan sets out actions to reduce people’s exposure to harmful emissions, improve public understanding of air pollution, and strengthen how air quality information is communicated. The Department continues to work with partne...

Answered 9 Feb 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on delivering national targets for ambient air including by sharing data.

Answer: Department of Health and Social Care ministers engage regularly with ministerial colleagues on air quality. The 10-Year Health Plan for England details action the Government will take to reduce the health harms of air pollution. This includes the Departme...

Answered 9 Feb 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what comparative assessment she has made of his Department's (a) targets, (b) requirements and (c) performance standards for ambient air pollution and the World Health Organisation's A

Answer: The World Health Organisation’s Air Quality Guidelines inform our approach to improving public health. We remain committed to continuous improvement and the WHO guidelines will continue to inform our evidence when considering next steps.

Answered 12 Feb 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will set out the types of health impacts of poor (a) ambient and (b) indoor air quality by (i) geography and (ii) socioeconomic groups.

Answer: Ambient and indoor air pollution are harmful to health in the United Kingdom. Long-term exposure to air pollution, over years or lifetimes, reduces life expectancy, mainly due to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, dementia and lung cancer. Short-ter...

Answered 9 Feb 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to strengthen communities' powers to improve accountability and local action on air pollution.

Answer: The Government supports communities and local authorities to take effective action on air pollution through the Local Air Quality Management framework, which requires local authorities to assess air quality and implement measures to address local issues. ...

Answered 12 Feb 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues to determine the extent that her Department's policies on ambient air quality are interacting with policies on climate change mitig

Answer: Defra’s ambient air quality policy is delivered within the wider framework of the Environmental Improvement Plan, which sets out commitments to improve air quality, restore nature and support climate objectives. The plan highlights that actions to tackle ...

Answered 12 Feb 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of whether local authorities in England have the resources and powers to enforce existing legislation and regulation to improve local air quality.

Answer: Local authorities are centrally funded to fulfil statutory duties under the Local Air Quality Management Framework, which requires action where pollution is highest. The Government supports them through the Air Quality Hub, providing guidance and tools to...

Answered 9 Feb 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how her Department's ambient air quality policy is interacting with climate change mitigation, nature recovery and land use planning.

Answer: Defra’s ambient air quality policy is delivered within the wider framework of the Environmental Improvement Plan, which sets out commitments to improve air quality, restore nature and support climate objectives. The plan highlights that actions to tackle ...

Answered 12 Feb 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the UK's performance in comparison with international counterparts in setting standards for air quality in (a) ambient air and (b) indoor air.

Answer: We maintain a continued dialogue on ambient air quality with international partners and technical expert groups to inform our air quality policy, including through the ongoing revision of the 2012 amended Gothenburg Protocol and its obligations. The UK ha...

Answered 12 Feb 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what comparisons and best practices can be learned from other countries to help improve air quality in England in (a) ambient air and (b) indoor air.

Answer: The Government recognises that air pollution is a local, regional, and global issue, and that there is considerable expertise, knowledge, and skills that countries, experts, and organisations can share to help reduce pollution across the world. We remain ...

Answered 9 Feb 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which Government departments other than his Department are able to have the biggest impact on improving levels of ambient air pollution; and how their policies seek to achieve this.

Answer: Air pollution comes from many different sources and has wide-ranging impacts. Issues such as air quality, climate action, public health and nature recovery are closely linked, creating opportunities for policies that deliver benefits across all these area...

Answered 9 Feb 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to support change on ambient air quality across Government.

Answer: We are determined to improve air quality and protect the public from the harm of pollution. That is why we are taking steps to reform areas like simpler industrial permitting to reduce emissions, and tightening standards for new wood burning appliances to...

Answered 9 Feb 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of data capture and analysis for air quality within England.

Answer: Assessment of data capture is a routine activity to ensure air quality monitoring meets legislative requirements (data capture of at least 85% of the measurement period (i.e. at least 85% of days in a year) is required for compliance reporting. Networks o...

Answered 9 Feb 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of funding and devolved powers to ensure the comprehensive monitoring of air quality in England.

Answer: Defra is responsible for the national monitoring of air quality (which includes England) through 16 different networks monitoring various pollutants. Departmental budgets, including budgets for air quality monitoring, are determined through departmental s...

Answered 9 Feb 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she had made of the adequacy of alignment between national government targets and obligations and local government actions to improve ambient air quality in England.

Answer: National targets and local actions are aligned through statutory duties that require local authorities to assess air quality, designate Air Quality Management Areas, and produce Air Quality Action Plans tied to national air quality objectives. Local autho...

Answered 9 Feb 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of how well examples of local best practice that exist to enforce existing legislation and regulation to improve local air quality are being rol

Answer: National targets and local actions are aligned through statutory duties that require local authorities to assess air quality, designate Air Quality Management Areas, and produce Air Quality Action Plans tied to national air quality objectives. Local autho...

Answered 9 Feb 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of whether examples of best practice exist in England to achieve compliance with legislation and regulation to improve local air quality in each

Answer: Defra supports local authorities in implementing their statutory air quality duties by providing both resources and practical tools. A key example is the Air Quality Hub, which enables local authorities to collaborate, share best practice, and access guid...

Answered 9 Feb 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of potential barriers and/or challenges to achieving national targets, requirements and performance standards for ambient air quality, indoor ai

Answer: Defra regularly assesses potential barriers and/or challenges to achieving national targets, requirements and performance standards in relation to ambient air quality and emissions. Performance against targets are reported annually in the emissions invent...

Answered 9 Feb 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of national targets, requirements and performance standards for air quality and national emission ceilings in protecting public health, cli

Answer: Defra regularly assesses the adequacy of national air quality targets and emission ceilings through statutory annual reporting and formal reviews of the Environmental Improvement Plan.

Answered 9 Feb 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the national targets, requirements and performance standards are for ambient air pollution and national emission ceilings in the Air Quality Environment Act target delivery plan a

Answer: National targets and requirements for ambient air pollution are set out in the Air Quality Standards Regulations (2010) and the Environmental Targets (Fine Particulate Matter) Regulations 2023. Emissions targets and requirements are set out in the Nationa...

Answered 9 Feb 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what information her Department holds on the ten most common causes of air pollution in England in (a) ambient air and (b) indoor air.

Answer: Data on our largest sources of air pollution emissions can be found at Emissions of air pollutants - GOV.UK.

Answered 9 Feb 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what evidence exists of the direct and indirect impact of air pollution on (a) crop yields, (b) biodiversity, (c) pollinator, (d) rain, (e) stratospheric ozone, (f) water quality and (

Answer: Evidence is set out in the recent house of Lords Environment and Climate Change Committee’s Nitrogen report: https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld5901/ldselect/ldenvcl/161/16102.htmand and the Critical loads expert report Air_Pollution_Trends_Report_2...

Answered 9 Feb 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what evidence exists of direct and indirect impacts of ambient air pollution on (a) the climate, (b) the environment and (c) public health and their cascading effects.

Answer: The UKHSA Health Effects of Climate Change (HECC) in the UK: 2023 report considered the relationship between climate change and outdoor air pollution and included new analyses of the health burden from long-term and short-term exposure to air pollution.

Answered 9 Feb 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the the top five impacts of air pollution in England on each of (a) the climate, (b) the environment and (c) public health and their cascadin

Answer: The UKHSA Health Effects of Climate Change (HECC) in the UK: 2023 report considered the relationship between climate change and outdoor air pollution and included new analyses of the health burden from long-term and short-term exposure to air pollution.

Answered 9 Feb 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department holds data on the top five sources in tonnes of primary air pollution emissions in England for each of (i) fine particulate matter (PM2.5); (ii) nitrogen dioxide

Answer: Data on our primary air pollution emissions can be found at Emissions of air pollutants - GOV.UK.

Answered 9 Feb 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will review the prohibition on exhibiting Psittaciformes alongside (a) canaries and (b) finches at licensed bird gatherings; and if she will make an assessment of the potential

Answer: This is a devolved matter and the information provided therefore relates to England only. In England the general licence for gatherings of Psittaciformes, birds of prey and racing pigeons permits a gathering including a mix of these types of birds. Defra ...

Answered 4 Feb 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans her Department has to consult (a) regional bird clubs, (b) national exhibition and (c) any other avicultural organisations on licensing changes and their potential impact on

Answer: Defra officials will continue to engage stakeholders, including regional bird clubs, organisers of the National Exhibition and other avicultural organisations about the changes to the licences for bird gatherings via stakeholder forums and individual disc...

Answered 4 Feb 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the requirement for Bird Gathering Licences to be approved no more than seven days before an event on (a) trends in the number,

Answer: This is a devolved matter and the information provided therefore relates to England only. Regulation 6 of the Avian Influenza (Preventive Measures) (England) Regulations 2006, as amended, sets out the legal basis for permitting gatherings of poultry or ot...

Answered 3 Feb 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of changes made in December 2025 to Bird Gathering Licences on the viability of (a) mixed-species bird exhibitions, (b)

Answer: This is a devolved matter and the information provided therefore relates to England only. Regulation 6 of the Avian Influenza (Preventive Measures) (England) Regulations 2006, as amended, sets out the legal basis for permitting gatherings of poultry or ot...

Answered 3 Feb 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department made of the risks posed by captive-bred birds at licensed gatherings prior to introducing the December 2025 amendments to Bird Gathering Licences; and wh

Answer: I refer the Hon Member to the reply previously given on 30 January 2026 to the Hon Member for Stockton West, Matt Vickers to PQ UIN 107782.

Answered 3 Feb 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking in response to the findings of the Nature security assessment on global biodiversity loss, ecosystem collapse and national security, published on 26

Answer: Nature underpins our security, prosperity, and resilience, and understanding the threats we face from biodiversity loss is essential to addressing them effectively. The UK is already taking action to strengthen resilience to environmental risks at home an...

Answered 2 Feb 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many full-time equivalent staff worked for the rural payments agency in each year between 2019 and 2026.

Answer: The number of full‑time equivalent (FTE) staff employed by the Rural Payments Agency is published in the public domain as part of Defra’s Monthly Workforce Management Information (MWMI) reports. This information can be accessed via the following link: : D...

Answered 30 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to produce a white paper for a food strategy.

Answer: The food strategy is an on-going programme of work to create a healthier, more affordable, sustainable and resilient food system. The first part was the Good Food Cycle publication in July 2025, which identified for the first time the outcomes the Governm...

Answered 3 Feb 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what was the total Environment Agency expenditure on waste crime in each year since 2015.

Answer: The Environment Agency (EA) is unable to track total expenditure on waste crime as waste crime is delivered by a range of multi-functional teams. The EA can only report on what is allocated, not what is spent. The table provided sets out the EA’s Grant in...

Answered 27 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to take steps to allow NHS professionals to view the health records of ex-military patients from their time in military service.

Answer: The Defence Medical Services (DMS) provide primary healthcare for serving personnel. All serving personnel will have a Defence Health Record which records their healthcare through their military service, whether provided by DMS or the National Health Serv...

Answered 19 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of closing Junction 38 of the M6 during the Lune Gorge bridge replacement works on local businesses.

Answer: This Government, working in close partnership with National Highways, is fully committed to this project being delivered in a way that minimises disruption to road users, businesses and local communities. National Highways has undertaken assessments to un...

Answered 19 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he will instruct National Highways to meet with BWB Consulting and Kier in an engineer-to-engineer review of proposals for temporary slip roads at Junction 38 of the M6.

Answer: National Highways has facilitated discussions between BWB Consulting and Kier engineers, including a meeting held on 17 December 2025 to review proposals for temporary slip roads at Junction 38. A further update on temporary slip roads will be provided at...

Answered 19 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when any assessment by National Highways of temporary slip roads at Junction 38 of the M6 was undertaken; and whether the findings of that assessment informed the current construction programme.

Answer: National Highways first assessed the potential for temporary slip roads during the project’s optioneering stage in 2019. Further consideration took place during early design development, and the option was not taken forward at that time due to spatial con...

Answered 20 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether National Highways undertook a detailed assessment of the potential to construct temporary slip roads to allow Junction 38 of the M6 (northbound and southbound) to remain open for the duration of the Lun

Answer: National Highways first assessed the potential for temporary slip roads during the project’s optioneering stage in 2019. Further consideration took place during early design development, and the option was not taken forward at that time due to spatial con...

Answered 20 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate her Department has made of the costs to the exchequer of reducing VAT for hospitality businesses to (a) 15%, (b) 10%, (c) 5% and (d) 0%.

Answer: HMRC estimates that the cost of reducing the 20 per cent Standard Rate of VAT on all accommodation and food and beverage services would be as follows in 2026-27: (a) to 15%: £5 billion, (b) to 10%: £10.5 billion, (c) to 5%: £17 billion, (d) to 0%: £23.5 b...

Answered 19 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether research is being conducted into the potential association between Gabapentin use and the development of attentional amnestic disorders or other cognitive impairments.

Answer: Gabapentin is authorised to treat epilepsy and peripheral neuropathic pain, or nerve pain. The known side effects of gabapentin are outlined in the product information, the Summary of Product Characteristics (SPC) for healthcare professionals, and the Pat...

Answered 13 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps are being taken to inform patients and healthcare professionals about the potential long-term risks of Gabapentin use.

Answer: Gabapentin is authorised to treat epilepsy and peripheral neuropathic pain, or nerve pain. The known side effects of gabapentin are outlined in the product information, the Summary of Product Characteristics (SPC) for healthcare professionals, and the Pat...

Answered 13 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what measures are in place to monitor patients on Gabapentin for signs of neurological or cognitive decline during treatment.

Answer: Gabapentin is authorised to treat epilepsy and peripheral neuropathic pain, or nerve pain. The known side effects of gabapentin are outlined in the product information, the Summary of Product Characteristics (SPC) for healthcare professionals, and the Pat...

Answered 13 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether prescribing guidelines for Gabapentin include warnings about potential risks associated with extended use.

Answer: There are a number of resources available to prescribers to advise them on the potential risks associated with extended use of gabapentin.The British National Formulary (BNF) for adults provides healthcare professionals with a range of information on the ...

Answered 13 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment has been made of the potential impact of prolonged use of Gabapentin on long-term neurological risks, including dementia and brain damage.

Answer: Gabapentin is authorised to treat epilepsy and peripheral neuropathic pain, or nerve pain. The known side effects of gabapentin are outlined in the product information, the Summary of Product Characteristics (SPC) for healthcare professionals, and the Pat...

Answered 13 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the number of people leaving the agricultural sector.

Answer: Defra produces statistical estimates of the number of people working on commercial [see a below] agricultural holdings in England. Defra does not monitor the numbers leaving and entering the sector separately, therefore estimates show the net change in th...

Answered 14 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of expanding flooding support eligibility for farmers.

Answer: The Government is funding environmental land management (ELM) schemes, which include measures to support farmers with managing flood risks or investing in natural flood management. The Government has committed to investing £11.8 billion in the farming bud...

Answered 15 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what funding farmers are offered for flood management.

Answer: The Government is funding environmental land management (ELM) schemes, which include measures to support farmers with managing flood risks or investing in natural flood management. The Government has committed to investing £11.8 billion in the farming bud...

Answered 15 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what proportion of the Department's budget is allocated to work on flood defences and mitigation.

Answer: Delivering on the Plan for Change, this government is investing at least £10.5 billion until 2036 to construct new flood schemes and repair existing defences, protecting communities from the devastating impacts of climate change. The proportion of Defra G...

Answered 14 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the flooding risk to farms; and what percentage of farms are at high flood risk.

Answer: Our new national flood risk assessment (NaFRA) shows that of the 85,000 square kilometres of agricultural land in England, over 11,000 square kilometres is in areas at risk of flooding from rivers and sea.

Answered 15 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what contingency plans are in place for periods of water shortage and supply outages.

Answer: In England and Wales, The Security and Emergency Measures Direction 2022 (SEMD) is the main legislative framework specific to water companies for emergency planning. It requires water companies to ensure continuation of their water distribution functions ...

Answered 14 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Department is taking to help tackle water scarcity.

Answer: The Government recognises the importance of having enough water through the Environment Improvement Plan – ‘Goal 3: Water - We will ensure English waters are clean, resilient and plentiful.’ Within this plan, there are stretching targets to reduce demand ...

Answered 14 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment the Department has made of the adequacy of water infrastructure investment in each of the last five years.

Answer: There has been historic underinvestment in the water industry. Investment has not kept pace with the challenges of an ageing infrastructure system, a rapidly growing population, and climate change. We have already announced that we will create a powerful ...

Answered 20 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many water outage incidents have occurred in each of the last five years.

Answer: Water companies are Category Two Responders under the Civil Contingencies Act (2004) and have duties to plan for emergencies, including water outage incidents. In England, the Security and Emergency Measures Direction 2022 (SEMD) is the main legislative f...

Answered 14 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the levels of resilience of water treatment works.

Answer: Ofwat has a legislative duty to further the resilience of water companies’ water supply and wastewater systems to enable them to meet long-term need. The Government is preparing to respond to the recommendations of the Independent Water Commission, includ...

Answered 14 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many attributable deaths there were from fine particulate matter, PM2.5, were there in (a) East Midlands, (b) East of England, (c) Greater London, (d) North East, (e) North West, (f) South East

Answer: The number of deaths attributable to fine particulate air pollution (PM2.5) is not annually calculated for each region. The current estimate of attributable deaths in the United Kingdom for 2019 was 29,000 to 43,000 deaths for adults aged 30 years old and...

Answered 20 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 10 May 2023 to Question 183643 on Public Health, what methodologies were used to estimate the costs to the NHS for each of the five risk factors specified.

Answer: The applicable methodologies for the National Health Service cost attributed to each of the risk factors outlined are explained in the following reports.The estimated air pollution related costs to the NHS can be found in the Public Health England report ...

Answered 15 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many people died from smoking in England in each year since 2021.

Answer: The latest estimates for smoking-attributable mortality in England are for the period 2017 to 2019. The Smoking Profile, produced by the Department, reports 191,903 smoking-attributable deaths of people aged 35 years old and over in the period 2017 to 201...

Answered 15 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions his Department has had with ‘Heating, ventilation and air conditioning’ (HVAC) professionals and facilities managers to understand how they reduce air pollution in dwellings and no

Answer: The Department and the UK Health Security Agency engage with a range of stakeholders on ways to reduce the health impacts of both indoor and outdoor air pollution.This includes engagement by officials with relevant bodies in the United Kingdom and interna...

Answered 14 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he will update the Health and Technical Memorandum 03-01 for the latest technical standards.

Answer: Published guidance on ventilation in healthcare settings includes the Health Technical Memorandum 03-01: Specialised ventilation for healthcare premises. It gives comprehensive advice and guidance on the legal requirements, design implications, maintenanc...

Answered 15 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, which public health factors created the 10 largest direct cost impacts on the NHS in 2024; and how much the NHS spent in 2024 on tackling the health impacts of the following public health factors:

Answer: Global Burden of Disease data considers the top ten public health factors in the United Kingdom in 2023 in order of importance to be: tobacco, high body mass index, dietary risks, high fasting plasma glucose, high blood pressure, high alcohol use, high ch...

Answered 15 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when she will update guidance titled ‘BB101: Ventilation, thermal comfort and indoor air quality 2018’ for the latest available technical standards.

Answer: All new department-delivered schools are designed and constructed to the department’s own school building standards. These standards include ventilation, thermal comfort and air quality and can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/emp...

Answered 13 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what progress his Department has made in implementing the advice in Table 1 on numbered page 19 of the Climate Change Committee’s report titled ‘Biomass in a low carbon economy’ (November 201

Answer: The department’s schemes support biomass installations only in rural areas and if additional eligibility criteria are met. New ecodesign standards setting higher minimum efficiency standards for solid fuel space heaters, including wood burning stoves, hav...

Answered 14 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, How many people in each of the following regions are expected to be exposed to concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exceeding each of (a) 5 micrograms per cubic metre (ug/

Answer: Defra does not publish air quality data in the form requested. The recently published Environmental Improvement Plan set out a target to reduce average exposure to PM2.5 in England by 30% by 2030 compared to the 2018 value. The emphasis of this approach i...

Answered 13 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether any hotspots in zones other than the five zones identified in the Compliance Assessment Summary 2024 exceeded the nitrogen dioxide annual limit value in calendar 2024.

Answer: The localised hotspots identified through Defra’s national modelling and monitoring networks are published annually on UK Air (https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/) as part of the national compliance assessment under the Air Quality Standards Regulations 2010. Lo...

Answered 13 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which areas in the following zones her Department assesses may delay compliance with the nitrogen dioxide annual limit value beyond 2024 and until when in (i) West Midlands Urban Area;

Answer: The results of the UK’s air quality assessment for 2024 are published online on the UK-Air website (https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/). Projections of future compliance for locations in exceedance of the nitrogen dioxide annual mean limit value in 2024 are bei...

Answered 13 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Domestic Solid Fuel Regulations 2020.

Answer: In November 2025, we published the Post Implementation Review of the Air Quality (Domestic Solid Fuels Standards) (England) Regulations 2020, which assesses the effectiveness of the Regulations. Data suggest that the Regulations have led to consumers movi...

Answered 13 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department provides guidance on whether premises are permitted to emit visible smoke in England.

Answer: We provide guidance for local authorities on enforcement of SCAs - Smoke control area enforcement by local authorities in England and to the public to help them understand the requirements within SCAs – Smoke control areas: the rules.

Answered 13 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Clean Air Act 1956, the Clean Air Act 1968 and the Clean Air Act 1993.

Answer: The Clean Air Act is kept under continuous review to ensure it remains fit for purpose. A number of amendments have been made since its introduction in 1956. The most recent changes were introduced under the Environment Act 2021, which included the streng...

Answered 13 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the largest environmental risks are to public health in the UK.

Answer: There are a number of environmental risks to public health in the UK, including air pollution, noise pollution, climate change and extreme weather, emerging chemical and biological risks and water quality.

Answered 13 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what Government guidance there is on technical standards to be applied in dwellings and other buildings to improve indoor air quality.

Answer: The government sets standards for indoor air quality mainly through Parts F (Ventilation) and L (Conservation of fuel and power) of the Building Regulations which apply primarily to new buildings with detailed guidance provided in Approved Documents. Appr...

Answered 14 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people died from conditions related to obesity in England in each year since 2021.

Answer: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Questions of 6th January is attached.

Answered 14 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people died from alcoholism in England in each year since 2021.

Answer: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Questions of 6th January is attached.

Answered 14 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many deaths there were from cardiovascular causes in (a) East Midlands, (b) East of England, (c) Greater London, (d) North East, (e) North West, (f) South East, (g) South West, (h) West Midlands, (i) Yorkshi

Answer: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Questions of 6th January is attached.

Answered 14 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to paragraph TR7 of the proposed revised version of the National Planning and Policy Framework, what criteria he is using to determine an acceptable environmental

Answer: The reference to acceptable environmental effects in proposed policy TR7 is couched in general terms, but the consultation is clear that when using the Framework, the draft policies need to be read as a whole, including in this instance the more specific ...

Answered 13 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the press notice by the Royal College of Physician of 13 November 2025, which called for a UK-wide public health camp

Answer: Clean air is a key part of our shift from ‘sickness to prevention’ as per the 10-Year Health Plan for England, which sets out action to further improve the quality of the air we breathe.Alongside the 10-Year Health Plan, the Department for Environment, Fo...

Answered 13 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate his Department has made of the number of premature deaths in (i) England and (ii) the UK attributable to (a) smoking, (b) air pollution, (c) alcoholism and (d) obesity in the last 12 months.

Answer: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 5th of January is attached.

Answered 13 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 26 March 2025 to Question 39815 on Nitrogen Dioxide: Pollution Control, which of the exceedances mentioned complied with the annual limit for nitrogen dioxide

Answer: The results of the UK’s air quality assessment for 2024 are published online on the UK-Air website (https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/). Local authorities are expected to publish the data from their locally managed nitrogen dioxide measurement networks on their...

Answered 7 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what the difference is in legal duties and obligations between limit values under the Air Quality Standards Regulations and air quality targets for PM2.5 concentrations set in the Envi

Answer: The Air Quality Standards Regulations (AQSR) 2010 establish legally binding standards across the UK, for numerous air pollutants, including PM2.5. The AQSR limit value for PM2.5 concentrations is 20 micrograms per cubic meter in England and responsibility...

Answered 13 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 17 April 2025 to Question 45555 on Nitrogen Dioxide: Pollution Control, which road links within 10 miles of Heathrow airport exceeded 20 micrograms per cubic

Answer: The results of the UK’s air quality assessment for 2024 are published online on the UK-Air website (https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/). Local authorities are expected to publish the data from their locally managed nitrogen dioxide measurement networks on their...

Answered 7 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether Commitment 19 in the Environmental Improvement Plan 2025 should refer to emissions of oxides of nitrogen rather than nitrogen dioxide.

Answer: Commitment 19 of the Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP25) relates to The National Emission Ceilings Regulations 2018 national reduction commitments for 2030 and should correctly be referenced as oxides of nitrogen.

Answered 13 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 25 November 2025 to Question 91935 on Air Pollution: International Cooperation, whether she is seeking to agree (a) reductions or (b) increases for each of th

Answer: The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland continues to engage with other Parties to the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe’s Convention on Long‑Range Transboundary Air Pollution on the ongoing revision of the 2012 amended Gothenb...

Answered 13 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 25 November 2025 to Question 91935, what she is seeking to achieve from revisions to the Gothenburg Protocol including Annex IX.

Answer: The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland continues to engage with other Parties to the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe’s Convention on Long‑Range Transboundary Air Pollution on the ongoing revision of the 2012 amended Gothenb...

Answered 13 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential cost to the public purse of lowering the VAT rate payable by hospitality businesses to (a) 15 per cent, (b) 10 per cent and (c) 5 per cent.

Answer: HMRC estimates that the cost of changing the 20 per cent Standard Rate of VAT on all accommodation and food and beverage services to the Reduced Rate of 5 per cent would be around £17 billion in 2026-27, rising to £19.5 billion in 2030-31. The Government ...

Answered 8 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that pupils in rural schools have equal access to AI learning opportunities.

Answer: The department is committed to leveraging technology to benefit all schools, including those in rural areas. We are addressing barriers by connecting schools to fibre through the School Gigabit Programme and improving wireless networks through Connect the...

Answered 5 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what plans he has to support business investment and growth in the industries identified in the Government’s Modern Industrial Strategy over the next ten years.

Answer: Our modern Industrial Strategy is a 10-year plan to back our strengths and realise Britain’s potential. It is about creating a connected, high-skilled, economically growing country, where opportunity, skills and wealth are spread fairly, and where every p...

Answered 5 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of measures to tackle online harassment; and what steps she plans to take to protect individuals from such abuse.

Answer: Under the Online Safety Act, platforms must protect all users from illegal harassment and children from harmful content, including hateful and abusive content. These duties are now in force and Ofcom conducts regular surveys to track user experiences. DSI...

Answered 9 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to (a) ensure that online platforms are held accountable under the Online Safety Act 2023 for hosting content that promotes the torture of animals and (b) reass

Answer: The Government takes animal welfare very seriously. Under the Online Safety Act 2023, platforms must remove illegal content swiftly, including material promoting or facilitating animal torture, which is a designated priority offence. Services must also im...

Answered 9 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to ensure that the Modern Industrial Strategy applies equally to rural areas.

Answer: The Industrial Strategy focuses efforts on the city regions and clusters across the UK where the growth-driving sectors are concentrated, including in rural areas. The Strategy introduces targeted measures in rural areas such as enhanced support for the I...

Answered 5 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much did (a) Health Education England and (b) NHS England pay Hill Dickinson in (i) costs and (ii) fees for legal services between 2012 and 2023.

Answer: As a parent organisation, including commissioning support units but excluding integrated care boards, NHS England has spent approximately £8 million including VAT with Hill Dickinson between 2012/13 and 2022/23. Approximately 90% of these costs were spent...

Answered 14 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the cost price is of a child citizenship application.

Answer: The Home Office publishes the fees charged and the estimated unit cost of processing immigration and nationality applications on Gov.UK. This can be reviewed via the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/visa-fees-transparency-data.

Answered 11 Dec 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will publish the annual figures for payments made to each of NHS Resolution's panel law firms since the current legal framework came into effect in March 2022; and, in each case, what proport

Answer: NHS Resolution (NHSR) manages clinical negligence and other claims against the National Health Service in England. The information to the question requested is not published by NHSR on its website. NHSR does publish annual statistics, however, which are a...

Answered 8 Dec 2025

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of spirits duty rates on the competitiveness of UK pubs comparted to pubs in Europe.

Answer: Alcohol duty is paid by producers, and is therefore not typically paid directly by pubs. Further, according to estimates derived from sales data collected on behalf of the Office for National Statistics, only around 15% of spirits are consumed on-trade. A...

Answered 4 Dec 2025

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what data she holds on spirits duty revenue generated from pubs in (a) rural areas and (b) urban areas.

Answer: Alcohol duty is paid by producers, and is therefore not typically paid directly by pubs. Further, according to estimates derived from sales data collected on behalf of the Office for National Statistics, only around 15% of spirits are consumed on-trade. A...

Answered 4 Dec 2025

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the impact of inflation-linked duty increases on the on-trade in each of the last three years.

Answer: Alcohol duty is paid by producers, and is therefore not typically paid directly by pubs. Further, according to estimates derived from sales data collected on behalf of the Office for National Statistics, only around 15% of spirits are consumed on-trade. A...

Answered 4 Dec 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress she has made with her international counterparts on updating (a) the Gothenburg Protocol to Abate Acidification, Eutrophication and Ground-level Ozone and (b) other Unite

Answer: The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is working with our partners and other Parties within the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe’s Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution to update and future-proof the 2012 ame...

Answered 25 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department plans to publish a new Clean Air Strategy.

Answer: The Government will continue to take the action needed to ensure everyone has cleaner air to breathe. The next review of our statutory Air Quality Strategy is due to be completed by mid-2028.

Answered 25 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when her Department plans to publish the revised Environmental Improvement Plan.

Answer: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Tamworth on 17 March 2025, UIN 37341.

Answered 25 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 17 April 2025 to Question 45555 on Nitrogen Dioxide: Pollution Control, which local (a) monitoring and (b) modelling as part of the Local Air Quality Manageme

Answer: Local authorities are expected to publish their Annual Status Reports on their own websites, detailing their assessments of the air quality objectives.

Answered 25 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many deaths in (a) England, (b) Northern Ireland, (c) Scotland and (d) Wales were attributable to (i) alcoholism, (ii) obesity, (iii) air pollution and (iv) smoking in the latest year for which data is avail

Answer: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 18th November is attached.

Answered 2 Dec 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 16 July 2025 to UIN 66131, which (a) local authorities and (b) Metro Mayors have not published local plans to achieve compliance with legal limits for nitroge

Answer: I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the reply previously given on 16 July 2025, PQ UIN 66131.

Answered 25 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to (a) revoke Environment Act 1995 Air Quality Directions and (b) introduce further directions to (i) achieve compliance with nitrogen dioxide limit values and (ii) a

Answer: Existing Directions under the Environment Act 1995 relating to nitrogen dioxide (NO2) exceedances are revoked once the local authority area concerned has successfully demonstrated that compliance with legal limit levels for NO2 has been achieved, and that...

Answered 25 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what localised hotspots for exceedances of the nitrogen dioxide annual limit value have been identified by which Air Quality Annual Status Report in each reporting zone in 2024.

Answer: Local authorities are expected to publish their Annual Status Reports detailing exceedances of the air quality objectives on their own websites. Annual limit values under the Air Quality Standards Regulation 2010 are assessed separately to the Annual Stat...

Answered 25 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 16 July 2025 to UIN 66132, what progress she has made on further policies to tackle ammonia emissions to help reduce the risk to the 2030 target.

Answer: The UK is compliant with the UK’s statutory reduction target for ammonia emissions, which has applied since 2020. The latest projections show that further action is needed to meet the UK’s ammonia reduction for 2030.

Answered 25 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 8 July 2025 to UIN 63555, which localised hotspots in which reporting zone in (a) England, (b) Northern Ireland, (c) Scotland and (d) Wales are delaying compl

Answer: Local authorities are expected to publish the data from their locally managed nitrogen dioxide measurement networks on their websites. Data from Defra-managed networks is published annually online at UK-Air as part of the national compliance assessment.

Answered 25 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 26 March 2025 to UIN 39815, which (a) cities, (b) towns, (c) agglomeration zones and (d) non-agglomeration zones in which reporting zones in (i) England, (ii)

Answer: The results of the UK’s air quality assessment for 2024 are published online on the UK-Air website (https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/).

Answered 25 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department plans to review (a) restrictions on the use of virtual fencing technology under the Farming in Protected Landscapes programme and (b) the eligibility criteria fo

Answer: The Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) programme is due to end March 2026 and decisions on the future of the programme have not yet been made. The FiPL eligibility criteria for virtual fencing technology protects the highest standards of animal welfar...

Answered 3 Dec 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has considered aligning agricultural support in England with the approach taken in Scotland, where virtual fencing systems are eligible under the Future Farming Investment

Answer: Defra has funded virtual fencing technology projects through the Farming in Protected Landscape Programme which are helping to deliver our environmental targets in Protected Landscapes. Defra does not currently offer funding for virtual fencing technology...

Answered 1 Dec 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to support farmer uptake of innovative tools such as virtual fencing.

Answer: Defra has funded virtual fencing technology projects through the Farming in Protected Landscape Programme which are helping to deliver our environmental targets in Protected Landscapes. Defra does not currently offer funding for virtual fencing technology...

Answered 1 Dec 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will review (a) the eligibility of virtual fencing technology under existing agricultural support schemes in England, such as Farming in Protected Landscapes and (b) its potenti

Answer: Defra has funded virtual fencing technology projects through the Farming in Protected Landscape Programme which are helping to deliver our environmental targets in Protected Landscapes. Defra does not currently offer funding for virtual fencing technology...

Answered 1 Dec 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions she has had with international counterparts on the protection of Christian women in Chibok, Nigeria.

Answer: The UK condemns violence against civilians of all religions in Nigeria and regularly raises freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) with the Nigerian government. For example, on 11 November, the Minister for International Development and Africa discussed the...

Answered 25 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the current SwimFo system in helping the public understand bathing-water risks.

Answer: We know that local communities want to have a clear picture of water quality at popular bathing sites. The Environment Agency (EA) publishes sampling information during the bathing season on Swimfo to inform bathers of water quality and provide daily poll...

Answered 24 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will take steps to ensure that (a) people swimming away from the shoreline and (b) all other lake users are considered in future bathing-water monitoring strategies.

Answer: The Bathing Water Regulations 2025 were laid before Parliament on 28 October 2025 and come into force 21 November 2025. Defra is committed to working with local and national stakeholders as work progresses to implement these Regulations. In the November –...

Answered 24 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to publish a review comparing UK bathing-water (a) monitoring and (b) classification systems with international best practice.

Answer: Existing practices for monitoring and classification in the UK mirror the European Commission’s Bathing Water Directive which is based on the World Health Organisation’s recommendations for management of recreational waters. Environment Agency (EA) monito...

Answered 24 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of current sampling coverage at designated bathing-water sites.

Answer: The Environment Agency (EA) monitors all designated bathing waters above the minimum monthly frequency requirement of the Bathing Water Regulations during the bathing water season. Most sites are sampled weekly, in line with the World Health Organisation’...

Answered 24 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will take steps to increase spatial representation of sampling points around Lake Windermere including areas not currently designated as bathing-water locations.

Answer: The Environment Agency samples the designated bathing waters in Windermere according to the Bathing Water Regulations. Applications for new bathing water designations in Lake Windermere can be made to Defra if the criteria published on GOV.UK are met.

Answered 24 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to allocate funding for the introduction of a (a) traffic-light system and (b) publicly accessible platform in the context of improving the communication of bathing-w

Answer: Swimfo, the Environment Agency’s (EA) bathing water quality website, provides details on over 450 bathing waters, classifications, pollution sources, and seasonal water quality results. From May to September, Swimfo posts daily forecasts for over 170 site...

Answered 24 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of a different classification system for lake ecosystems.

Answer: In the Bathing Water Regulations 2013, ‘Schedule 5, classification’ shows there are already different standards for inland waters and for coastal and transitional waters when measuring E coli and intestinal enterococci. This means there are varying classi...

Answered 24 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will take steps to move away from multi-year averages and adopt a more real-time approach to reporting bathing-water quality data.

Answer: On 28 October 2025, the Department laid before Parliament an SI which incorporates reforms to modernise the Bathing Water Regulations. Core reform 3, due to come into force 21 November, introduces the discretion to determine a different bathing season for...

Answered 24 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to publish updated guidance on incorporating (a) blue-green algae and (b) other additional public health factors into bathing-water quality assessments.

Answer: The purpose of the Regulations is to ensure the protection of public health through the use of monitoring and classifications. Bathing waters are one of the most visible ways in which the public interacts with the water environment and so it is critical t...

Answered 24 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to allocate funding to ensure that bathing-water sampling in Lake Windermere takes place year-round rather than seasonally.

Answer: On 28 October 2025, the Department laid before Parliament a Statutory Instrument which incorporates reforms to modernise the Bathing Water Regulations. Core reform 3, which is due to come into force 21 November, introduces discretion to determine a differ...

Answered 24 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she plans to introduce a pollution risk costing model for Windermere based on Environment Agency modelling of other mainly coastal designated bathing sites.

Answer: The Environment Agency currently provides pollution forecasting at 171 coastal sites and is exploring the feasibility of providing a forecast for inland sites.

Answered 24 Nov 2025

Question: 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 reports of Islamist attacks on Christian communities in Nigeria’s Middle Belt on 31 October 202

Answer: I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 3 November to Question 85661.

Answered 18 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to ensure farmers receive support for instances of flooding in winter 2025-26.

Answer: To support rural communities and farmers, we: are funding actions to improve the environment, mitigate flood risk, and boost resilience such as natural flood management, through the Environmental Land Management schemes.are investing over £300 million in ...

Answered 13 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to fund flooding defence systems in winter 2025-26.

Answer: This Government is investing £2.65 billion over two years (2024/25 and 2025/26) into our flood resilience. Since July last year, the Environment Agency has delivered 151 flood defence schemes, better protecting over 24,000 homes and businesses. It is pois...

Answered 11 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much funding the Environment Agency received for river and stream maintenance in each of the last five years.

Answer: As the EA operates at arm’s length from its sponsor department, Defra, it is for the EA to determine how much of its budget it spends on maintenance under its remit.

Answered 17 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much funding the Environment Agency received in each of the last five years.

Answer: The EA’s total budget for 2025/26 is £2,274 million. This is an increase of £188 million compared with its £2,086 million budget in 2024/25. YearTotal budget2025/26£2,274m2024/25£2,086m2023/24£1,961m2022/23£1,704m2021/22£1,627m

Answered 17 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department holds data on the estimated cost of flood losses for (a) insured properties and (b) uninsured properties in each year since 2015.

Answer: The Evidence on the Costs of Floods in England and Wales, covers the 2016 to 2019 period and the Estimating the Economic Costs of the 2015 to 2016 Winter Floods covers 2015 through to 2016. Flood Re has enabled over 660,000 households to access affordable...

Answered 11 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department holds data on the number of properties in each flood risk zones that does not have insurance.

Answer: Flood Re is a joint Government and industry scheme enabling households at high flood risk to access affordable insurance. Since launch, over 650,000 properties have benefitted, with 346,000 policies supported in 2024/25. Before Flood Re, average premiums ...

Answered 12 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department holds data on the average insurance premiums for properties in each flood risk zone in each of last five years.

Answer: Flood Re is a joint Government and industry scheme enabling households at high flood risk to access affordable insurance. Since launch, over 650,000 properties have benefitted, with 346,000 policies supported in 2024/25. Before Flood Re, average premiums ...

Answered 12 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many new homes were built within areas classified as flood zone 3 in 2024-2025.

Answer: My Department does not hold data on how many new homes were built within areas classified as flood zone 3 in 2024-2025. The proportion of new residential addresses built on national Flood Zone 3 is published by financial year in live table P320 of our ‘La...

Answered 12 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the review of refugee family reunion will consider the optimisation of decision making to reduce the need for appeals.

Answer: The family reunion route is temporarily suspended for a short period until Spring 2026. The Home Office is reviewing the route, with the intention to set out and implement those changes from then.

Answered 11 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of (a) gathering documentation and (b) submitting biometrics on people submitting refugee family reunion applications; and whether she p

Answer: The family reunion route is temporarily suspended for a short period until Spring 2026. The Home Office is reviewing the route, with the intention to set out and implement those changes from then.

Answered 11 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department plans to exempt (a) unaccompanied children seeking to reunite with parents already in the UK and (b) families facing (i) conflict, (ii) persecution and (iii) medical emergencies

Answer: The family reunion route is temporarily suspended for a short period until Spring 2026. The Home Office is reviewing the route, with the intention to set out and implement those changes from then.

Answered 11 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the report entitled Independent Water Commission: review of the water sector, updated on 29 July 2025, whether she plans to strengthen the requirements on companies t

Answer: The Government is preparing to respond to the recommendations of the Independent Water Commission, including on the extent and enforcement of current water industry mapping requirements and condition assessments. Reforms outlined in this response will for...

Answered 11 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the report entitled Independent Water Commission: review of the water sector, updated on 29 July 2025, whether she plans to consult on the introduction of a national

Answer: The Government is considering the Independent Water Commission’s recommendation to consult on a National Social Tariff and will respond later this year. Through the Water (Special Measures) Act 2025, it has expanded powers to create improved affordability...

Answered 11 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the report entitled Independent Water Commission: review of the water sector, updated on 29 July 2025, whether she plans to provide a regulatory framework to drive th

Answer: The Secretary of State will respond to recommendations in the Independent Water Commission in the upcoming White Paper publication. A consultation launched on 23 September 2025 proposes tightening Building Regulations that could see new homes fitted with ...

Answered 11 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the report entitled Independent Water Commission: review of the water sector, updated on 29 July 2025, whether she plans to ensure future water monitoring programmes

Answer: The Government will respond to the recommendations in full via a White Paper, published later this year. The White Paper will outline the Government’s vision for the future of the water sector, marking the most fundamental reset to our water system in a g...

Answered 11 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the report entitled Independent Water Commission: review of the water sector, updated on 29 July 2025, whether she plans to make an assessment of how effectively publ

Answer: Public Health outcomes are a key gap in the current legislative framework. The Independent Water Commission recommended the Chief Medical Officers of England and Wales establish taskforces to review the incorporation of public health better into the water...

Answered 11 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the report entitled Independent Water Commission: review of the water sector, updated on 29 July 2025, whether she plans to introduce a comprehensive systems planning

Answer: The Government will respond to the recommendations published in the final report of the Independent Water Commission through a White Paper. We will bring forward root and branch reform to secure better outcomes for customers, investors and the environment...

Answered 17 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the report entitled Independent Water Commission: review of the water sector, updated on 29 July 2025, whether she plans to revise the legal framework for the Strateg

Answer: The Government will respond to the recommendations published in the final report of the Independent Water Commission through a White Paper and a new water reform bill, including reforms to the Strategic Policy Statement. We will bring forward root and bra...

Answered 11 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress her Department has made on publishing a national water strategy.

Answer: The Independent Water Commission, tasked by the Government to produce recommendations to transform how our water system works, delivered its final report on 21 July 2025. The Government will respond to the recommendations in full, including on the recomme...

Answered 11 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress her Department has made on establishing a new integrated water industry regulator.

Answer: Alongside the recommendations which the Government responded to on 21 July, the Commission examined many other areas within its remit, to ensure that water sector regulation delivers for environmental, public health, customer and economic outcomes. This i...

Answered 11 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress her Department has made on abolishing Ofwat.

Answer: Alongside the recommendations which the Government responded to on 21 July, the Commission examined many other areas within its remit, to ensure that water sector regulation delivers for environmental, public health, customer and economic outcomes. This i...

Answered 11 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the report entitled Independent Water Commission: review of the water sector, updated on 29 July 2025, what progress her Department has made on responding to the reco

Answer: The Government has already responded to a number of Sir Jon’s recommendations, as set out in the statement made by the previous Secretary of State on 21 July. This set out the Government’s intention to establish a single regulator for water, to include a...

Answered 11 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to publish data on the (a) number of applications received and (b) outcomes of applications of people who have applied to come to the UK under UK-France Agreement on the Prevention o

Answer: The Home Office publishes statistics on entry clearance visa applications and outcomes as part of the Immigration System Statistics quarterly release. Data for all visa types, including for those arriving via the UK-France Agreement on the Prevention of D...

Answered 27 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether asylum applicants are informed of a timeframe within which they would receive a decision in relation to their application to come to the UK under the UK-France Agreement on the Prevention of D

Answer: Individuals who make an expression of interest application to the UK/European Applicant Transfer Scheme will be contacted when a decision is made on their application. Timeframes for considering applications may vary depending on the application. Applicat...

Answered 28 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how she communicates to migrants in France about the route to the UK under the Migration Treaty with France.

Answer: Information about applying to the scheme is available online at the following link: UK/European Applicant Transfer Scheme - GOV.UK and applications continue to be received from migrants in France seeking to come to the UK. We continue to monitor engagemen...

Answered 28 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people have been transferred from France to the UK under the Migration Treaty with France.

Answer: The Home Office publishes statistics on entry clearance visa applications and outcomes as part of the Immigration System Statistics quarterly release. Data for all visa types, including for those arriving via the UK-France Agreement on the Prevention of D...

Answered 27 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an estimate of the number of cancer patients who will require radiotherapy as part of their treatment in each year to 2035.

Answer: The number of patients diagnosed with and receiving treatment for cancer is increasing. We expect that these numbers will continue to rise, and consequently that more patients will require radiotherapy as part of their treatment.The most recently availabl...

Answered 20 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has had recent discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on (a) the potential cost-effectiveness of expanding access to radiotherapy treatment and (b) other funding relating to ra

Answer: There have not been any recent discussions relating to the cost-effectiveness and funding of radiotherapy. However, the Government remains committed to supporting the use of radiotherapy as a crucial cancer treatment. We have already invested £70 million ...

Answered 20 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help reduce travel times for cancer patients in rural areas requiring radiotherapy treatment.

Answer: We recognise that for those in rural communities, the particular treatment they need may not be available at their local hospital, which would mean that travel to a specialist centre or specialist centres would be required, in order to receive the best ca...

Answered 24 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment of (a) international approaches to national cancer plans and (b) previous UK cancer plans, in the context of his planned national cancer plan.

Answer: As part of development for the National Cancer Plan, the Department has engaged with international counterparts to consider their approaches to national cancer strategies. This includes engagement with Denmark to discuss the lessons learned from their can...

Answered 20 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 13 October 2025 to Question 77309 on Cancer, when the Cancer Operational Taskforce was established; what its remit is; who the members of the Taskforce are; and who it rep

Answer: The Department does not hold the information requested as the Cancer Operational Taskforce is a local initiative.The National Cancer Plan will include further details on how the National Health Service will improve care for cancer patients in all parts of...

Answered 23 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will take steps help tackle retrofit older homes in Cumbria.

Answer: The government understands there is no 'one-size-fits-all' approach to tackle the UK’s diverse building stock, and as part of this we recognise the need to ensure older homes have the right measures for them. The government’s home retrofit tool, Find ways...

Answered 24 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will allocate funding to Future Proof Cumbria to develop targeted solutions for insulation in rural homes.

Answer: The UK government is committed to ensuring that no-one is left behind in the transition to Net Zero, supplying solutions that work for all buildings. Therefore, research was commissioned by the Department to develop a definition for housing stock for whic...

Answered 24 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he plans to change the eligibility criteria so that people living in older homes with non-cavity walls can access home insulation grants.

Answer: The government has several energy efficiency schemes offering a variety of insulation measures, including those suitable for older homes with non-cavity walls. Eligibility for these is based on factors such as the household income, vulnerability and the E...

Answered 24 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to increase bus provision for rural communities in Cumbria.

Answer: The Government knows how important, reliable bus services are enabling people to access education, work and vital services, and we are committed to delivering better bus services, including in Cumbria and rural areas right across the country. The Governme...

Answered 24 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of allocating funding to Westmorland and Furness Council for buses in rural areas for funding periods of more than 12 months.

Answer: The Government knows how important, reliable bus services are enabling people to access education, work and vital services, and we are committed to delivering better bus services, including in Cumbria and rural areas right across the country. The Governme...

Answered 24 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Care if he will bring forward proposals for reducing hospital waiting lists in Cumbria.

Answer: As set out in the Plan for Change, we will ensure that 92% of patients return to waiting no longer than 18 weeks from referral to treatment by March 2029, a standard which has not been met consistently since September 2015. The Government is clear that re...

Answered 6 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department has taken to deliver 50 new neighbourhood health centres by the end of this Parliament; and whether any will be built in Cumbria.

Answer: The Government is committed to delivering a National Health Service that is fit for the future, and we recognise that delivering high quality NHS healthcare requires the right infrastructure in the right places.That is why over the course of our 10-Year H...

Answered 22 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he has taken to train more GPs in Cumbria.

Answer: The Government has committed to training thousands more general practitioners (GPs) and has increased the number of available GP training places by an additional 250 from September 2025. This brings the total number of GP training places to 4,250 per year...

Answered 22 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will provide additional funding for social care services to help support patients to (a) leave hospitals and (b) be treated at home.

Answer: The Government is committed to ensuring that people can leave hospital promptly and receive care in their own homes where appropriate.For 2025/26 approximately £9 billion has been made available through the Better Care Fund (BCF) to enable integrated care...

Answered 5 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent steps he has taken to help reduce NHS waiting times in Cumbria.

Answer: Tackling the waiting-list is a top priority for the Government. We have exceeded our pledge to deliver over two million more elective care appointments. More than double that number, 5.2 million more appointments, have now been delivered in England.On 6 J...

Answered 20 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the number of people who are on NHS waiting lists for radiotherapy in South Cumbria.

Answer: We do not routinely publish data on current waiting list levels broken down to the level of specific treatment types, and so we cannot provide an estimate of the number of people who are on National Health Service waiting lists for radiotherapy in South C...

Answered 23 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the number of patients who no longer meeting the criteria to reside in hospital in (a) the Royal Lancaster Infirmary, (b) Westmorland General Hospital and (c) Furness G

Answer: The Department does not hold hospital level data. However, as per the trust level data for the University Hospital Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust, which includes the Royal Lancaster Infirmary, Westmorland General Hospital, and Furness General Hospital...

Answered 21 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to reduce train delays on the West Coast Mainline.

Answer: Improving rail performance is one of this Government’s strategic priorities for transport. We are determined to deliver more punctual and reliable services as well as better value for money for the taxpayer. In response to our challenge to improve perform...

Answered 22 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will take steps with her Scottish counterpart to help prevent issues on the railways in Scotland that cause northbound trains on the West Coast Mainline to terminate at Preston rather than continuing up

Answer: The Secretary of State is aware of difficulties passengers face during disruption in the North-West of England with limited options to keep services moving on the West Coast Mainline north of Preston. The Rail Minister has strongly pressed Network Rail an...

Answered 22 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans she has to improve accessibility at Staveley railway station.

Answer: This government is committed to improving the accessibility of the railway and recognises the social and economic benefits this brings to communities. Since 2006, the Access for All (AfA) programme has delivered step free access at more than 270 stations...

Answered 22 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when she plans to seek new nominations for another round of mid-tier Access for All funding.

Answer: Spending Review 2025 confirmed £280m total funding for the Access for All programme over a four-year period. Our focus is on delivering full step free access at stations, rather than the smaller scale upgrades previously delivered under the mid-tier. As s...

Answered 20 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has taken recent steps to implement a passing loop on the Lakes Line.

Answer: On 8 July, the Secretary of State announced the road and rail schemes which have been prioritised over the next four years following the Spending Review. The Lakes Line scheme has not been progressed at this time. We remain committed to working with Westm...

Answered 22 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to include the Lakes Line Passing Loop in the next Rail Network Enhancements Pipeline announcement.

Answer: On 8 July, the Secretary of State announced the road and rail schemes which have been prioritised over the next four years following the Spending Review. The Lakes Line scheme has not been progressed at this time. We remain committed to working with Westm...

Answered 22 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the state of repair of the Royal Lancaster Infirmary.

Answer: As part of the management of their estate, National Health Service trusts regularly assess the physical condition of their estate. NHS England’s annual Estates Returns Information Collection collects data from trusts on the quality of their estate annuall...

Answered 20 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to reduce ward work in portacabins at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary.

Answer: National Health Service trusts make decisions locally on their use of temporary facilities, in line with delivering clinical services.Any temporary facility must meet the same Health Building Notice and Health Technical Memorandum safety, environmental, f...

Answered 20 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of delays to rebuilding of the Royal Lancaster Infirmary on people in Westmorland and Lonsdale constituency.

Answer: The New Hospital Programme: plan for implementation was published on 20 January 2025 and sets out a credible, deliverable plan for the schemes in the New Hospital Programme (NHP). This plan will be delivered through five-year waves of investment and is ba...

Answered 20 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to allocate additional funding to radiotherapy treatment in the North West of England.

Answer: Decisions about funding for radiotherapy treatment are taken at a local National Health Service level, rather than by the Department, and there are no plans to change this.All cancer patients have access to radiotherapy treatment. Decisions about cancer t...

Answered 17 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he has taken to acquire further funding for the rebuilding of the Royal Lancaster Infirmary.

Answer: The New Hospital Programme: plan for implementation was published on 20 January 2025 and sets out a credible, deliverable plan for the schemes in the New Hospital Programme (NHP). This plan will be delivered through five-year waves of investment and is ba...

Answered 20 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will allocate funding to ensure that every patient at the Royal Preston Hospital who requires radiotherapy treatment is able to access it.

Answer: Decisions about funding for radiotherapy treatment are taken at a local National Health Service level, rather than by the Department, and there are no plans to change this.All cancer patients have access to radiotherapy treatment. Decisions about cancer t...

Answered 17 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will bring forward proposals to rebuild the Royal Lancaster Hospital from 2035-38; and what steps he is taking to prevent further delays to this.

Answer: The New Hospital Programme: plan for implementation was published on 20 January 2025 and sets out a credible, deliverable plan for the schemes in the New Hospital Programme (NHP). This plan will be delivered through five-year waves of investment and is ba...

Answered 20 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his Department’s budget is for funding the Royal Preston Hospital and Royal Lancaster Infirmary in 2026-27.

Answer: The New Hospital Programme: plan for implementation was published on 20 January 2025 and sets out a credible, deliverable plan for the schemes in the New Hospital Programme (NHP). This plan will be delivered through five-year waves of investment and is ba...

Answered 20 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what his plan is to allocate funding for the rebuilding of the Royal Lancaster Infirmary.

Answer: The New Hospital Programme: plan for implementation was published on 20 January 2025 and sets out a credible, deliverable plan for the schemes in the New Hospital Programme (NHP). This plan will be delivered through five-year waves of investment and is ba...

Answered 20 Oct 2025