Written Statements

Tuesday 10th November 2026 Written Statements

Tuesday 10 November 2026

Notification of Contingent Liability

Tuesday 10th November 2026 Written Statements

[The Chancellor of the Exchequer (John Healey)]

The independent Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of England decided at its meeting ending on 3 February 2022 to reduce the stocks of UK Government bonds and sterling non-financial investment-grade corporate bonds held in the asset purchase facility by ceasing to reinvest maturing securities. The Bank ceased reinvestment of assets in this portfolio in February 2022 and commenced sales of corporate bonds on 28 September 2022, and sales of gilts acquired for monetary policy purposes on 1 November 2022. The sales of corporate bonds ceased on 6 June 2023, with a small number of outstanding corporate bonds reaching maturity on 5 April 2024. Therefore, the APF is now comprised solely of gilts. On 17 September 2026 the MPC announced it will unwind the APF through an annual sales pace of £20 billion in purchase proceeds terms until gilts held for monetary policy purposes are fully unwound by the end of 2034. Taking the maturity profile into account, this is equivalent to an average annual stock reduction of £46 billion. In addition, £120 billion of the longest dated gilts in purchase proceeds terms will be held to maturity by the Bank for the purposes of indirectly backing current and future banknote issuance.

The Chancellor at the time agreed a joint approach with the Governor of the Bank of England in an exchange of letters on 3 February 2022 to reduce the maximum authorised size of the APF for asset purchases every six months, as the size of APF holdings reduces.

Since 5 May 2026 when the maximum authorised size of the APF was last reduced, the total stock of assets held by the APF has fallen further from £524.9 billion to £482.4 billion. In line with the approach agreed with the Governor, the authorised maximum total size of the APF has therefore been reduced to £482.4 billion, comprising entirely of gilts, of which £362.4 billion is authorised to be held for monetary policy purposes and £120 billion is authorised to be held for the purposes of indirectly backing current future banknote issuance.

The risk control framework previously agreed with the Bank will remain in place, and HM Treasury will continue to monitor risks to public funds from the APF through regular risk oversight meetings and enhanced information sharing with the Bank.

There will continue to be an opportunity for HM Treasury to provide views to the MPC on the design of the schemes within the APF, as they affect the Government’s broader economic objectives and may pose risks to the Exchequer.

The Government will continue to indemnify the Bank, the APF and its directors from any losses arising out of, or in connection with, the facility. Provision for any payment due under the liability will continue to be sought through the normal supply procedure.

A full departmental minute has been laid before Parliament providing more detail on this contingent liability.

[HCWS462]

Single Living Accommodation: Independent Review

Tuesday 10th November 2026 Written Statements

[The Minister for Veterans and People (Mr Calvin Bailey)]

The Government recognise that for too long, military accommodation has fallen short of the standards our service people expect and deserve. This Government are committed to making this right, and last year, we published the Defence housing strategy to deliver a generational renewal to fix family housing.

We also recognised the need to fundamentally reform accommodation for single and unaccompanied personnel. That is why, in January, the Government commissioned an independent review into single living accommodation, led by Natalie Elphicke Ross OBE. I am pleased to announce that, today, Natalie has published the SLA review report. The Government welcome the review and its recommendations.

The Government will consider all 19 recommendations in more detail before setting out a full response in the coming months. Given the scale of change being proposed, it is essential that we take the time to get this right and put in place the foundations needed to deliver meaningful change for our people.

This is a substantial piece of work that has examined the full spectrum of SLA provision, from how it is managed and maintained to how it is funded and delivered. The review highlights the vital role that military accommodation plays in the lived experience of our armed forces personnel, and the contribution it makes to recruitment, retention, wellbeing and operational effectiveness. It also identifies the systemic issues that have contributed to poor living standards, including shortcomings in the Department’s governance and oversight of accommodation. I am extremely grateful to Natalie, the review team, and the many service personnel and stakeholders who contributed their time, expertise and lived experience to this important work.

The report makes 19 recommendations, including to establish a new decent SLA standard; strengthen maintenance through a more preventative and proactive approach; improve personal safety, privacy and digital connectivity; modernise communal facilities; enhance the quality of accommodation data; and strengthen the accountability and oversight of accommodation reform across Defence. Taken together, these recommendations propose a fundamental reset of the Department’s approach to managing and delivering single living accommodation.

We are already taking steps to drive this work forward. Air Marshal Sir Paul Lloyd, Deputy Chief of the Air Staff, has agreed to oversee this important work and will be supported by teams from across Defence. One of their immediate priorities will be to assess the changes we can make to deliver a standard that better meets the needs of our people in single living accommodation.

I would like to reiterate my thanks to the review team for producing such a thorough report. We are determined to do right by our people and look forward to presenting our full response to Parliament in due course.

[HCWS458]

Flood Action Week: Correction to Written Statement HCWS370/HLWS378

Tuesday 10th November 2026 Written Statements

[The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Emma Hardy)]

On 13 October 2026 I made a written statement at the start of Flood Action Week. There were small errors in the section of the statement related to the targets for the flood and coastal erosion risk management investment programme.

The statement said:

Through this investment, we expect to:

better protect 200,000 properties;

increase the proportion of flood risk management assets at or above their required condition to 93.5%;

generate more than £27 billion of avoided economic damage, delivering almost £7 of benefit for every £1 invested;

create or enhance 2,500 hectares of habitat and improve 750 kilometres of river.

It should have said:

Through this investment, we expect to:

benefit 200,000 properties;

increase the proportion of flood risk management assets at or above their required condition to 93.5%;

generate more than £27 billion of avoided economic damage, delivering almost £7 of benefit for every £1 invested;

create or enhance 2,400 hectares of habitat and improve 750 kilometres of river.

[HCWS457]

Bovine TB Control Strategy for England: Government Response

Tuesday 10th November 2026 Written Statements

[The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Dame Angela Eagle)]

I wish to update the House regarding the Government’s response to the co-designed bovine TB control strategy for England, which was published on 5 November 2026.

For too many farmers and their families, bovine TB has brought uncertainty, stress and financial hardship. I have enormous admiration for the resilience shown by those affected.

This Government believe that no farming family should have to accept this disease as an unavoidable fact of life and livelihood. This marks an important step towards making that vision a reality.

The co-designed strategy published in June this year sets out a long-term vision for England to achieve officially bovine TB-free status by 2038, and the actions needed to get there. Since its publication, officials have been considering its recommendations in detail. Taken together, these recommendations respond directly to the challenge set by Professor Sir Charles Godfray and his expert review panel to bring a step change in the urgency and focus of efforts to tackle bovine TB.

Realising this vision is about much more than reducing disease. It is about giving farmers greater confidence to invest, innovate and plan for the future.

Therefore, we have formally adopted the co-designed strategy in full and are endorsing its overall direction of travel as our long-term plan to tackle bovine TB in England.

Work is already under way to deliver several of the strategy’s recommendations.

This includes:

continued development of a deployable cattle vaccine and the companion “DIVA” skin test to detect infected amongst vaccinated animals. The final phase of DIVA field trials is complete, and a contract has been awarded to manufacture DIVA test reagents to good manufacturing practice standards. We will continue to progress these necessary steps to achieve domestic licensing requirements and international recognition. This progress is underpinned by the strategy’s ambition to deploy cattle vaccination by 2030;

a pilot to explore the use of privately funded ancillary TB blood testing to identify infection earlier and support risk-based disease management;

expansion of Government-funded mandatory interferon-gamma blood testing, helping to detect infection sooner, reduce breakdown duration and minimise consequential costs for farmers;

roll-out of badger vaccination in priority areas through the newly contracted badger vaccination field force, with three new vaccination areas already established and more to follow in 2027 and 2028; and

the introduction later this month of a new Government-funded scheme to collect and test found-dead badgers.

In our published response, we set out how we would welcome the co-design steering group using its first delivery plan to explore how compensation paid for the compulsory slaughter of cattle could better support shared responsibility and effective disease-risk reduction while maintaining confidence in the system.

Affected farmers already face significant financial and emotional impacts beyond those covered by compensation. At the same time, compensation represents a significant cost to taxpayers. We owe it to all to consider whether these arrangements remain appropriate, affordable and sustainable.

The co-designed strategy is built on a clear principle: lasting solutions are most effective when they are developed with those most directly affected.

That principle must remain at the heart of the next phase of bovine TB control.

That is why we will also take forward the recommendation to establish a new joint industry-Government board to replace the existing Bovine TB Partnership for England, launching a public appointments process for board members before Christmas, and establishing the board at the earliest opportunity in 2027.

We know that bovine TB will not wait for these new arrangements, so to maintain momentum, we have asked the existing co-design steering group to continue its work and develop the first delivery plan. That plan, to be published in late spring 2027, will be considered and endorsed by the new industry-Government board and set out the priority actions for delivery, including which recommendations will be taken forward first, how, and by whom they will be delivered.

The publication of the co-designed strategy in June was an important milestone. By formally adopting it as the Government’s official strategy, we carry through the momentum created by all those who contributed their time, expertise and experience to this work.

[HCWS456]

Regional Water Councils

Tuesday 10th November 2026 Written Statements

[The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Emma Hardy)]

I welcome the opportunity to update the House on a critical step in the Government’s reform of England’s water system, one that demonstrates our commitment to strengthen local leadership, empower communities and ensure that essential services are accountable to the people and places they serve.

The Prime Minister has set a clear vision: a future where the services on which people depend every day are affordable, accountable and, crucially, shaped by strong local leadership. These reforms are part of this Government’s drive to move power out of Westminster and give communities greater control over the services and investment that shape their lives. My priority is ensuring that the water sector serves the public, not private interests, to ensure that the basic essentials of clean water and a healthy environment are protected for us all to enjoy.

Regional Water Councils

That is why the Secretary of State has asked strategic authority mayors—and council leaders where mayors are not yet in place—across England to work together to establish eight regional water councils, one in each river basin district.

These councils will bring together people with a stake in their local water system, including local leaders, businesses, environmental organisations, farmers, infrastructure providers, community and democratic representatives such as MPs and others. Together, they will identify the priorities, challenges and opportunities in their local water system and shape the planning processes currently under way in the water sector and more widely.

The valuable knowledge, relationships and local understanding of catchment partnerships across England will be critical to the success of regional water councils. They will help connect local and catchment-level expertise with wider regional conversations, ensuring that regional priorities are rooted in the realities of local communities and environments.

Strategic devolution

The House will recognise that many of the challenges identified do not operate at a national scale. Nor do they stop at local authority boundaries. Water resources, flood risk, environmental improvement and economic growth are often shared across whole river catchments and regions, but the specific challenges faced, and appropriate responses, are unique to local people and place. Involving local leaders from an early stage will ensure that local priorities are properly reflected within water planning.

Under the new model, mayors or council leaders will have a leading role in ensuring that outcomes reflect the unique context and interests of the region. A stronger regional approach, underpinned by local representation, will help organisations plan more effectively around common priorities, identify opportunities for collaboration and support investment that delivers benefits for communities, the economy and the environment. Ultimately, this new model will support a future where services are shaped to local needs and accountabilities lie with local leaders.

Early rollout

The strengthened Water Bill, which will be introduced next year, will set out further details on the future framework for regional water planning. However, major planning and investment decisions are already being developed. Waiting for legislation would mean missing an important opportunity for regions to contribute to decisions being made now. I believe it is imperative that regional perspectives inform those discussions and that local leaders are able to provide their input on the development of the new system from the outset.

Work will therefore begin immediately. The Environment Secretary wrote to mayors, MPs, council leaders and other regional stakeholders on 5 November, inviting proposals to establish eight regional water councils. Regions will be asked to work together with pace and ambition to bring partners around the table and help shape the next phase of reform.

Demonstrating their commitment to supporting this work from the outset, the Government will provide £1 million to the councils to support technical expertise, partnership co-ordination and engagement activity this year.

Conclusion

People across the country are crying out for a fresh approach to the way we manage our water system. They want cleaner rivers and coastlines. Businesses want confidence that future infrastructure can support growth and investment. Environmental organisations want a more joined-up approach to improving water quality and restoring nature. Local leaders want stronger mechanisms for bringing partners together around shared priorities.

The launch of regional water councils represents an important step towards achieving a water system that works for people, nature and the economy.

[HCWS460]

Ebola: Medical Evacuation from DRC of a British Citizen

Tuesday 10th November 2026 Written Statements

[The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Yvette Cooper)]

I wish to update the House on a British citizen who is receiving treatment for Ebola at the Royal Free hospital in London. The thoughts of the whole Government are with the patient, their family and colleagues at this difficult time.

The patient is a British national and medical doctor who was working at an Ebola treatment centre in the Democratic Republic of the Congo when they contracted the disease. The individual’s employer arranged for their medical evacuation in collaboration with the World Health Organisation, and the Department of Health and Social Care and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office supported international and commercial partners to effect their safe transfer to the UK. The journey followed established infection prevention and control procedures, which also apply to everyone involved in the individual’s care.

The UK Health Security Agency, NHS England, the Royal Free hospital, the London ambulance service, other emergency services and local resilience partners worked together to ensure the patient’s onward journey to hospital, ensuring that this was undertaken in accordance with specialist HCID—high consequence infectious disease—infection prevention and control procedures.

The UK has robust and well-rehearsed systems for managing patients with diseases such as Ebola. These include dedicated treatment facilities and specialist clinical expertise through the HCID network. The patient was returned safely to the UK on 5 November and is receiving expert care at the Royal Free hospital, where strict infection prevention and control measures remain in place.

The UKHSA judges that the risk to the general public remains low. Ebola is not spread through the air in the way that flu or covid-19 can be. An infected person can only transmit the virus once symptoms have developed, and transmission requires direct contact with the bodily fluids of a symptomatic infected person, or with contaminated materials. The UK also has established surveillance and public health systems to identify and manage suspected cases, including specialist assessment, testing and contact tracing where required.

The ongoing outbreak in the DRC and surrounding areas is very serious. The Government continue to monitor the situation closely and to take appropriate steps to protect public health. The UK has advised against all travel to certain parts of the DRC. To safeguard those supporting healthcare and humanitarian efforts, UKHSA is operating the returning workers scheme to support and monitor people returning to the UK from affected areas. Information boards are in place at relevant UK ports of entry, providing information about the current outbreak and advising people who have returned from an affected area and feel unwell on how to seek help.

Internationally, the UK is using finance, technical expertise and diplomatic engagement to support locally led efforts and to strengthen health systems. The UK has allocated £78.7 million to support the country-led Ebola response in the DRC, to strengthen disease surveillance, support frontline health workers, improve infection prevention and control, expand access to treatment, strengthen community engagement and support safe burials. The UK is working in partnership with the WHO, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, and humanitarian organisations to support the country-led Ebola response.

The UK is also supporting regional preparedness initiatives in countries including South Sudan, Zambia and Burundi, helping to build more resilient health systems and strengthen health security across the region. We are working with the WHO and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations to accelerate the development of vaccines, treatments and diagnostics to support the response to the Ebola outbreak in the DRC.

Finally, I would like to express my gratitude to everyone involved, including our partners in the DRC, who helped bring the patient home safely, and to the NHS staff who are now providing their care.

[HCWS464]

GP Winter Proactive Care Programme

Tuesday 10th November 2026 Written Statements

[The Minister for Public Health and Patient Safety (Dame Diana Johnson)]

On 9 November, the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care announced that £40 million of funding will be reinvested in general practice to help GPs proactively identify and support up to 300,000 vulnerable patients this winter. This ringfenced funding will help keep people well at home, prevent serious illness and reduce avoidable hospital admissions as we strengthen preparations for extra pressure on the NHS over winter.

Selected patients with conditions including heart disease, frailty or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease will receive additional support from their GP tailored to their health needs, such as medication reviews, health checks and falls prevention support. This will help general practice play an even greater role in preparing the NHS for winter by keeping vulnerable patients well and helping prevent avoidable hospital admissions.

This programme comes alongside greater flexibility for practices to increase GP capacity as pressures rise. Since 1 October, practices can use GP reimbursement funding to bring in locum GPs, giving them greater freedom to respond to local demand and increase capacity during winter.

There are currently more than 2,800 additional GPs compared with July 2024, with more than 30,500 fully qualified full-time equivalent GPs working in general practice—the highest number in over a decade. Over 400 million appointments have been delivered over the past year, around 24 million more than in the equivalent period to July 2024. Almost half of patients now contact their GP digitally, helping make it easier to seek care throughout the day rather than facing the 8 am scramble.

We know this winter will present particular challenges for the NHS after the record levels of demand faced this summer. Preparations began in July, with a focus on strengthening urgent care and promoting vaccination.

Alongside the GP winter proactive care programme, we are investing £190 million announced at the Budget to help the NHS manage winter pressures and £140 million in new urgent care schemes. We are also working to boost flu vaccine uptake by expanding the number of pharmacies offering the vaccination and rolling out simpler digital booking tools.

There is more to do, but more GPs, more appointments and earlier support for vulnerable patients will help more people stay well at home while reducing avoidable pressure on the NHS this winter.

[HCWS463]

Railways Bill

Tuesday 10th November 2026 Written Statements

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Keir Mather)]

My noble Friend the Minister of State for Transport (Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill) made the following ministerial statement on 9 November 2026.

I am pleased to inform the House that today the Government have laid an amendment to the Railways Bill to ensure that discounts for veterans and service personnel are protected in law. Veterans and service personnel currently benefit from railcards that provide one third off most rail fares, but until today have had no statutory protection for this discount. It is vital that those who give so much for our country have their service and sacrifice recognised, and that is exactly what we are doing by safeguarding these discounts in legislation.

Not only does this give reassurance to the armed forces community and their families that the provision of these discounts will continue, it also underlines our commitment to place passengers firmly back at heart of our railways through the establishment of Great British Railways (GBR).

This Government have been clear that for too long our railways have been run in the interests of profit not passengers. That is why we are setting up GBR to be a new organisation, with a new culture and mindset from the very beginning. GBR will place a relentless focus on the passenger experience by delivering the reliable, affordable and high-quality services that passengers want and deserve. No community will be left out of GBR’s railway—there are already statutory protections for discounts for young, elderly, and disabled people, and today we are ensuring that both those serving and those who have served our country are also prioritised for this protection.

By placing these discounts on a statutory footing, we are ensuring that future generations of veterans and service personnel can continue to access these benefits with confidence and certainty. It also builds on our recent expansion of free rail travel for a bereaved military family member attending Remembrance events, ensuring that travel costs are not a barrier to paying tribute to loved ones who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Taken together, these measures demonstrate our determination to recognise the contribution of the armed forces community through meaningful action. Ultimately, this amendment ensures that veterans and service personnel cannot be forgotten and that their service to this country will continue to be recognised across our railways for years to come.

[HCWS461]

Publishing Pay Information in Job Adverts

Tuesday 10th November 2026 Written Statements

[The Minister for Women and Equalities (Bridget Phillipson)]

I have announced the Government’s intention to introduce a new statutory requirement for employers to publish pay information in job advertisements when parliamentary time allows. In the absence of a job advert, the employer must give the candidate this information in writing before the job interview.

This announcement follows our consultation on equal pay and pay discrimination, which ran from 14 July to 27 October. Early findings show overwhelming backing, with 94% overall support and 93% of surveyed employers in favour. This measure builds on that momentum, turning existing good practice into standard practice nationwide.

Publishing pay information is a small change that removes an everyday frustration felt by jobseekers and is part of the Government’s broader plans to tackle pay discrimination and help get more young people into work. Far too often, jobseekers are forced to enter an already competitive recruitment market “salary blind”, expending time and effort on applications without knowing whether a role will cover essential living costs. Pay transparency ensures recruitment is fair from the outset. It provides women with a stronger footing to negotiate starting salaries fairly, reducing the likelihood of lowball offers and helping tackle the gender pay gap, while delivering practical benefits to employers by saving recruitment time, attracting better-suited candidates, and fostering healthier competition for talent.

This announcement sits alongside our equal pay commitments, including:

Make the right to equal pay effective for ethnic minority and disabled people;

establish an equal pay regulation and enforcement unit with the involvement of trade unions;

ensure that outsourcing of services can no longer be used by employers to avoid paying equal pay.

More detail on the wider package will be shared in due course.

[HCWS459]