Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the implications for the preparation and planning for future drought and flooding events of the reduced manpower envisaged in Environment Agency’s report, EA2030 change for a better environment, published on 8 July.

Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Environment Agency (EA) commits in its strategy EA2030 to deliver the best possible understanding of drought and flooding risks and make communities more resilient and prepared. The EA is changing its operations to manage more frequent droughts and flooding, including implementing advanced technologies and more data-driven, proactive incident responses.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have undertaken a risk assessment on the impact of (1) the rate of closures in the hospitality sector, (2) job losses in the hospitality sector, and (3) the impact of lost investment in high streets.

Answered by Lord Leong - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)

The Government recognises the vital contribution hospitality businesses make to jobs, high streets and the economy.

We keep pressures on the sector under review and are taking action to support resilience, jobs and investment. At Budget, the Chancellor announced the government is introducing a two-year real-terms freeze for all retail, hospitality and leisure properties to cap bill increases at inflation. The Government is also increasing the Small Business Rates Relief thresholds for retail, hospitality and leisure properties, taking a further 70,000 properties out of business rates altogether and meaning half of all RHL properties will pay no business rates.

We continue to engage closely with businesses and representative bodies, including through the Hospitality Sector Council, to understand the challenges facing the sector and opportunities for growth.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government what impact assessments they have completed on (1) the cost of family holidays, (2) the impact on high street footfall, (3) the availability of hospitality and tourisms jobs, and (4) the fluctuation of consumer spending as a consequence of a 5 per cent visitor levy in England; and whether they intend to publish the findings.

Answered by Baroness Blake of Leeds - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

All visitor levies will be set as a percentage of the cost of accommodation. This means that low-cost holidays will stay low. We estimate that the average family domestic holiday is 3.5 nights – suggesting a total average accommodation cost of about £400. A 1% levy on this would add £4 to the average trip. A 5% levy would add £20. The precise impacts will depend on local decisions to implement a levy. Mayors and strategic authorities will be required to undertake an impact assessment as part of their decision-making process.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what is the average length of time between a Dexa scan being taken and treatment for osteoporosis starting.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

There were 679,231 DEXA scans performed in 2025/26 in England. NHS England collects monthly diagnostics data, which includes the number of DEXA scans performed each month. This is published on the NHS.UK website.

Data is not held centrally by the Department or NHS England on the average length of time between a DEXA scan being taken and treatment for osteoporosis starting.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many Dexa scans are performed each year in England and Wales.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

There were 679,231 DEXA scans performed in 2025/26 in England. NHS England collects monthly diagnostics data, which includes the number of DEXA scans performed each month. This is published on the NHS.UK website.

Data is not held centrally by the Department or NHS England on the average length of time between a DEXA scan being taken and treatment for osteoporosis starting.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on rural communities of the increase in the cost of diesel with regard to fuelling vehicles and heating homes.

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

The Government recognises that increases in diesel prices can disproportionately impact rural communities, where households and businesses often rely more heavily on road transport and, in some areas, off-grid heating fuels.

We continuously monitor developments in international and domestic fuel markets and their impacts on consumers and businesses across the UK.

To help mitigate cost pressures, the Government has frozen fuel duty since taking office and extended the 5p cut in fuel duty to 31 December. Eligible households may also receive support through the Winter Fuel Payment and Crisis and Resilience Fund.

Alongside these measures, we keep the impacts of fuel prices on rural communities under constant review.

Found: Wednesday 16 September 2026 Present: Baroness Coffey Lord Jay of Ewelme Lord Krebs Baroness McIntosh of Pickering