Asked by: Adrian Ramsay (Green Party - Waveney Valley)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to ensure that Regional Energy Strategic Plans are integrated with the Review of Electricity Market Arrangement reforms.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Regional Energy Strategic Plans (RESPs) and electricity market reforms are being developed as complementary parts of the Government’s approach to an efficient, secure and clean power system. The Review of Electricity Market Arrangements has transitioned to the Reformed National Pricing (RNP) Programme, which is developing electricity market reforms to help deliver the Strategic Spatial Energy Plan (SSEP). RESPs will provide regional evidence on future energy needs to support network planning. Officials are considering how RNP interacts with RESP and are working with the National Energy System Operator, Ofgem and stakeholders to ensure alignment between strategic energy planning and market reforms.
Asked by: Adrian Ramsay (Green Party - Waveney Valley)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department plans to take steps to ensure that demand-side assets are given equal prominence to generation in the Regional Energy Strategic Plans (RESPs).
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government recognises the important role of demand-side assets. This is reflected in the Regional Energy Strategic Plans (RESPs), which the National Energy System Operator (NESO) is developing to support whole-system distribution-level planning across energy demand, supply, storage and flexibility. NESO will develop RESPs with local actors, network operators and wider stakeholders, helping to ensure demand-side assets are appropriately considered in RESP outputs, including Pathways and Consistent Planning Assumptions. A ‘Consumer and Commercial Demand Working Group’ will also be established for each region.
Asked by: Adrian Ramsay (Green Party - Waveney Valley)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of allowing a portion of avoided network or generation capex to be reallocated to support industrial sites and local authorities in investing in onsite low carbon technologies.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government recognises the important role that onsite low carbon technologies can play in reducing emissions, improving energy resilience and supporting industrial competitiveness.
Through programmes such as the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund (IETF), which made around £500 million available to support UK industry to decarbonise, and wider support for industrial decarbonisation, we are helping businesses invest in technologies including electrification, energy efficiency and onsite generation.
Asked by: Adrian Ramsay (Green Party - Waveney Valley)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the third UK Climate Change Risk Assessment's identification of risks to livestock from multiple climate hazards as a priority risk area, what steps her Department is taking to monitor and publish data on farmed animal deaths and welfare impacts from extreme weather; and what plans she has to include such indicators in the fourth National Adaptation Programme.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government has a protocol to monitor animal welfare during high-risk weather periods and ensure keepers take steps to mitigate risks. The Food Standards Agency shares data with Defra and the Animal and Plant Health Agency for welfare issues originating on-farm and during transport. The Government has sought advice from the Animal Welfare Committee (AWC) on the impacts of climate change on farmed animal welfare and potential mitigations. Part 1 of the project is underway and focuses on poultry species, and Part 2 will cover pigs and ruminants. We are currently considering what indicators are included in the fourth Adaptation Plan.
Asked by: Adrian Ramsay (Green Party - Waveney Valley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the trends in the level of excess deaths as a consequence of extreme heat, in the week commencing 22 June 2026.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson
An assessment of mortality associated with the extreme heat episode in the week commencing 22 June 2026 is not yet available. The UK Health Security Agency expects to publish a Heat Mortality Bulletin shortly, which will provide an initial estimate of heat-associated mortality during the May and June 2026 heat episodes. Final estimates will be published in the 2026 Heat Mortality Monitoring Report in early 2027.
Asked by: Adrian Ramsay (Green Party - Waveney Valley)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many how many schools closed as a consequence of extreme heat in the week commencing 22 June 2026.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Schools have a duty to provide daily attendance data to the department. Attendance data is published on a fortnightly basis and can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/pupil-attendance-in-schools/releases. Attendance data for the week commencing 22 June 2026 will be published on 9 July 2026.
It is for individual settings and responsible bodies to determine their approach to closure based on their own risk assessment. Closures should be considered a last resort, and the imperative is for settings to remain open where it is safe to do so.
Schools play an important safeguarding role and access to education remains a priority for pupils’ wellbeing and safety. Settings should seek to remain open and manage high temperatures through practical adjustments. There is currently no requirement for them to notify the government if they decide to close.
Where settings are temporarily closed, they should provide remote education for the duration of the closure, in line with the department’s guidance on providing remote education for schools, which is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/providing-remote-education-guidance-for-schools.
Where possible, pupils should receive regular teaching and interaction with teachers, including live or structured input alongside independent work.
Asked by: Adrian Ramsay (Green Party - Waveney Valley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many critical incidents were declared by NHS trusts as a consequence of extreme heat, in the week commencing 22 June 2026.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson
In the week commencing 22 June 2026, 13 critical incidents were declared by National Health Service trusts and reported to NHS England related to extreme heat. The reporting organisations are as follows: East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust; Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; London Ambulance Service NHS Trust; Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals Foundation Trust; North Bristol NHS Trust; Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust; Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust; Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust; South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust; South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust; South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust; Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust; and University Hospital Southampton Foundation Trust.
Asked by: Adrian Ramsay (Green Party - Waveney Valley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made a comparative assessment of risks from extreme weather events to GP practices in (a) general, (b) deprived areas and (c) rural areas.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Secretary of State for Wales
The provision and maintenance of premises are typically the responsibility of general practice (GP) partners, who are either owner-occupiers or tenants of their surgery buildings. GP owner-occupiers are responsible for all maintenance and repair of their property. For GPs that rent their premises, their lease agreement sets out who is responsible for maintenance.
GP premises improvement works can be National Health Service funded, from NHS England or the commissioner, funded by developer contributions, or self-funded by the practice. Often works are funded by a combination of these options. Under the Premises Costs Directions, which are directions to NHS England from my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, the improvement of practice premises can be covered by premises improvement grants, subject to commissioner decision and affordability.
A cross-Government collaboration, which includes the NHS and the Department, produces an annual Adverse Weather and Health Plan that incorporates heatwave preparedness measures. Services are expected to be prepared for periods of hot weather from 1 June to mid-September each year. No comparative assessment of the risks has been made across GPs in the country.
Looking forward, NHS England's design and performance specification for Neighbourhood Health Centres (NHCs) is clear that NHCs will be designed to be resilient to the impacts of climate change, including flooding and overheating. The specification states that centres should assess and mitigate flood risk and address overheating through appropriate building design and, where necessary, cooling measures to support safe care delivery. The specification is available at the following link:
Asked by: Adrian Ramsay (Green Party - Waveney Valley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the resilience of GP practice estates to extreme weather events, including flooding, heatwaves and storms.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Secretary of State for Wales
The provision and maintenance of premises are typically the responsibility of general practice (GP) partners, who are either owner-occupiers or tenants of their surgery buildings. GP owner-occupiers are responsible for all maintenance and repair of their property. For GPs that rent their premises, their lease agreement sets out who is responsible for maintenance.
GP premises improvement works can be National Health Service funded, from NHS England or the commissioner, funded by developer contributions, or self-funded by the practice. Often works are funded by a combination of these options. Under the Premises Costs Directions, which are directions to NHS England from my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, the improvement of practice premises can be covered by premises improvement grants, subject to commissioner decision and affordability.
A cross-Government collaboration, which includes the NHS and the Department, produces an annual Adverse Weather and Health Plan that incorporates heatwave preparedness measures. Services are expected to be prepared for periods of hot weather from 1 June to mid-September each year. No comparative assessment of the risks has been made across GPs in the country.
Looking forward, NHS England's design and performance specification for Neighbourhood Health Centres (NHCs) is clear that NHCs will be designed to be resilient to the impacts of climate change, including flooding and overheating. The specification states that centres should assess and mitigate flood risk and address overheating through appropriate building design and, where necessary, cooling measures to support safe care delivery. The specification is available at the following link:
Asked by: Adrian Ramsay (Green Party - Waveney Valley)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance his Department has issued to GP practices on adapting estates to extreme weather events.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Secretary of State for Wales
The provision and maintenance of premises are typically the responsibility of general practice (GP) partners, who are either owner-occupiers or tenants of their surgery buildings. GP owner-occupiers are responsible for all maintenance and repair of their property. For GPs that rent their premises, their lease agreement sets out who is responsible for maintenance.
GP premises improvement works can be National Health Service funded, from NHS England or the commissioner, funded by developer contributions, or self-funded by the practice. Often works are funded by a combination of these options. Under the Premises Costs Directions, which are directions to NHS England from my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, the improvement of practice premises can be covered by premises improvement grants, subject to commissioner decision and affordability.
A cross-Government collaboration, which includes the NHS and the Department, produces an annual Adverse Weather and Health Plan that incorporates heatwave preparedness measures. Services are expected to be prepared for periods of hot weather from 1 June to mid-September each year. No comparative assessment of the risks has been made across GPs in the country.
Looking forward, NHS England's design and performance specification for Neighbourhood Health Centres (NHCs) is clear that NHCs will be designed to be resilient to the impacts of climate change, including flooding and overheating. The specification states that centres should assess and mitigate flood risk and address overheating through appropriate building design and, where necessary, cooling measures to support safe care delivery. The specification is available at the following link: