Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure more children are able to cycle safely to school.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

Active Travel England provides funding to The Bikeability Trust to deliver Bikeability cycle training to children in England (outside London). In addition, active travel revenue funding can be used by local authorities to deliver cycle training and engagement programmes outside of Bikeability.

On 19 November 2024, Active Travel England and the Department for Transport published guidance for local authorities in England on how to set up and manage a School Streets scheme. School Streets can improve the experiences of a school’s pupils, staff, visitors, and neighbours alike at peak school arrival and departure times.

In the joint statement (issued 2 July 2025) on walking, wheeling and cycling, the Mayors of England’s Combined Authorities committed to transforming the school run by delivering high-quality, safer routes in neighbourhoods nationwide.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of reducing the maximum amount that can be added to a cash ISA on small building societies.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

The pricing of mortgages is a commercial decision for lenders in which the Government does not intervene. However, mortgage rates are influenced by a range of factors, including Base Rate, which has been cut five times since this Government came to power.

ISAs incentivise saving and investment for future goals by providing tax advantages to individual taxpayers. The Government recognises the important role that cash savings play. The Government continues to consider reforms to ISAs and savings to achieve the right balance between cash savings and investment and ensure better outcomes for both savers and the UK economy.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of reducing the maximum amount that can be added to a cash ISA on mortgage rates.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

The pricing of mortgages is a commercial decision for lenders in which the Government does not intervene. However, mortgage rates are influenced by a range of factors, including Base Rate, which has been cut five times since this Government came to power.

ISAs incentivise saving and investment for future goals by providing tax advantages to individual taxpayers. The Government recognises the important role that cash savings play. The Government continues to consider reforms to ISAs and savings to achieve the right balance between cash savings and investment and ensure better outcomes for both savers and the UK economy.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the potential merits of including public health officials in the gambling license process.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport has not had discussions on this matter with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care.

There are several ways that public health officials at local authorities contribute to the gambling licensing process. For example, as noted in the Gambling Commission’s Guidance to Licensing Authorities, public health teams can advise licensing authorities on their Licensing Statement of Policy for gambling, to help ensure it reflects current risks and knowledge. Public health teams can also contribute to the development of ‘local area profiles’. These can be used to identify higher-risk areas where gambling premises must implement mitigation measures to address risk, and the Gambling Commission and Local Government Association have encouraged licensing authorities to produce them.

We recognise some stakeholders have noted it is unclear whether the Gambling Act designates public health officials as a responsible authority in the licensing process. We will consider the best available evidence to inform any future decisions in this area.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she will assess the potential merits of reviewing the aim to permit duty under the Gambling Act 2005 to strengthen the ability of local authorities to limit gambling harms.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Local authorities are vital partners in the regulation of gambling and have a range of powers to influence the operation of gambling premises and limit gambling harm. These include site inspections, restrictions on opening hours, and suspending or revoking a gambling premises licence if premises are found to be non-complaint with the licensing objectives.

While the Government does not have any plans to review the ‘aim to permit’ provision in the Gambling Act at this time, we recognise that some authorities do not always feel that the tools at their disposal are fully effective in shaping local areas. As outlined in the Pride in Place Strategy, the Government will boost local authorities’ existing powers to influence the location and density of gambling outlets by introducing Cumulative Impact Assessments, when parliamentary time allows. This will give licensing authorities powers to determine whether the cumulative impact of the number or density of gambling premises in a local area undermines the licensing objectives, particularly in areas that have been identified as vulnerable to gambling-related harms.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of adult gaming centres on trends in the level of gambling harms in deprived areas .

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

We do not hold official data on the relationship between deprivation and participation in gambling at adult gaming centres.

As part of the Pride in Place Strategy, published on 25 September, the Government reaffirmed its commitment to introducing cumulative impact assessments (CIAs) for gambling licensing when parliamentary time allows. The introduction of CIAs, alongside the broad range of powers already available to local authorities, will enable local authorities across England to take data-driven decisions on premises licences, particularly areas identified as vulnerable to gambling-related harms. It will allow authorities to take account of a range of factors, including deprivation, when making licensing decisions. This will empower local authorities to better shape their streets and neighbourhoods.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing (a) national guidance and (b) regulations on setting a minimum age for body piercings.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

There are no plans to set a national minimum age for body piercings. The Department has produced model byelaws for cosmetic piercing under the Local Government Act 2003 and Local Government (miscellaneous provisions) Act 1982. The purpose of the model byelaws is to recognise and set nationally accepted standards that reduce the spread of infectious diseases and protect public health. Further, the Tattooing and body piercing guidance toolkit, a copy of which is attached, provides local authorities and businesses with information on good standards of practice. These national models and standards help local authorities create clear and consistent byelaws, which is beneficial for both local businesses and the public.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of commissioning research into the impact of firework noise on animal welfare.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Government is continuing to engage with animal welfare stakeholders, businesses, consumer groups and charities on the impacts of fireworks, to inform any future action.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to support local authorities to tackle persistent cases of fly-tipping in the West Midlands.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Local councils are responsible for tackling fly-tipping in their area and have a range of enforcement powers to help them do so. These include fixed penalty notices of up to £1000, seizing and crushing of vehicles and prosecution action. We encourage councils to make good use of their enforcement powers and are taking steps to develop statutory fly-tipping enforcement guidance to support councils to consistently, appropriately and effectively exercise these existing powers. We are also conducting a review of council powers to seize and crush vehicles of fly-tippers, to identify how we could help them make better use of this tool.

In our manifesto we committed to forcing fly-tippers to clean up the mess that they have created. We will provide further details on this commitment in due course.

In the meantime, Defra continues to chair the National Fly-Tipping Prevention Group through which we work with a wide range of stakeholders, such as local authorities and the Environment Agency, to share good practice on preventing fly-tipping. Various practical tools are available from their webpage which is available at: https://nftpg.com/

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of reducing the maximum noise level for consumer fireworks from 120 to 90 decibels on the welfare of (a) horses and (b) other animals.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Government is continuing to engage with animal welfare stakeholders, businesses, consumer groups and charities on the impacts of fireworks, to inform any future action.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she has taken to help limit the impact of fireworks on (a) pets, (b) livestock and (c) other animals.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Government is continuing to engage with animal welfare stakeholders, businesses, consumer groups and charities on the impacts of fireworks, to inform any future action.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to improve enforcement laws relating to the (a) setting off of fireworks (i) in public places and (ii) outside permitted hours and (b) misuse of fireworks in general.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Enforcement powers exist for local authorities to act when fireworks are unsafe, sold illegally or misused. Local authorities and the police also have powers to tackle anti-social behaviour caused by the misuse of fireworks, including setting off outside permitted hours. It is for local areas to decide how best to deploy these powers and there are no current plans to change them.

I have launched a public campaign for this year’s fireworks season. The campaign includes social media materials with information on current legislation and the penalties for illegal use, as well as the risks from the misuse of fireworks.

National ban on street-racing

Future of the BBC

Found: Emily Thornberry (Labour; Islington South and Finsbury) (Chair) Fleur Anderson MP (Labour,Putney) Alex Ballinger