Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing additional funding to local authorities to support the (a) improvement and (b) adoption of unadopted roads.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Should local highway authorities see fit, they are free to adopt unadopted roads under sections 37, 38 and 228 of the Highways Act 1980.

The Government has already provided £500 million of additional funding for local highway maintenance this year, bringing the total to a record investment of almost £1.6 billion.

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 extending eligibility for (a) energy support schemes and (b) the Warm Home Discount to people whose homes are not connected to electric or gas networks.

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

For schemes such as the Winter Fuel Payment, which helps pensioner households with heating costs, and the Cold Weather Payment, which offers additional support during periods of very cold weather to those on certain income-related benefits, households do not need to be connected to the gas or electricity networks.

To be eligible for the Warm Home Discount a consumer must be named on an energy account with an obligated supplier and be in receipt of a relevant means tested benefit. In February 2025 the Government consulted on broadening the scheme to include households without a direct relationship with an energy supplier, however it was not feasible to take this forward without increasing the cost of the scheme for all consumers.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what progress his Department has made in producing a climate action plan by 29 October 2025.

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

We will deliver an updated plan that sets out the policy package out to the end of Carbon Budget 6 in 2037 for all sectors of the economy later this month. This will outline the policies and proposals needed to deliver Carbon Budgets 4-6 on a pathway to net zero.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent discussions he has had with the Climate Change Committee on whether the UK is on track to stay within its carbon budgets from 2025 until 2042.

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

My Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State regularly engages with the Climate Change Committee (CCC). This year, the CCC published their independent advice to government on Carbon Budget 7 (2038-2042) and their annual progress report to government, which found that the government has made “bold policy decisions” in the last year to deliver progress in key areas to reduce emissions. We are considering their independent advice to government and will respond in due course.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will apply the forthcoming revised sustainability criteria for biomass to any new Contracts for Difference being developed for post-2027 generation at (a) Drax and (b) Lynemouth power stations.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Revised sustainability criteria for large-scale biomass electricity generators, such as Drax and Lynemouth, were published on 10 February 2025 following a consultation.

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/transitional-support-mechanism-for-large-scale-biomass-electricity-generators

These criteria will apply to any potential contracts awarded under this mechanism.

More broadly, the Government plans to consult later this year on the development of a Common Biomass Sustainability Framework. The timeline for publication and implementation of the framework will depend on the outcomes of that consultation.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will ensure that revised sustainability criteria for biomass are in place before new Contracts for Difference are finalised for (a) Drax and (b) Lynemouth power stations.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Revised sustainability criteria for large scale biomass generators, such as Drax and Lynemouth, were published on 10 February 2025 following a consultation.

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/transitional-support-mechanism-for-large-scale-biomass-electricity-generators

These criteria will apply to any potential contracts awarded under this mechanism.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when he plans to publish the revised sustainability criteria for biomass.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government plans to consult later this year on the development of a Common Biomass Sustainability Framework. The timeline for publication and implementation of the framework will depend on the outcomes of that consultation.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the current average time taken was for a DWP-initiated PIP review to be completed in West Yorkshire in each of the last 12 months.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The table below provides information on the median number of weeks taken to complete a Personal Independence Payment (PIP) Award Review (AR) for claimants living in West Yorkshire local authority districts. The time taken is measured from the date of AR registration to the date of completion. Figures are presented for each month in which ARs were completed, covering the 12-month period up to and including July 2025.

Table 1: Median time in weeks from PIP Award Review registration to completion, by month of completion, for the West Yorkshire local authority area.

Our aim as always is to make an award decision as quickly as possible, taking into account all available evidence, including that from the claimant. We are taking steps to improve the service by prioritising new claims, to ensure new claimants are paid as soon as possible whilst safeguarding claimants awaiting award reviews, who have returned their information as required, to ensure their payments continue until their review can be completed.

Notes:

- Figures have been rounded to the nearest whole number of weeks.

- Figures are for the following West Yorkshire local authorities: Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds and Wakefield.

Found: Labour; Sheffield South East) Nesil Caliskan (Labour; Barking) Mr Luke Charters (Labour; York Outer) Anna Dixon

Found: We will start with Anna Dixon, please. Q1 Anna Dixon: Thank you, Chair, and welcome witnesses.

Found: Labour; Sheffield South East) Nesil Caliskan (Labour; Barking) Mr Luke Charters (Labour; York Outer) Anna Dixon

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Chair); Mr Clive Betts; Anna Dixon; Sarah

Found: Labour; Sheffield South East) Nesil Caliskan (Labour; Barking) Mr Luke Charters (Labour; York Outer) Anna Dixon

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Chair); Mr Clive Betts; Anna Dixon; Sarah