Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the availability of international trade show funding on the competitiveness of (a) exports and (b) exports by the (i) construction and (ii) natural materials sectors.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Though our Trade Strategy, Industrial Strategy, and Small Business Plan, we are putting in place the policies, support, and services needed to drive export-led business growth.

We continue to review how we can improve our support, and as part of this process, we target resources that will have the greatest impact for UK businesses.

From tailored market advice and free training to UK Export Finance and our on-the-ground international network, we are helping connect firms to new opportunities, and build the capability to seize them.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to ensure the effective enforcement of The Product Safety and Metrology etc. (Amendment) Regulations 2024 in relation to imported construction products.

Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Product Safety and Metrology etc. (Amendment) Regulations provide for continued recognition of certain EU requirements for a range of products, but do not apply to construction products.

The Construction Products Regulation 2011 (as amended) governs the placing on the market of construction products. This includes enabling the European ‘CE’ mark to be used as an alternative to the UK Conformity Assessed (UKCA) marking when placing a product on the market.

The National Regulator for Construction Products (NRCP) and Local Authority Trading Standards (LATS) have regulatory powers to carry out market surveillance and enforcement to remove non-compliant products from the UK market.

In September 2024 the government announced its intention to continue to recognise the CE mark for construction products, conditional on system wide reform of the construction products regime. This was followed by the publication of a green paper in February 2025, which set out comprehensive proposals, including a range of measures to improve the enforcement regime.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to support British manufacturers to attend (a) Marmomac in Verona and (b) other major international trade shows.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Through our Trade Strategy, Industrial Strategy, and Small Business Plan, we're putting in place the policies, support, and services needed to drive export-led growth, particularly in high-growth potential sectors like advanced manufacturing.

We routinely run targeted trade missions, support business at international trade shows, and connect international buyers with exporters at home to help them grow their businesses. In addition, businesses have access to support from tailored market advice and free training to UK Export Finance and our on-the-ground international network.

We continue to review how we can improve our support, including how we connect firms to new opportunities, and build the capability to seize them.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what plans his Department has to work with housing associations and industry to scale up affordable and tenant-friendly retrofitting models to help meet the Government’s 2030 EPC target for social homes.

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

The government is currently consulting on introducing minimum energy efficiency standards for the social rented sector. We will be engaging closely with the sector throughout the consultation process.

The Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund provides grant funding for social housing landlords to improve the energy performance of their properties through installing energy efficiency measures and low carbon technologies. Wave 3 of the fund, for which allocations were announced in March 2025, will deliver up to £1.29 billion of funding.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of modern, low-disruption retrofit techniques on the rate of decarbonisation of the UK’s social housing stock.

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

The Department places significant importance on the tenants needs, and complying with consumer protection standards when completing retrofit works.

The Department takes an iterative approach to schemes - such as increasing the provision of modern low carbon heating technologies under the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund Wave 3 – and conducts robust evaluation of delivery. These findings, such as in the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund Wave 2.1 Process Evaluation report (available here), highlight delivery successes and challenges, and enable the adoption of new techniques.

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 increase the deployment of low-carbon heating technologies in the social housing sector; and if he will review and respond to the findings of Mitsubishi Electric’s recent report on delivering net zero in social housing.

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

The Government has committed £13.2 billion over the Spending Review period for the Warm Homes Plan, which will support investment in insulation and low carbon heating to homes across England. Within Wave 3 of the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund, which launched earlier this year, there is a new optional low carbon heating incentive for homes on the gas grid. Up to 10% of homes in an application can access a £20,000 grant per home to install low carbon heating measures. I appreciate Mitsubishi Electric’s recent report, and my officials are engaging with Mitsubishi regarding these findings.

Found: Regis and Littlehampton) Sonia Kumar (Labour; Dudley) Charlie Maynard (Liberal Democrat; Witney) Gregor Poynton

Found: Regis and Littlehampton) Sonia Kumar (Labour; Dudley) Charlie Maynard (Liberal Democrat; Witney) Gregor Poynton

Found: Regis and Littlehampton) Sonia Kumar (Labour; Dudley) Charlie Maynard (Liberal Democrat; Witney) Gregor Poynton

Found: (60.0%) Charlie Maynard (Liberal Democrat, Witney) (added 5 Mar 2025) 5 of 5 (100.0%) Gregor Poynton