Asked by: Hannah Spencer (Green Party - Gorton and Denton)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether strategic and combined authorities receiving Warm Homes Plan funding through devolution deals are required to demonstrate through reporting how their delivery plans will contribute to the achievement of the fuel poverty target for England; and whether delivery requirements for achieving that target are attached to that funding.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Mayoral Strategic Authorities receiving devolved retrofit funding through Integrated Settlements are required to deliver and report against agreed outcomes and targets, including those relating to fuel poverty and household bill savings. These arrangements support the Government’s wider objectives to tackle fuel poverty, while providing authorities with flexibility over how they achieve agreed outcomes locally. The Government’s 2026 Fuel Poverty Strategy committed to consulting on a new fuel poverty target to succeed the current 2030 target and, in line with Rewiring the State, set out its intention to devolve greater power, funding and accountability to local leaders.
Asked by: Hannah Spencer (Green Party - Gorton and Denton)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will launch a review into the potential impact of floral foam microplastics on a) the environment b) people who regularly handle this material.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Microplastic pollution is a growing environmental problem with impacts on ecosystems and human health. Defra has taken action to reduce microplastics, including banning microbeads in personal care products and upcoming restrictions on plastic-containing wet wipes. We have no current plans to review floral foam but continue assessing impacts.
Asked by: Hannah Spencer (Green Party - Gorton and Denton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to ensure neighbourhood health plans in Gorton and Denton consider the needs of people living with a) Huntington's disease and b) other rare, neurological conditions.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Realising the ambition of neighbourhood health, as set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, by shifting activity out of hospitals and into the community will help people with living with rare neurological conditions, including Huntington's disease, to access more joined-up care closer to home and receive more proactive, personalised support.
The Neighbourhood health framework sets out how integrated care boards, local authorities and wider partners should work together to develop locally led Neighbourhood Health Plans. These plans should be informed by the health and care needs of the local population and are intended to improve coordination of services for people with complex and ongoing needs. The framework is available at the following link:
Health and wellbeing boards have flexibility to tailor neighbourhood health plans to the health and care needs of their local population and may consider the needs of people living with Huntington’s disease and other rare neurological conditions as part of this planning.
Asked by: Hannah Spencer (Green Party - Gorton and Denton)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether previous work on the National Data Library to enable better targeting of energy bills support will continue following the machinery of government changes affecting the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.
Answered by Polly Billington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The National Data Library is a valuable addition to the work the Government is undertaking to provide more targeted support to households who need it. DESNZ is committed to improving how it uses existing government data in the delivery of public services.
The Department for Culture, Media, and Sport lead the work on the National Data Library Kickstarter projects. DESNZ is the principle initial customer for the Household Income Kickstarter work and DESNZ is in full support of this work.
Asked by: Hannah Spencer (Green Party - Gorton and Denton)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to ensure that Reciprocal Enforcement of Maintenance Orders are being enforced overseas.
Answered by Jake Richards - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
The UK fully supports the operation of international treaties for the reciprocal (cross border) enforcement of maintenance orders (REMO). Children have the right to care and support and parents have a responsibility to provide it, including when the paying parent and the child are living in different countries. The Government encourages suitable countries to become party to REMO treaties, in particular the 2007 Hague Convention on International Child Support and Family Maintenance.
While the enforcement of orders is a matter for the country of enforcement, the UK raises systemic issues on Hague Conventions at the Hague Conference on Private International Law. Officials regularly discuss individual cases and the country-to-country operation of REMO treaties bilaterally.
Asked by: Hannah Spencer (Green Party - Gorton and Denton)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential mental health benefits of increasing men’s talking groups within prisons.
Answered by Jake Richards - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
Provision of these groups is determined locally by Governors, in partnership with NHS providers, which are responsible for statutory mental health services. The Ministry of Justice has not formally evaluated or assessed the effectiveness of such groups to date.
H M Prison & Probation Service takes an evidence-informed approach to interventions, and recognises the contribution that well-structured peer support can play in rehabilitation.
Asked by: Hannah Spencer (Green Party - Gorton and Denton)
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 an El Niño weather event on (a) food security and (b) critical infrastructure in the UK.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Defra-funded Food, Farming and Natural Environment climate service, delivered by the Met Office Hadley Centre, provides climate modelling services to Government. Defra published the Met Office High-Impact Low-Likelihood Outcomes paper last year which highlighted the potential impacts of strong El Niño years on net global crop production and how they may amplify any other global food production shocks.
Defra is monitoring the potential impacts of this year’s predicted El Niño, on both domestically produced food and imports. This includes considering potential impacts on food supply chain dependencies, including transport, ports, storage and other food industry infrastructure.
Asked by: Hannah Spencer (Green Party - Gorton and Denton)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the El Niño weather event on the cost of food for British consumers.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
We are aware of the potential impact that an El Niño can have on global agricultural production and therefore the price of food in the UK. There remains considerable uncertainty about its impact at this stage. We will continue to monitor the situation.
Asked by: Hannah Spencer (Green Party - Gorton and Denton)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what his planned timetable is for Awaab's Law to be implemented within the private rented sector.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the roadmap for implementing the Renters' Rights Act 2025 published on 13 November 2025 which can be found on gov.uk here.
Asked by: Hannah Spencer (Green Party - Gorton and Denton)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing maximum statutory workplace temperatures.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)
I refer the Rt Hon Member to PQ 3463.