Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what fiscal incentives are available to encourage private investment in infrastructure.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

The government will continue to work with the private sector to unlock the significant increase in private investment required to deliver the full ambition of the 10 Year Infrastructure Strategy and to maximise the value of the extensive public investment underway.

The government has set out the Corporate Tax Roadmap, offering investors certainty and stability by maintaining the elements of the UK's corporate tax offer.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average processing time is for new claims for Universal Credit.

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

Monthly Universal Credit payment timeliness statistics for new claims are published in UC Households 6 - Payment Timeliness New Claims table in the Households on Universal Credit dataset on Stat-Xplore, and are currently available to February 2026.

Users can log in or access Stat-Xplore as a guest and, if needed, can access guidance on how to extract information. There is also a Universal Credit Official Statistics: Stat-Xplore user guide.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many households receiving Universal Credit are subject to deductions for advance repayments and other debts.

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

Statistics related to deductions for households on Universal Credit are published. The relevant figures can be found in tables 6 and 7 of the Universal Credit deductions statistics March 2025 to February 2026, supplementary data tables here: Universal Credit quarterly statistics, 29 April 2013 to 12 February 2026 - GOV.UK

A narrative supporting the published deductions statistics is also available at Universal Credit deductions statistics March 2025 to February 2026 - GOV.UK

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to encourage greater levels of household savings for retirement.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government wishes to encourage pension saving, to help ensure that people have an incomethroughout retirement. This is why, for the majority of savers, pension contributions are tax-free. This makes pensions tax relief one of the most expensive reliefs in the personal tax system, costing £78.2 billion in 2023/24.

The Government recognises the importance of promoting confidence in pension saving and is committed to ensuring future generations of pensioners have security in retirement. This is why the government announced a landmark two-phased review of the pensions system days after coming into office. The first phase, the Pensions Investment Review, focused on reforming the pensions landscape to boost savers’ pension pots. These reforms have been enacted through the Pension Schemes Act 2026. The second phase – the independent Pensions Commission – is building on these foundations and will make recommendations to the government on the broader questions of adequacy, fairness, and sustainability to guide the long-term future of our pensions system.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions she has had with the Bank of England on inflation and interest rates.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Chancellor and the Governor of the Bank of England meet regularly to discuss economic developments. There are also regular discussions between the Bank of England and the Treasury on the drivers of inflation at official level.

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 potential merits of including community pharmacies in the roll out of migraine services.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

As part of minor illness consultations, pharmacists can already provide advice and recommend over-the-counter treatments for migraines. Pharmacists can also supply emergency medicines to patients already prescribed regular migraine medication as part of the urgent medicine supply element of Pharmacy First.

NHS England keeps the clinical scope of all pharmacy services under regular review, including Pharmacy First, and any changes to the conditions covered by the seven clinical pathways would be subject to consultation with Community Pharmacy England.

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 level of adoption of low-carbon technologies in the industrial sector.

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

The Carbon Budget and Growth Delivery Plan, published in October 2025, sets out how the UK will continue to reduce emissions in a way that lowers bills and secures good jobs, in line with the landmark 2008 Climate Change Act. It provides a modelled pathway to illustrate the deployment of low carbon technology in the industrial sector starting from today to the end of CB6 in 2037. We have also funded the deployment of low carbon technologies through the Industrial Energy Transformation fund, and will publish an Interim Impact Evaluation Report in due course.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what support his Department provides for research into green technologies, including carbon capture and hydrogen energy.

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

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero has provided £1.3bn green technology funding through the Net Zero Innovation Portfolio 2021-2025, including funding for hydrogen and CCUS, as well as supporting deployment through the Hydrogen Production Business Model, and CCUS business models. The Department is also delivering research on the potential for natural hydrogen generation and scoping new research programmes to develop the evidence base on green technologies.

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) funds research into hydrogen and CCUS technologies, including through the Industrial Decarbonisation Research and Innovation Centre and research council hydrogen hubs.

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 adequacy of decision-making in cases involving Autism Spectrum Disorder in disability benefit assessments.

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

The Personal Independent Payment (PIP) assessment is a functional assessment, which focuses on how an individual’s health condition or disability affects their ability to carry out a range of daily living and mobility activities. PIP is not awarded based on a diagnosis, instead, entitlement is determined by the functional impact a person’s condition has on their daily lives and is assessed on a case-by-case basis.

To ensure PIP is fair and fit for the future, the Government has launched the Timms Review. The Timms Review aims to ensure we have a system that supports disabled people to achieve better health, higher living standards and greater independence, including through employment. The Review is being co-produced with disabled people, the organisations that represent them, and other experts. This means the Government will share ownership and responsibility for how the Review runs and what it recommends. The Review will report to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions by autumn 2026.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, in reference to the ongoing reform of Part IX of the Drug Tariff, a) what the objective is of introducing renewed product clusters for products listed on Part IX of the Drug Tariff, b) how his Department plans to ensure all products are placed into clinically interchangeable categories with no unintended consequences to patient care and c) how his Department aims to i) assess and ii) differentiate a product’s value through the categorisation process and enhanced assessment framework.

Answered by Preet Kaur Gill - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The ongoing reform of Part IX of the Drug Tariff is intended to ensure that the system remains clinically appropriate, delivers value for money for the National Health Service, and supports patient access to high-quality medical devices.

Previous arrangements were resulting in a long list of devices and chemical reagents on Part IX, in many cases grouped by manufacturer, rather than in comparable categories. The department, led by input from clinical panels, is updating Part IX of the Drug Tariff to group products together where appropriate and make the tariff easier to navigate.

The aim is to create comparable categories. However, products within a category will not necessarily be clinically interchangeable. The updated categories do not replace clinical judgment and is not prescribing guidance. Clinicians should continue to choose the product that best meets the need for each patient. The department recognises that patients have differing needs. These categories of devices are not generally made to technical standards however they do have comparable functions.

New clusters are not created for every distinguishing feature but may be created where features add value to the NHS. The Enhanced Assessment Framework considers quality, including broader value, social and price together to support value for money for the NHS. Quality, beyond the minimum requirements, may include evidence of product effectiveness, supporting self-care, supporting system savings and reducing inequalities.

In the circumstance a product is delisted either as a result of the process or a company choosing not to apply, we will give at least six months’ notice supported by communications to stakeholders.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, in regard to prostate screening, for what reason there is a difference between black and white men between the ages of 45 and 74.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The targeted screening programme, announced on 2 June 2026 and rolling out in 2027, will screen men between 45 and 61 years old who have a BRCA2 gene variant and a family history of prostate, breast, pancreatic or ovarian cancer. The UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC) has assessed that a targeted screening programme for men who meet these criteria is justified on the basis that prostate cancer occurs more often, at a younger age and more aggressively for men in this group than for other men. This means that, for this group, the benefits of early detection and treatment would outweigh the harms associated with overdiagnosis and treatment side effects.

The UK NSC concluded that while we know Black men are twice as likely to be diagnosed with and die from prostate cancer than white men, there is not enough evidence to be confident that screening Black men would do more good than harm. This is because Black men have been historically underrepresented in clinical trials relating to prostate cancer.

That is why the Government is investing up to an additional £18 million in the TRANSFORM trial so that all eligible Black men will be invited to take part in stage 2 of the trial. This investment will help to address long-standing inequalities in risk and outcomes, as well as providing useful insights into the best screening methods that will benefit all men.

The Government has published an equality impact assessment which sets out the potential impact on health inequalities and any mitigations; the assessment is available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/prostate-cancer-screening-equality-impact-assessment/equality-impact-assessment-introduction-of-a-targeted-prostate-cancer-screening-programme#intended-aims-of-the-programme

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what estimate he has made of the level of representation of women in senior leadership positions across the UK private and public sectors.

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

The Government is committed to improving women’s representation in senior leadership positions. Through the FTSE Women Leaders Review, we support a voluntary, business-led approach to increasing women’s representation. The Review’s 2025 report shows that women now hold 43% of board positions and 36% of leadership roles across the FTSE 350. More work is needed in the most senior executive roles, including CEO and Chair positions, and the Government will continue to support this agenda for better representation.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many sanctions were applied to benefit claimants in the most recent reporting period.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The department regularly publishes monthly Universal Credit Full Service (UCFS) adverse sanction decisions statistics for Great Britain as part of the benefit sanction statistics.

The latest adverse sanction decision statistics to January 2026 are available in section 4 of the latest benefit sanctions publication, with more details available in Table 1.1 of the latest benefit sanction statistics tables.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what guidance he has issued to households on reducing energy consumption and improving efficiency.

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

The Government provides households with a range of guidance and support to help reduce energy consumption and improve energy efficiency, including grant eligibility checkers and the ‘Find Ways to Save Energy in Your Home’ service on GOV.UK offering tailored advice on home retrofit. We also launched several consumer energy campaigns over the winter. Adverts ran across radio, out-of-home advertising, online video, community media, display, social media, search, and paid media partnerships, promoting heat pumps, EVs and energy-saving tips.

Through the Warm Homes Plan, we are investing significantly in home upgrades and have committed to establishing the Warm Homes Agency to simplify and streamline the consumer journey further, providing consumers with a single, trusted source of advice and support on different measures, funding eligibility, trusted installers, and other options available to households.

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 impact of carbon pricing on energy-intensive industries in the UK.

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

Carbon-related costs deliver long-term investment signals to deliver energy security for UK businesses and reduce dependence on volatile fossil fuels. However, we understand that some energy-intensive industries (EII) are facing high industrial electricity costs affecting their competitiveness, which is why we deliver the British Industry Supercharger and EII Compensation Scheme to provide carbon-leakage prone businesses relief from carbon costs and electricity network charges. The Government keeps all policy measures, including carbon costs and under review. Carbon Price Support will also be removed from April 2028.

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 vulnerable consumers are protected from misleading claims about green energy tariffs.

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

The Government is committed to ensuring consumers, especially those in vulnerable circumstances, are treated fairly and protected from misleading green claims. Energy suppliers must comply with consumer protection law and Ofgem’s licence conditions, including rules on marketing and Standards of Conduct, which require clear, accurate and not misleading information.

Ofgem also protects vulnerable customers through specific safeguards and enforcement action where standards are not met. More broadly, the Competition and Market Authority’s Green Claims Code makes clear that environmental claims must be truthful, clear and substantiated. Through the Ofgem Review, we are strengthening the regulator so it can act as a stronger consumer champion.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what progress he has made on meeting the UK’s net zero targets by 2050.

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

The government is committed to meeting its carbon budgets and net zero by 2050, as required by the Climate Change Act. Net zero is the route to lower bills, warmer homes, energy security, cleaner air, good jobs and tackling the climate crisis.

The UK has more than halved its greenhouse gas emissions, having cut them by 54% between 1990 and 2025, while growing the economy by over 85% in the same period. The UK over-achieved against the first, second and third carbon budgets.

The Carbon Budget and Growth Delivery Plan, published in October 2025, sets out how the UK will continue to reduce emissions in a way that lowers bills and secures good jobs. It details how the cross-government package will enable the UK to meet Carbon Budgets 4-6.

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 encourage energy efficiency improvements in social and private housing.

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

The £15 billion Warm Homes Plan is the biggest public investment in home upgrades in British history, supporting millions of households with solar panels, batteries, heat pumps and heat networks.

A total of £4.4 billion of grant funding has been allocated to low-income households, delivered initially through the Warm Homes: Local Grant and the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund.

Our new Warm Homes Fund of up to £5 billion will make investments in and loans to the home upgrade sector and the expanded Boiler Upgrade Scheme, worth £2.7 billion, provides grants for heat pumps to all eligible households in England and Wales.

Government is also standing up for renters with new minimum energy efficiency standards in the social and private rented sectors.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of benefit sanctions on the mental health of claimants receiving Universal Credit.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

Work-related requirements are tailored to the claimant, taking into consideration their individual circumstances such as health conditions or caring responsibilities, so they are realistic and achievable. Any requirements must be agreed between the claimant and the work coach, and the claimant must be made aware of the consequences for failing to meet a requirement.

If there is a failure, there are safeguards in place such as checking the claimant’s circumstances, asking for evidence of good reason and having an independent decision maker. A sanction is only applied where the claimant fails to meet their agreed work-related requirements without good reason.

Recoverable hardship payments are available for claimants who cannot meet their most immediate and essential needs as a result of a sanction.

The Department keeps the operation of conditionality and sanctions under continuous review to ensure the system remains fair and proportionate.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential economic impact of blockchain and distributed ledger technologies in the UK.

Answered by Rachel Blake - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government recognises that distributed ledger technologies have the potential to transform financial markets in support of economic growth. The Government has a stated ambition to make the UK a global destination for digital assets, and is taking forward significant reforms in capital markets, payments, and cryptoasset regulation to support blockchain innovation in financial services.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of trends in the level of regional disparities in access to research funding.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The government is ensuring that everyone benefits from innovation-led economic growth, by supporting clusters of R&D excellence across the UK. Historically, R&D intensity has been concentrated in the Greater South East of England, but this is changing and UK Research and Innovation invested 50% of its funding outside the Greater South East in 2023/24 – a cumulative additional £1.4 billion since 2021/22. UKRI funding in Northern Ireland has been increasing year on year in line with this wider trend.

We are building on this through the £500m Local Innovation Partnerships Fund, which is empowering local leaders in 17 regions to unleash their full innovation potential. This includes £30 million of funding for the Belfast to Derry-Londonderry Corridor.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to support research into emerging technologies such as quantum computing.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

We have committed up to £2 billion to support the development of the UK's quantum sector. This includes £1 billion committed over the next four years to support our leading companies and researchers, with up to a further £1 billion to procure large-scale UK-built quantum computers by the early 2030s.

Applied and foundational research will continue to be vital to the success of the quantum sector to achieve our ambitious quantum missions. We are investing across the ecosystem over the Spending Review period and beyond, including:

• over £175 million to support academic-led research, research skills, and quantum programmes in our national labs;

• over £160 million for collaborative research and development;

• £90 million for scale-up infrastructure, to support both research and manufacturing; and

• providing academics with access to quantum computing platforms through the National Quantum Computing Centre.

Beyond quantum specific funding, the UKRI funding model protects £14.5 billion of dedicated funding for curiosity-driven research over the Spending Review period, some pf which could be used to fund quantum research.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what the level of Government funding is for research into Alzheimer's disease.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Between financial years 2020/21 and 2024/25, government funders spent £555.1million on dementia research, which covers all types of dementia including Alzheimer’s disease. This figure includes £144m in 2024/25 alone.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what funding has been provided for climate modelling and environmental monitoring research.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) invested over £24million in research to support better climate modelling and more robust environmental monitoring in financial year 2024/25. This includes projects that use state-of-the-art computational techniques to monitor pollutants in UK rivers, machine learning models that track the impact of weather events and advanced quantification of greenhouse gas emissions. This year, £3.6million was also provided to the Met Office Hadley Centre to maintain and develop its underpinning climate modelling capability.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has another major R&D programme, the Natural Capital and Ecosystem Assessment programme, worth around £152 million (covering fiscal years 2022/23 – 2026/27). In addition, there are smaller R&D projects across Defra that support ongoing monitoring activity.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what funding her Department has allocated to support biotechnology start-ups in the UK.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), has awarded over £320 million to support biotechnology start-ups through a range of programmes spanning early-stage research commercialisation through to company growth. Support includes over £80 million through Biotechnology and Biological Science Research Council (BBSRC’s) Proof of Concept fund and more than £6 million for the Innovate UK ICURe pre-accelerator to help researchers develop commercial ventures. Early-stage companies are also supported through the UK Innovation and Science Seed Fund the BBSRC and Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) Deep Tech Catalyst Bio incubator, and investment in research and innovation campuses and innovation awards.

Since July 2024, Innovate UK has also committed £56.2 million in grant funding to support small and medium sized businesses test and develop innovative healthcare solutions through their Biomedical Catalyst programme.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the availability of public charging points for electric vehicles in rural areas.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Government is committed to accelerating the rollout of affordable and accessible charging infrastructure so that everyone, no matter where they live or work, can make the transition to an electric vehicle (EV). As of 1 May 2026, there are now over 120,000 public EV chargers across the UK.

Transport, including the rollout of public EV charge points, is largely devolved to the Northern Ireland Executive. However, my officials regularly engage with the Department for Infrastructure on zero emission vehicle initiatives, including charging infrastructure development. In England, the allocation of the Local EV Infrastructure Fund took into account levels of rurality when calculating funding amounts.

A range of Government grants are also available to support the installation of charging infrastructure in homes, workplaces and schools across the UK: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/electric-vehicle-chargepoint-grants

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to accelerate the uptake of electric vehicles.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Government is investing £7.5 billion to support the transition to zero emission vehicles.

This includes supporting the rollout of charging infrastructure and grants to help people and businesses buy electric cars, vans and trucks. The £2 billion Electric Car Grant has supported over 120,000 people to choose an electric vehicle since its launch in July 2025.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to improve access to digital services for claimants who are unable to use online platforms for Universal Credit applications and management.

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

Universal Credit is a digital-first service and our digital approach enables proactive communication with customers, including tailored prompts and support through their account, alongside personalised assistance from Work Coaches who can signpost to wider support and employment services.

However, the Department recognises that some claimants cannot access or use online services. Support is available to these claimants through alternative channels, including telephone claims, printed correspondence where needed and tailored Assisted Digital support delivered by trained DWP staff in Jobcentres and by phone.

For customers who need additional help to engage digitally, we work with external partners to provide tailored support. This includes the Help to Claim service delivered by Citizens Advice and Citizens Advice Scotland, as well as locally delivered digital support provision, which helps claimants make and manage their Universal Credit claim online. This confidential support is free for claimants and is available to them online, by phone and face to face. Vulnerable claimants may also receive personalised support through the Enhanced Support journey, including proactive contact, home visits and alternative communication methods where appropriate.

Where a claimant cannot manage their affairs independently, appointees or authorised representatives can act on their behalf. The Department keeps these arrangements under review to ensure Universal Credit remains accessible to all claimants.

We continue to provide a full range of alternative channels and personalised support, ensuring that all customers can access our services in a way that meets their needs. This blended approach ensures we combine the benefits of digital innovation with appropriate safeguards, improving overall service quality while supporting more customers to move confidently towards digital services.

The Department keeps accessibility and support arrangements under regular review to ensure Universal Credit remains accessible to all claimants, regardless of their ability to use digital services.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the level of inequality in access to migraine diagnosis and treatment among socio-economically disadvantaged groups.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The 10-Year Health Plan explicitly states that the National Health Service will be designed to tackle health inequalities in access and outcomes, and will be a service equipped to narrow health inequalities, and address inequalities for specific population groups, such as those in working class jobs.

The NHS has a crucial role to play in reducing health inequalities by tackling inequalities in access to, experiences of, and outcomes from healthcare delivery, including for people with migraine.

The three key shifts set out in the 10-Year Health Plan will be central to narrowing health inequalities, through: neighbourhood health models of care; ensuring digital inclusion is embedded in digital advances; and in the shift to prevention using population health approaches to tailor interventions for those experiencing inequalities. The plan also makes commitments on specific population groups and social risk assessments to anchor policy and prevention.

Responsibility for commissioning migraine services rests with integrated care boards (ICBs), which are best placed to plan and deliver services that meet the needs of their local populations. This includes access to primary care, specialist neurology services, and newer treatments where clinically indicated.

Advanced foundation trusts will be able to effectively use their freedoms to work with their patients, staff, and communities to improve the broader health of their population and tackle health inequalities, including for those with migraine.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department plans to take to tackle geographical variations in accessing specialist services.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Highly specialised services are typically delivered in a small number of centres across England with experience and expertise in the management of rare diseases where caseloads are small and there is benefit from national coordination.

As such it is more likely that some patients may need to travel further to access these services. Commissioners therefore work with service to review the geographic spread of patients so that action plans can be identified to address inequities. A range of strategies have been implemented, and continue to be developed, to remove barriers to access, including remote appointments, shared care models, outreach, education and training, and support with travel and accommodation. In line with their commitment under the Government’s Rare Disease Action Plan, NHS England has developed and published a health inequalities toolkit which has been shared with clinical teams to support a continued focus. This action plan can be found at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/england-rare-diseases-action-plan-2026/england-rare-diseases-action-plan-2026-main-report

The need to support patient access and reduce health inequalities also plays a key role in decision making as to where and how NHS England commission services.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans his Department has to tackle variations in access to specialist services in rural communities.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Highly specialised services are typically delivered in a small number of centres across England with experience and expertise in the management of rare diseases where caseloads are small and there is benefit from national coordination.

As such it is more likely that some patients may need to travel further to access these services. Commissioners therefore work with service to review the geographic spread of patients so that action plans can be identified to address inequities. A range of strategies have been implemented, and continue to be developed, to remove barriers to access, including remote appointments, shared care models, outreach, education and training, and support with travel and accommodation. In line with their commitment under the Government’s Rare Disease Action Plan, NHS England has developed and published a health inequalities toolkit which has been shared with clinical teams to support a continued focus. This action plan can be found at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/england-rare-diseases-action-plan-2026/england-rare-diseases-action-plan-2026-main-report

The need to support patient access and reduce health inequalities also plays a key role in decision making as to where and how NHS England commission services.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what support is available for carers receiving Carer's Allowance who wish to enter employment.

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

Through our Jobcentres, DWP supports unpaid carers who wish to combine their caring responsibilities with paid work. Full time carers who receive Universal Credit can access voluntary employment support from a work coach, which includes identifying skills gaps and referral to skills training, careers advice, job search support and volunteering opportunities. Customers who receive Carer’s Allowance may be also eligible for the Flexible Support Fund, which helps to remove financial barriers to work.

In England and Wales, carers, whether they are in receipt of Carer’s Allowance or not, and former carers, are eligible for intensive, personalised support from our voluntary Supported Employment programme, Connect to Work, part of the Government’s Pathways to Work support offer. This programme provides up to 12 months holistic support for disabled people, individuals with health conditions and people with more complex barriers to work to help them move closer to, and into, sustained employment. It can also provide up to 4 months’ support to people who are in work but at risk of falling out of employment as a result of their condition or barrier.

In Northern Ireland, services are run by the Department for Communities.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the projected cost is of maintaining the state pension triple lock over the next five years.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

Expenditure on State Pension, which includes triple lock, for the years up to and including 2030/31 is available in the Benefit Expenditure and Caseload tables.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what discussions his Department has had with energy suppliers on the provision of debt relief schemes for vulnerable customers.

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

The Government is working closely with Ofgem, energy suppliers and consumer groups to develop a range of interventions to reduce energy debt and ensure consumers have access to effective debt advice.

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 UK’s energy import dependence, particularly for gas and electricity.

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

In 2025, the UK imported 43TWh of electricity, equivalent to 13% of gross UK electricity supply. This helped to reduce reliance on more expensive generation and lower overall system costs. In the same period, the UK exported 12TWh of electricity, enabling the productive use of surplus generation.

Great Britain’s diverse gas supply mix limits reliance on any one source, with three LNG terminals, pipeline imports from Norway, Belgium and the Netherlands all contributing to our resilience.

The best way to retain our energy security is to speed up the transition away from fossil fuels and moving towards home-grown clean energy.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what progress has been made on the development of hydrogen infrastructure for industrial and domestic use.

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

Government is delivering projects to kickstart the UK hydrogen economy, with contract signings for successful projects from the first Hydrogen Allocation Round, and £500m confirmed for a hydrogen transport and storage network.

The 10 Year Clean Energy Industries Sector Plan (2025) announced new investment to turbocharge growth in the sector and our renewed Hydrogen Strategy, which we plan to publish soon, will set out how we intend to work together with industry to continue to transform ambition into action.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of housing support available through Housing Benefit.

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

Households in receipt of housing support living in the social rented sector have their eligible rent paid in full, unless the level of housing support is reduced because of their income or savings, contributions from non-dependants, or limited by the benefit cap or the Removal of the Spare Room Subsidy (RSRS). In Northern Ireland, both the benefit cap and RSRS are mitigated.

In the private rented sector, Local Housing Allowance (LHA) determines the maximum levels of housing support for households claiming Housing Benefit or the housing element of Universal Credit. LHA rates are reviewed annually, usually in the Autumn.

At Autumn Budget 2025, the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions decided to maintain LHA rates at their current levels for 2026/27. Rent levels were considered alongside other factors, such as welfare priorities and support currently available within the challenging fiscal context.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to reduce the number of benefit claimants experiencing deductions.

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

Deductions from Universal Credit help support customers to manage debts by paying the creditor directly from their benefit, for instance paying rent arrears to ensure the customer does not face eviction. The most effective way to reduce reliance on deductions is to prevent arrears and debt in the first place, including by supporting people to increase their household income through work.

To support those with deductions, on 30 April 2025, the Fair Repayment Rate was implemented. This policy reduced the overall deductions cap from 25% to 15% of a customer’s Universal Credit (UC) standard allowance, enabling approximately 1.2 million UC households to retain more of their award, on average, £420 a year or £35 per month.

DWP is committed to supporting those who may be struggling with their repayment terms. Customers who feel they cannot afford the proposed repayment terms are encouraged to contact the DWP, so we can understand their circumstances and agree an affordable and sustainable repayment plan.

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 for battery storage technologies to enhance grid stability.

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

Battery storage technologies play an important role in ensuring grid stability through balancing the power system in real time and have the potential to support grid stability through grid-forming capabilities, depending on the type of technology used and their location on the network. The National Energy System Operator completed a trial of grid-forming batteries on the Stability Pathfinder programme and these technologies can now apply into the Stability Markets to provide these services through a transparent and competitive process.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate he has made of the number of households at risk of fuel poverty in the current year.

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

The latest annual fuel poverty statistics, published in March 2026, project that an estimated 8.4% of households (2.13 million) in England are in fuel poverty in 2026, under the Low Income Low Energy Efficiency (LILEE) metric.

These values are based on projections of energy prices from early 2026 and predate any impacts of the conflict in the Middle East.

While the outlook for prices is uncertain, the Government will do everything it can to help protect households facing these current fuel price spikes, and the Chancellor says she stands ready to act as we look towards the autumn and winter.

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 impact of rising domestic energy prices on low-income households.

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

The cost of living is the single biggest issue families are facing, and tackling affordability is this government’s number one priority. That is why the Chancellor has taken urgent action on the cost of living.

On 30 January, we also announced the continuation of the Warm Home Discount scheme until 2030/31, providing around 6 million eligible households with the £150 rebate on their energy bills each winter.

However, we recognise that there is much further to go if we are to end the era of high energy bills for good and permanently bring down the cost of living. That’s why we are sprinting for clean power by 2030, so we can end our reliance on international fossil fuel markets we do not control and deliver long-term energy security. We are also investing £15 billion through the Warm Homes Plan – the biggest home upgrade plan in British history – to help lift up to a million families out of fuel poverty by 2030.

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 onshore and offshore wind energy projects.

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

The Government has launched its Clean Power 2030 Action Plan, which set out a detailed plan for achieving the target of clean power by 2030.

The Government has secured a record 8.4GW of offshore wind in AR7, Europe’s biggest ever offshore wind auction - enough clean electricity to power the equivalent of over 12 million homes. The Government is also reforming its renewables auctions, tackling planning barriers, and taking bold action to accelerate network build.

Since removing the de facto ban on onshore wind in England in July 2024, the Government has published the Onshore Wind Strategy with actions to tackle barriers across planning, grid, aviation, skills and routes to market. AR7 secured 1.3GW of onshore wind, including England’s largest project for over a decade.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent assessment he has made of the potential for solar energy installations in public and commercial buildings.

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

The Government recognises there is significant potential to deploy rooftop solar on public and commercial properties.

As well as promoting rooftop solar for businesses, the Government is intensifying efforts to build renewables on the public estate. It is establishing a new Taskforce chaired by the Cabinet Office to assess where renewables can be built and support departments to bring forward viable projects.

Along with Great British Energy, the Government has invested £255 million in solar energy installations on public buildings, supporting around 250 schools, over 270 NHS sites and around 15 military sites across the country.

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 the resilience of the electricity grid against extreme weather events.

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

Energy Resilience is a top priority for Government. Government works continuously with industry to improve and maintain the resilience of energy infrastructure to a range of risks including extreme weather events.

The Energy Resilience Group (ERG), which brings together Government, regulators and industry, including network operators, works to identify lessons after all large energy incidents to ensure continuous improvement to the network.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what support is available to small and medium-sized businesses for the adoption of low-carbon technologies.

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

SMEs can access funding for low carbon technologies through schemes like the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.

We also encourage SMEs to visit the UK Business Climate Hub which provides advice to support SMEs to reduce costs and build resilience. It is run by the Broadway Initiative, in partnership with government and a coalition of business organisations.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what support is available to local authorities to promote low-emission public transport initiatives.

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

The Department for Transport has given local transport authorities in England over £21bn in multi-year funding settlements to spend on local transport outcomes. This gives local transport authorities more flexibility to spend money according to their local priorities, including low-emission public transport. The Department has supported the bus sector with almost £500m in direct funding for zero-emission buses (ZEBs), including up to £73.2m additional funding announced in March to support the delivery of 484 ZEBs in England, on top of £38 million announced last April.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure research of veteran's mental health in Northern Ireland is undertaken.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

The Government is committed to ensuring that veterans in Northern Ireland and across the UK, have easy access to support when and where they need it.

In 2025, we awarded £300,000 to the Defence Medical Welfare Service (DMWS) to deliver their ‘Improving NI Veterans Mental Health’ project, to help veterans and their families access mental health support and manage complex mental health conditions such as PTSD. This follows a DMWS pilot providing support for mental and physical health needs, such as PTSD, anxiety and depression, musculoskeletal problems and bereavement. Such projects provide valuable insight to improve our understanding of veterans’ health needs locally and complement existing provision by MOD Veterans Services NI, which provides direct support including psychological therapies, psychiatric assessment and physiotherapy.

As part of the UK-wide VALOUR initiative, we recently announced that Brooke House Health and Well-being Centre has been awarded £1 million to develop a VALOUR Recognised Centre (VRC) in Northern Ireland. The centre will provide trauma-informed health, welfare, housing and employment support to veterans through a six counties hub and spoke model.

VALOUR staff will maintain and evolve existing stakeholder networks within NI, improving collaboration, coordination, and access to services for veterans, enabling data-driven policy and service development to ensure that services are designed to meet local needs.

These initiatives build on the work of the 11 Veterans’ Champions in councils across Northern Ireland and the role of the Northern Ireland Veterans’ Commissioner.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to support the 2025 Apprenticeship Action Plan launched by the Northern Ireland Minister for the Economy.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

The Ministry of Defence recently launched the Northern Ireland Defence Growth Deal, which will deliver £50 million of defence investment in Northern Ireland over the next five financial years. Alongside the Defence Industrial Strategy, we have also launched a £182 million defence industry skills package that will support apprentices across the UK, including in Northern Ireland.

We are consulting with the Northern Ireland Executive’s Department for the Economy, as well as industry, academia and other key stakeholders, to determine the best use of this funding and how it can align with existing initiatives, such as the 2025 Apprenticeship Action Plan.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to reduce the number of households affected by the benefit cap.

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

One of the core principles of the benefit cap is to encourage work, with an exemption to the cap in place for households who are working and earning at least £881 each month. Households may also be exempt for a period of nine months if they have had earnings at or above the earnings threshold for at least a year.

Entering work remains a key route out of poverty and the Department is driving forward labour market interventions that will deliver a step-change in support to help customers to enter and progress in work, including through our Get Britain Working reforms.

There are exemptions to the cap for those who receive caring or disability benefits, reflecting the impact these have on being able to work and earn enough to meet the work exemption.

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 adequacy of payment levels under Universal Credit in meeting essential living costs.

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

The Government has taken important steps to improve the support available to help people with their living costs. This includes legislating to deliver the first sustained above inflation rise to the basic rate of Universal Credit since it was introduced, with the first increase starting in April. Additionally, the Secretary of State increased most working age benefits across Great Britain for 2026/27 by 3.8% in line with the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) in the year to September 2025.

We will continue to consider evidence and insights from a range of organisations to ensure the social security system provides the support people need.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to increase uptake of Pension Credit among eligible households.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government is committed to ensuring that all pensioners receive the support to which they are entitled. That is why we have been running the biggest ever Pension Credit take-up campaign across Great Britain, promoting Pension Credit to eligible pensioners and their families. The campaign has featured advertising on television and radio, social media, digital screens in GP surgeries and Post Offices screens as well as in the national and local press. The latest campaign burst launched in May 2026.

We are also using data to target potentially eligible households. For example, since February 2025 all new Housing Benefit claimants who may be eligible have been invited to apply for Pension Credit. We also conducted a trial with Age UK and Independent Age targeting 2,000 households in England, testing whether it is possible to identify potentially eligible households using HMRC and DWP data.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment his Department has made of the UK’s capacity to develop and manufacture vaccines for emerging diseases.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Vaccines are an important tool for preventing and mitigating the impacts of disease and an essential component of our preparedness for a pandemic or emerging infectious disease outbreak. Government investment across the vaccine development and manufacturing pipeline supports our resilience and we regularly review the United Kingdom’s current levels of capacity and capability, most recently as part of developing the Government’s pandemic preparedness strategy which was published on 25 March 2026.

Current capabilities highlighted in the strategy include an advance purchase agreement with Seqirus, which guarantees the UK population access to over 100 million doses of a pandemic influenza vaccine, entirely manufactured in the UK, and the partnership with Moderna, which aims to bring mRNA vaccine production capability to the UK and build resilience in the event of a new health emergency.

The Government’s Pandemic Preparedness Research and Development Framework, published on 8 July 2025, highlights the development and evaluation of vaccines as a core component of the research and development framework. The Department supports vaccine research and development through National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), NIHR research infrastructure, and UK investment in the UK Vaccines Network and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations. In addition, the UK Health Security Agency’s Vaccine Development and Evaluation Centre works directly with industry to support vaccine development pathways and the evaluation of new products.

The UK’s vaccine manufacturing sector is supported by government investment, including through the Life Sciences Innovative Manufacturing Fund (LSIMF), which is a capital grants fund of up to £520 million between 2025 and 2030 to support UK health resilience and help ensure a robust response to potential future health emergencies. Applications to LSIMF are assessed based on their contribution to the UK’s emerging infectious disease capability, including vaccine manufacturing.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps the is taking to help ensure the security of Northern Ireland connected underseas cables against military and criminal risks.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

Defence is committed to advancing HMG's work against hostile states and ensuring national security.

The Ministry of Defence works with and supports other Government departments, including the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) to safeguard critical infrastructure such as underwater cables throughout UK waters.

Through Atlantic Bastion, the Royal Navy is accelerating capabilities with UK industry to defend underwater infrastructure and play an even greater role in protecting critical underwater infrastructure.

Pet-inclusive homelessness and temporary accommodation

Detention of Iranian labour activist Yaser Ahmadinejad

Ratho Primary Glee Choir

Harpenden Hopper 10 year anniversary

Action Mesothelioma Day 2026

Carbon monoxide alarms

Nathalie Fullerton, Deputy Vice President of the Federation of Independent Retailers

50th anniversary of Number 22 Counselling Charity

Smiths of Harrogate 120th anniversary

Manna Bakery 10th anniversary

60th anniversary of City Road Club Hull

40th anniversary of the Knight School of Dance, Finchampstead

Adequacy of early years funding in Hampshire

Community One Stop Shop

Wokingham's Best Pub Competition

Improving access to elected office for disabled candidates

10th anniversary of Oxgangs Community Church

Direct bus service between mid-Wales and Cardiff

Energy costs

Gladstone Pottery Museum

500th anniversary of the Battle of Linlithgow Bridge

Air conditioning in hospitals, care homes, schools and nurseries

220th anniversary of Aikenhead House

M49 Severnside Junction

Northlands Primary School

Funding support for Drumchapel LIFE and Men Matter Scotland

Liz Connolly’s Volunteer Award

Scotland’s Tartan Army

1,100 years since the political unification of England

Volunteer Centre West Berkshire

110th anniversary of the 36th (Ulster) Division at the Somme

Migratory birds

Protections for UK egg producers

Brinkworth Dairy

The Multibank and Coronation Hub, Scotstoun

Tracklements receives King's Award for Enterprise

Duty to assess mental capacity

Hartley Pensions and FCA enforcement action

Ova the Hills

Deaths of humanitarian de-miners from Norwegian People's Aid

Birth of England in Westmorland in 927

Philip Crookall

Visibility, marketing and public safety of vaping products

Armed Forces Week

Resuscitation Council UK’s Check Your Defib Week

Ownership and regulation of water

Pat Knifton Hough and the King's Birthday Honours

Work of physician associates and the Leng review

Antisemitic hostility

Armed Forces Week 2026

Swift Awareness Week and Arloesi Dolgellau

Approval of teplizumab for Type 1 diabetes on the NHS

The Albert Tavern, Freuchie

Leicester Comedy Festival (No. 2)

Leicester Comedy Festival

Working in high temperatures

Camberley men's breakfast club

Cardonald Primary School and UNICEF Rights Respecting Schools Award at Gold: Rights Respecting

South Yemen

Western Sahara

Benson Community Shed

Kilsyth Civic Week 2026

Children of St Margaret of Scotland Primary School, Cumbernauld

Durham Markets 175th anniversary

Crawley Town Football Club’s Community Foundation

Pupil wellbeing at St Swithun’s CE Primary School

Safety of university students

Civil Service Pension Scheme

The Haven twin pubs in Cellardyke and Boston

FIFA's ban on flags showing Barrow AFC's crest at World Cup 2026

University of Aberdeen Medical School ASME Institutional Commitment to Scholarship Award

English Wine Week 2026

Glasgow's WestFest festival

Postural Tachycardia Syndrome

Judo Club Esprit athletes selected for Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games (No. 2)

Ham Hill Country Park

Lelia Gardner achieving the King's Scout Award

Chyngton Primary School and Nursery OPAL Platinum Award

Sensory room at Upton St James Primary School

Retirement of Vincent Willson of Citizens Advice, Teignbridge

Fountain Inn in Plumpton

Hydration breaks during FIFA World Cup 2026

Kirsteen Allison MBE

60 years of Leicester Karate Club, the UK's oldest karate club

West Dunbartonshire Schools Golf Championship

Christine Belcher’s charity wing walk for the RAF Wings Appeal

HPV vaccine

The House of Hope's first anniversary

Independent businesses in Fleet

Jeffrey Donaldson

Health Matters at New College Lanarkshire

Wellbeing support for fire and rescue services

Russian bombing of the monastery at Kyiv Pecherska Lavra

Heather Black, Llanegryn

Pollok United UEFA Grassroots Award 2025-26

Newton Abbot Rugby Football Club

Time To Talk Partnership wins Scottish Charity Award 2026

Support for pubs

Kevin Sinfield

Fireworks anti-social behaviour and regulation

Infected Blood Inquiry compensation

Gemma McGunnigle

Bus and train travel from the Republic of Ireland to the UK

Foster care system

One millionth parkrun

Scotland midfielder John McGinn

The Bell Inn shortlisted for one to watch category at Plunkett UK Rural Community Business Awards 2026

Museum online sales to Northern Ireland

10th annual Milngavie Week

250th Oriam Parkrun

Free court transcripts

Wild Roots Nature Fest 2026

Lewy Body Society

Lancaster Day and investment in Lancaster City Museum

Home Farm Fest 19

Pilot scheme for the hospitality VAT rate in Northern Ireland

Bonaly Primary School 50th anniversary and primary six mock elections

Team Scotland at the men's football World Cup

Dumbleton Cricket Club

Glenfarg Community Transport

Risk of AI chatbots to children

Eisteddfod yr Urdd 2026

Coastguard remuneration

Leith Walk Primary School 150th birthday

Horndon-on-the-Hill Primary School and school swimming lessons

Community spirit and the Coalsnaughton evacuations

Donnie MacMillan BEM

65th anniversary of the Princess Theatre

Lampeter Town AFC 100th anniversary

Retirement of Tracy Thirlwall

Payment of employment tribunal awards (No. 2)

Portsmouth as the watersports venue for the 2040 Olympic Games

Peregrine falcons in Woking

Future of children’s palliative care

South Western Railway and zero waste to landfill

Cross-border healthcare and Powys patients

Drumchapel United's 25th anniversary

Minehead RNLI's 125th anniversary

England men's football team

60 years of the Great Knaresborough Bed Race

Communications blackout and human rights in Azad Jammu and Kashmir

Prosecution of parents of children with SEND for school absence

Death sentences in Iran

Bowers & Pitsea FC

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance

Courthouse Junior's Platinum Award

Cardiac risk in the young

Global innovation and life saving equipment from Northern Ireland

Trio of King’s Badge recipients at 3rd Falkirk Boys’ Brigade

Nina Hayr

Dr Marion Rankin

Spear program in Cheltenham

20 years of the Corstorphine Fair

National Fish and Chip Day

Jeff Brown's contribution to Wellington Association Football Club

Found: I apologise that Jim Shannon is not with me —he did tell me he would be here.

Found: V: Jim Shannon. VI: Bob Blackman and Mary Kelly Foy.Alison Gardner made representations.