Asked by: Max Wilkinson (Liberal Democrat - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, whether the £4.75m contribution from the Office of Life Sciences for phase two of the Sequence ME & Long Covid study for this project will be supplemented by funding from MRC.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
There are no plans for MRC to provide further funding to the study.
Asked by: Max Wilkinson (Liberal Democrat - Cheltenham)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of introducing lifetime carbon emissions reporting for buildings.
Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government is committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2050 and recognises that embodied carbon can account for a significant portion of a building’s whole life carbon emissions. As steps to reduce operational carbon take effect, the share of whole life carbon emissions taken up by embodied carbon will increase.
My Department has commissioned research to build understanding of the impacts of measuring and reducing embodied carbon, summarise the data currently available, and to identify where any gaps or challenges lie. We have published the final report, Consideration of embodied carbon in new buildings, to share the insights with industry. The Government is considering its next steps on this matter carefully.
Asked by: Max Wilkinson (Liberal Democrat - Cheltenham)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of option 2 of the 'Raising accessibility standards for new homes' consultation document, mandating the current M4(2) requirement in Building Regulations as a minimum standard for all new homes.
Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Requirements set out in the Building Regulations 2010 include Part M, ‘Access to and use of Buildings’. These requirements intend that new building work meets the needs of occupants with differing needs, including some older or disabled people and wheelchair users, and allow adaptation of the dwelling to meet changing needs over time. Statutory guidance, called Approved Documents, offer guidance to developers about how to meet the legal requirements set out in the Building Regulations. M4(2) homes provide enhanced accessibility, requiring features such as a living area and step free access at entrance level. M4(3) homes meet or can be easily adapted to meet the needs of wheelchair users.
Government recognises the importance of increasing the supply of housing for people with greater need for adaptability or accessibility, through the planning system. The Government’s new National Planning Policy Framework and consultation response were published on 17 August 2026, setting out requirements for authorities to deliver accessible housing. Plans should set out the proportion of new homes that should be delivered to M4(2) and M4(3) accessibility standards, to meet or exceed identified need. There is a clear position that at least 40% of housing on major development should be built to M4(2) to drive-up provision, particularly in areas that do not already have clear requirements. In the consultation response, Government committed to providing further guidance to assist local authorities in assessing older and disabled people’s housing need and will consider appropriate engagement to support this work.
Asked by: Max Wilkinson (Liberal Democrat - Cheltenham)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what plans she has to implement the recommendations of the 2020 ‘Raising accessibility standards for new homes' consultation.
Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Requirements set out in the Building Regulations 2010 include Part M, ‘Access to and use of Buildings’. These requirements intend that new building work meets the needs of occupants with differing needs, including some older or disabled people and wheelchair users, and allow adaptation of the dwelling to meet changing needs over time. Statutory guidance, called Approved Documents, offer guidance to developers about how to meet the legal requirements set out in the Building Regulations. M4(2) homes provide enhanced accessibility, requiring features such as a living area and step free access at entrance level. M4(3) homes meet or can be easily adapted to meet the needs of wheelchair users.
Government recognises the importance of increasing the supply of housing for people with greater need for adaptability or accessibility, through the planning system. The Government’s new National Planning Policy Framework and consultation response were published on 17 August 2026, setting out requirements for authorities to deliver accessible housing. Plans should set out the proportion of new homes that should be delivered to M4(2) and M4(3) accessibility standards, to meet or exceed identified need. There is a clear position that at least 40% of housing on major development should be built to M4(2) to drive-up provision, particularly in areas that do not already have clear requirements. In the consultation response, Government committed to providing further guidance to assist local authorities in assessing older and disabled people’s housing need and will consider appropriate engagement to support this work.
Asked by: Max Wilkinson (Liberal Democrat - Cheltenham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of a VAT exemption on installing solar panels for schools.
Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General
VAT is a broad-based tax on consumption, and the 20 per cent standard rate applies to most goods and services, including solar panels purchased by schools. However, the Government operates VAT refund schemes which allow schools maintained by local authorities and academies to recover VAT paid on goods and services purchased in the course of providing free education.
Private schools that charge VAT on their fees may recover their VAT costs through the normal input tax rules.
Asked by: Max Wilkinson (Liberal Democrat - Cheltenham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department plans to introduce a VAT exemption for schools installing solar panels.
Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General
VAT is a broad-based tax on consumption, and the 20 per cent standard rate applies to most goods and services, including solar panels purchased by schools. However, the Government operates VAT refund schemes which allow schools maintained by local authorities and academies to recover VAT paid on goods and services purchased in the course of providing free education.
Private schools that charge VAT on their fees may recover their VAT costs through the normal input tax rules.
Asked by: Max Wilkinson (Liberal Democrat - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what initiatives her department is running to support schools wanting to install solar panels.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Through the grant-funded Great British Energy Solar Partnership scheme, we have already completed 245 solar installations in schools and colleges, helping them reduce carbon emissions and save an estimated £220 million on energy bills over the panels’ lifetime.
The department is building on this success through our Renewal and Retrofit Programme. In phase one, around 100 schools and colleges in Yorkshire and the Humber, the East Midlands and the South East will receive grant-funded solar installations, subject to site suitability and feasibility assessments. Solar panels may also be installed alongside wider renewal and retrofit works, including the replacement of life-expired temporary buildings.
Schools may be able to access solar installations through Power Purchase Agreements, which can help settings benefit from cheaper, cleaner electricity without any upfront costs.
Asked by: Max Wilkinson (Liberal Democrat - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what initiatives are in place to support schools wanting to install solar panels.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Through the grant-funded Great British Energy Solar Partnership scheme, we have already completed 245 solar installations in schools and colleges, helping them reduce carbon emissions and save an estimated £220 million on energy bills over the panels’ lifetime.
The department is building on this success through our Renewal and Retrofit Programme. In phase one, around 100 schools and colleges in Yorkshire and the Humber, the East Midlands and the South East will receive grant-funded solar installations, subject to site suitability and feasibility assessments. Solar panels may also be installed alongside wider renewal and retrofit works, including the replacement of life-expired temporary buildings.
Schools may be able to access solar installations through Power Purchase Agreements, which can help settings benefit from cheaper, cleaner electricity without any upfront costs.
Asked by: Max Wilkinson (Liberal Democrat - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the contribution of coach travel in connecting the South West.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department recognises the important role coach sector plays in providing access across the country for education, business and leisure. We work with the sector to ensure they can continue to provide vital links between towns and cities, to places of education and other transport connections.
The Western Gateway Sub-National Transport Body is doing positive work to improve coach connectivity in the South West. In 2023, it published its Coach Strategy, which provided a comprehensive review of the sector in the South West and identified the role the sector can play in improving regional connectivity.
Asked by: Max Wilkinson (Liberal Democrat - Cheltenham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps the Government is taking to improve post-diagnosis support and ongoing care for people diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease or dementia.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer the Hon. Member to the D100: Pathway Assessment Tool, which is available at the following link:
This self-assessment tool has been mapped to the key themes of the Well Pathway for Dementia, Preventing Well, Diagnosing Well, Supporting Well, Living Well, and Dying Well. Under Diagnosing Well, this tool recommends that people with a dementia diagnosis have had their care and support plan reviewed in the preceding 12 months.
We will deliver the first ever Modern Service Framework for Frailty and Dementia to deliver rapid and significant improvements in quality of care and productivity. We aim to publish the full modern service framework by the end of this calendar year, as recommended by Baroness Casey.