Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what guidance his Department has issued to the Advertising Standards Authority on a fossil fuel advertising ban.
Answered by Katie White - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The government is committed to reducing emissions from high carbon products and will continue to bring forward proposals to do so. For example, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) is assessing the potential for voluntary ecolabels. Ecolabels provide information on the carbon intensity and environmental impact of products and services, to help inform consumers’ purchasing decisions. The Committees of Advertising Practice and Advertising Standards Authority regulate the content and targeting of advertising in the UK, and the advertising codes include rules on environmental claims.
The ASA system operates independently of the government. The government does not currently have any plans to restrict fossil fuel advertising. The Government has not issued any guidance to the ASA regarding fossil fuel advertising.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to reduce the gap between breast cancer outcomes in the most and least deprived areas.
Answered by Sharon Hodgson
Reducing inequalities in cancer outcomes is a key priority for the Government. Through the National Cancer Plan for England, we are taking action to narrow the gap in breast cancer outcomes between the most and least deprived communities by improving earlier diagnosis, expanding access to diagnostic services, reducing unwarranted variation in care, and ensuring people receive personalised support throughout their cancer journey.
The plan includes targeted and risk-stratified approaches to screening and diagnosis, measures to improve uptake among underserved groups, and support for the use of artificial intelligence in breast screening to help detect cancers earlier. It also expands access to diagnostic services through investment in community diagnostic centres and diagnostic infrastructure.
To reduce unwarranted variation in care, NHS England has published guidance on implementing a timed breast cancer diagnostic pathway to support faster and more consistent diagnosis, improve patient experience, and support delivery of the faster diagnosis standard. NHS England has also commissioned national clinical audits for primary and metastatic breast cancer to improve the consistency and quality of care. In addition, the plan strengthens the use of data to identify and tackle inequalities in access, experience, and outcomes, helping to ensure that all patients receive high-quality care regardless of where they live.
Together, these measures will help ensure that all patients have the best possible chance of timely diagnosis, effective treatment, and improved outcomes, regardless of where they live.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of aviation engineering workforce shortages on the future resilience of the aviation sector.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Both the Department for Transport and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) engage regularly with operators as part of oversight activities and stakeholder meetings.
Current evidence through these engagements show that the approved maintenance organisations maintain sufficient numbers of licensed engineers to meet their operational requirements.
Aviation operates in the private sector, and it is for employers in the sector to ensure that they have the workforce skills they need to continue operating and expanding in future. Government and the CAA will continue to engage with the sector, and will consider options to intervene, when suitable and proportionate.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what role Industry Training Boards will play in supporting skills development in sectors with technical workforce shortages like aviation engineering.
Answered by Andrew Western - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Industry Training Boards (ITBs) play an important role in supporting skills development for the sectors that fall within the scope of their respective industries, as defined by legislation made under the Industrial Training Act 1982. Aviation engineering is not, however, included within the scope of either the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) or the Engineering Construction Industry Training Board (ECITB).
The ITBs raise a levy on in-scope employers, which they use to make better provision for training within their industry. This includes identifying skills needs in their industries, maintaining occupational standards and competence, funding support for apprenticeships and skills training, promoting careers in their industries, helping employers recruit and retain new entrants, and investing in sector-specific skills programmes. These activities help ensure employers in their industries have access to the skilled workforces needed to meet current and future industry demand.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what criteria Skills England will use to identify priority occupations and future skills needs in sectors such as aviation engineering.
Answered by Andrew Western - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Skills England published its Annual Skills Report and Sector Skills Needs Assessment on 1 June 2026. This is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/skills-england-annual-skills-report-and-sectoral-skills-needs-assessments-2026. The reports feature skills assessments of the Advanced Manufacturing sector and Defence sector, both of which include aerospace engineers as a priority occupation.
Methods used to select priority occupations and project future demand were selected by sponsoring government departments, considering current demand data, economy-wide projections, strategic priorities and expert judgement from the sector. For Defence the sponsoring department is the Ministry of Defence and for Advanced manufacturing it is the Department of Business and Trade.
Skills England also assess skills needs through the UK Standard Skills Classification, identifying the occupational and core skills areas relevant to priority occupations at a sectoral and economy-wide level.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of long training lead times for licensed aircraft engineers on future aviation capacity and connectivity.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
To become a certified aircraft engineer in the UK, individuals must obtain a Civil Aviation Authority Part-66 Aircraft Maintenance Licence, which typically takes between three and five years to achieve. This reflects the rigorous theoretical knowledge, practical training, and workplace experience required to maintain aviation safety standards. The existing UK regulation already allows for engineers training to be fast tracked, where they undergo training through a ‘basic course’ proved by a UK approved Part 147 organisation. This basic training allows the reduction for Category B licences from 5 years’ experience to 3 years and for Category A licences from 3 years to 1 year.
Aviation operates in the private sector, and it is for employers in the sector to ensure that they have the workforce skills they need to continue operating and expanding.
The Department continues to monitor the workforce outlook for the sector overall through ongoing engagement with the industry.