Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what steps he is considering to support small and medium sized businesses operating in high street premises.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government’s Plan for Small Businesses sets out measures to support high street businesses by addressing crime, updating our licensing regime and targeting funding through our Pride in Place and High Street and Growth Incubator programmes. Businesses on the high street are also benefitting from new tools to access finance, action on late payments and regulatory costs, greater digital adoption and easier access to business support through the Business Growth Service.

Permanently lower business rate multipliers for retail, hospitality and leisure properties announced last year are worth nearly £1 billion per year and will benefit over 750,000 properties. Alongside this we introduced a support package worth £4.3 billion to protect ratepayers seeing large overnight increases in bills due to revaluation.

Further action will be announced in a new High Streets Strategy later this year.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what plans her Department has to consider leasehold service charges in the cost-of-living taskforce.

Answered by Sally Jameson - Parliamentary Secretary and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Reforms to leasehold service charges remains a matter led by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment her department has made of the potential impact of the Immigration and Asylum Bill on the social care sector.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department of Health and Social Care works closely with the Home Office on immigration issues affecting the adult social care sector, including the workforce. On 29 July, the Prime Minister set out his objectives for reforming social care and brought forward the timetable for Baroness Casey’s commission. The objectives are available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pm-sets-out-new-path-to-fix-social-care-together-29-july-2026

The commission will review all aspects of the current system, including staffing in the social care sector, and the Government will continue to update Parliament as this work progresses.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many leaks were reported across water supply infrastructure in Barking constituency over the last five years.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Environment Agency monitors water company leakage through annual reporting across a 12-month period, assessing delivery against Water Resources Management Plans. Water companies have committed to reducing leakage by 50% from 2017/18 levels by 2050. Under the Environment Act 2021, the statutory Water Demand Target includes an interim target to reduce leakage by 30% by 2032, helping put companies on a pathway to meet the 2050 commitment. Government is also supporting smart meter rollout, which can help identify leakage through more timely and accurate data.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions her Department has had with Thames Water regarding sewage discharge in the River Roding.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Thames Water assets, including sewage treatment works, pumping stations, sewers and surface water outfalls, are regularly considered in pollution investigations within the River Roding catchment. Thames Water is progressing Environment Agency approved Asset Management Period 8 (AMP8) schemes, including storm overflow investigations, enhanced monitoring and infrastructure upgrades, to reduce pollution and sewage discharge impacts.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to improve water quality of the River Thames tributaries such as the River Roding.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The River Roding is affected by wastewater discharges, urban drainage and sewer misconnections. The Environment Agency works with partners to address these pressures through the Government’s Plan for Water. Under Thames Water’s Asset Management Period 8 (AMP8) programme, investigations, enhanced monitoring and storm overflow improvements are being delivered to reduce pollution impacts.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if the former Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Devolution, Local Growth and Communities, the hon. member for Barking, received a Ministerial severance payment upon leaving Government.

Answered by Jim McMahon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The former Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Devolution, Local Growth and Communities, the hon. member for Barking, was eligible for and has received a severance payment following her departure from government in July 2026.

Details of ministerial severance payments are published in the relevant department’s annual report and accounts.

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The Committee are launching an inquiry into the UK export support system. The inquiry examines whether the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade alongside UK Export Finance:

Submit Evidence (by 12 Nov 2026)

Entrepreneurs are vital to driving growth, innovation, competition, productivity and job creation, across the country and across communities.