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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he plans to extend the Brownfield Land Release Fund.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The third round of the Brownfield Land Release Fund will launch this year. Design options are currently being explored by officials.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to support young people with the cost of living.

Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

At the Autumn Budget in 2025, the government took action to bear down on prices and target everyday expenses, including taking an average of £150 off household energy bills from this April.

The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 will strengthen protections for private renters and help tenants challenge unreasonable rent increases.

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 improve Endometriosis care.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

We are committed to improving the diagnosis, treatment, and ongoing care for gynaecological conditions including endometriosis, and we are taking action to address this, including delivering 5.2 million extra appointments between July 2024 and June 2025 across all specialities including gynaecology.

In September 2025, we announced an “online hospital”, via NHS Online, which will give people the choice of getting the specialist care they need from their home. NHS Online will help to reduce patient waiting times, delivering the equivalent of up to 8.5 million appointments and assessments in its first three years, four times more than an average trust, while enhancing patient choice and control over their care. Menstrual problems which may be a sign of endometriosis will be among the first conditions available for referral to NHS Online from 2027.

In November 2024, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) updated its guideline on endometriosis. This makes firmer recommendations for healthcare professionals on referral and investigations for women with suspected diagnosis and will help the estimated one in 10 women with endometriosis receive a diagnosis faster.

Additionally, research has led to new treatments being made available, including the NICE approval of two pills to treat endometriosis this year, Relugolix and Linzagolix. Both are estimated to help approximately 1,000 women with severe endometriosis for whom other treatment options haven’t been effective. NICE is working with National Health Service systems to ensure adoption of this best practice of endometriosis care, including access to approved medicines.

NHS England is updating the service specification for severe endometriosis which will be published in due course. This will improve the standards of care for women with severe endometriosis by ensuring specialist services have access to the most up-to-date evidence and advice.

The Department, through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), has commissioned a number of studies focused on endometriosis diagnosis, treatment and patient experience. At present, the NIHR is funding seven active research awards totalling an investment of approximately £7.8 million. This includes a new £2.3 million award on the effectiveness of pain management for endometriosis starting in March 2026.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how he plans to (a) embed climate adaptation and (b) integrate steps to mitigate and adapt within the seventh carbon budget.

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

The Climate Change Act (2008) sets out how government must consider both adaptation and mitigation when designing the pathway to net zero by 2050, through Climate Change Risk Assessments, National Adaptation Programmes and when setting Carbon Budgets.

As set out in the Government's response to the CCC's 2025 adaptation response, where relevant the Government is ensuring climate adaptation and net zero are integrated into research and policy, ensuring we are cutting emissions while building climate resilience. This will include during the process of driving policy action to meet the seventh carbon budget.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help support climate adaptation by Government.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Defra is the lead department for domestic climate adaptation and works across Government, including with the Cabinet Office, in delivering this function. Defra is responsible for coordinating requirements set out in the UK Climate Change Act 2008. This includes preparing a UK Climate Change Risk Assessment every five years, followed by a National Adaptation Programme. While Defra coordinates this work, Government departments have responsibility for managing climate impacts to their policy areas.

Defra is also working with Government departments to develop stronger adaptation objectives and delivery plans for those ahead of the fourth National Adaptation Programme (NAP4) in 2028.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans to make comedy venues eligible for the 15% business rates relief.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government has defined in guidance which properties will be eligible for the relief announced on 27^th January 2026 based on definitions used previously in the business rates system. Individual Local Authorities will need to determine which properties meet these definitions. Some comedy clubs may be eligible for the relief, depending on their specific circumstances.

Properties that are not eligible for this support will still benefit from the wider business rate support package announced at the Budget, worth £4.3 billion over the next three years. The Government is also introducing new permanently lower multipliers for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure properties, which includes comedy venues, gyms and leisure businesses open to the public and with rateable values below £500,000. As a result, over half of ratepayers will see no bill increases, including 23% seeing their bills go down next year. This also means most properties seeing increases will see them capped at 15% or less next year, or £800 for the smallest.

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