Asked by: Jeremy Hunt (Conservative - Godalming and Ash)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will support the proposal made by the Netherlands government to amend the shoulder height requirements in regulation R129 at the upcoming 77th meeting of the UN Working Party on Passive Safety in Geneva in December.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The Department for Transport noted the informal document presented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the 77th meeting of the UNECE Working Party on Passive Safety (GRSP) in May 2025 to amend Regulation 129 on Child Restraint Systems. An associated working document was published on 23 September for the 78th meeting of GRSP in December.
The Government treats road safety seriously and is committed to reducing the numbers of those killed and injured on our roads. Where there is clear evidence of a substantial safety issue related to the design of vehicle accessories, the Department will consider positively the evolution of international regulations and will assess this proposal carefully in advance of the next meeting of GRSP.
Asked by: Roz Savage (Liberal Democrat - South Cotswolds)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what nature-based flooding solutions he plans to implement in South Cotswolds constituency.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Gloucestershire County Council, as Lead Local Flood Authority, coordinates a natural flood management partnership which plans Nature Based Solutions (NBS) projects across the county, including a scheme upstream of Cirencester to re-naturalise The Churn.
The Environment Agency (EA) funds and works with partners on NBS projects on the Upper Bristol Avon. Upstream of Malmesbury, the EA works with Bristol Avon Rivers Trust and on the Brinkworth Brook it is working with Wiltshire Wildlife Trust on the Wiltshire Rural Runoff Project. This project includes significant landowner engagement to raise awareness of NBS and opportunities to enhance sustainable land management practices, improve river habitat and water quality.
NBS measures upstream of Malmesbury will contribute towards reducing the height of flood peaks and will benefit properties at risk of flooding. The Brinkworth Brook project includes measures that could mitigate some flooding issues in the M4 corridor but will not stop flooding during larger events.
The EA is also keeping track of the small beaver population around Malmesbury, which are likely contribute positively to NBS in the future.
Asked by: Nadia Whittome (Labour - Nottingham East)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to help tackle litter along (a) motorways and (b) dual carriageways.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
National Highways is responsible for litter collection on motorways and some ‘A’ roads whilst the relevant local authorities manage litter collection on the rest of the roads in England.
National Highways is committed to keeping its roads predominantly free from litter, without compromising safety and delivering affordably. National Highways pick litter on a section of the Strategic Road Network (SRN) every day and is consistently working to deliver an improved and more rapid clean up using innovative interventions such as industrial vacuums, as well as undertaking a number of anti-littering interventions to influence behaviours and attitudes of road users towards litter. These include anti-littering messaging through social media, trialling AI enforcement cameras to capture those throwing litter on the SRN, using geofencing to send targeted anti-littering messages to mobile devices around identified litter hotspots, as well as putting up anti-littering posters and signs and installing car and lorry height bins at motorway service areas, to encourage drivers and passengers to dispose of their litter appropriately.
Asked by: Liam Conlon (Labour - Beckenham and Penge)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to identify buildings with dangerous cladding.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government has been clear that more must be done to accelerate the pace of remediation of unsafe buildings across the country.
After the Grenfell Tower tragedy, the Government prioritised identifying and providing funding for the highest risk buildings with unsafe cladding. Fire and rescue services and local authorities conducted a risk review of high-rise buildings over 18 metres in height, and building owners were required to register high-rise buildings with the department and apply for government funding to remove dangerous cladding.
The Building Safety Act 2022 establishes a new regulatory regime for high-rise buildings, which requires all residential buildings above 18 metres or seven storeys to be registered with the Building Safety Regulator by October 2023. The regulator has powers to pursue any building owner who fails to comply, including prosecuting for non-compliance.
In 2022, the Cladding Safety Scheme (CSS) was launched, to meet the cost of addressing life safety fire risks associated with cladding in buildings over 11 metres. Eligible building owners can apply for this scheme, and leaseholders can utilise the ‘Tell us tool’ to self-refer their building: Tell us about life-safety fire risks on the external wall system of your building - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
The department is working at pace to identify buildings eligible for funding that are not coming forward. We are utilising specialist data sources and knowledge from local regulators to identify buildings eligible for funding.
The Deputy Prime Minister wrote to mayoral authorities on the 13 September to support and empower them to deliver plans, which use their convening powers, relationships and local knowledge to accelerate where buildings are not remediating quickly. The identification of buildings with unsafe cladding falls within the remit of this initiative. The Deputy Prime Minister will set out further steps to increase the pace of remediation this Autumn.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent steps her Department has taken to identify buildings affected by (a) dangerous cladding and (b) other fire safety issues.
Answered by Rushanara Ali
The Government has been clear that more must be done to accelerate the pace of remediation of unsafe buildings across the country.
After the Grenfell Tower tragedy, the Government prioritised identifying and providing funding for the highest risk buildings with unsafe cladding. Fire and rescue services and local authorities conducted a risk review of high-rise buildings over 18 metres in height, and building owners were required to register high-rise buildings with the department and apply for government funding to remove dangerous cladding.
The Building Safety Act 2022 establishes a new regulatory regime for high-rise buildings, which requires all residential buildings above 18m to be registered with the Building Safety Regulator by October 2023. The regulator has powers to pursue any building owner who fails to comply, including prosecuting for non-compliance.
In 2022, the Cladding Safety Scheme (CSS) was launched, to meet the cost of addressing life safety fire risks associated with cladding in buildings over 11 metres. We estimate that there may be as many as 7,000 buildings that need remediation that have not yet applied for the scheme. Eligible building owners must apply for this scheme, and leaseholders can utilise ‘Tell us tool’ to self-refer their building. Tell us about life-safety fire risks on the external wall system of your building - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) The department is working at pace to identify buildings eligible for funding that are not coming forward. We are utilising specialist data sources and AI technology tools, and the CSS is contacting owners of identified buildings to check whether they have been assessed for unsafe cladding.
The Government has pressed the need for urgent action by local regulators to identify and assess buildings for unsafe cladding and other defects. The Government is supporting local authorities to boost their inspection and enforcement action by providing training, guidance and over £14 million in new burdens funding to date. We are writing to all metro mayors in England to ask for their support in driving forward local remediation acceleration plans to ensure buildings are identified and remediated at pace. We will set out further steps on plans to accelerate remediation this autumn.
Asked by: Mike Amesbury (Independent - Runcorn and Helsby)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what recent discussions he has had with the (a) Financial Conduct Authority and (b) Association of British Insurers on (i) the insurance pooling scheme for building safety and (ii) when the details of the scheme will be published.
Answered by Lee Rowley
All residential buildings above 11 metres in England now have a pathway to fix unsafe cladding, through either a taxpayer-funded scheme or developer-funded scheme; the Government has committed £5.1 billion to remove unsafe cladding from buildings. Five remediation schemes are underway:
Residents must be at the heart of building safety. This includes the significant and disruptive works required to remediate buildings, with those responsible for the project and works considering residents as a key stakeholder throughout. To that end on 27 July 2023, we published the Code of Practice for the Remediation of Residential Buildings which sets our expectations for all remediation projects. The Code places residents at the heart of remediations projects as the key stakeholder and sets the standard for how we expect all remediation projects to account and deliver for residents.
As of 31 December 2023, 950 buildings residential buildings over 18 metres in height in England have been deemed eligible for the Building Safety Fund due to the presence of unsafe non-ACM cladding. Of these, 486 (51%) have started or completed remediation and of those 231 (24%) have completed works.
The then Minister for Housing last met with the FCA on 11 October 2023 and the Secretary of State met the Association of British Insurers on 13 December 2023. We continue to press the insurance industry to launch their scheme, which leaseholders need urgently. The Association of British Insurers released a public update on the scheme on their blog on 19 December 2023.
In the last 6 months, both the Secretary of State and I have met with the FCA (on 11 October 2023) and the Association of British Insurers (on 18 August 2023, 27 November 2023 and 12 December 2023). The Secretary of State met the Association of British Insurers on 13 December 2023. We continue to press the insurance industry to launch their scheme, which leaseholders need urgently.
Asked by: Mike Amesbury (Independent - Runcorn and Helsby)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what steps he is taking to support residents of buildings with unsafe cladding.
Answered by Lee Rowley
All residential buildings above 11 metres in England now have a pathway to fix unsafe cladding, through either a taxpayer-funded scheme or developer-funded scheme; the Government has committed £5.1 billion to remove unsafe cladding from buildings. Five remediation schemes are underway:
Residents must be at the heart of building safety. This includes the significant and disruptive works required to remediate buildings, with those responsible for the project and works considering residents as a key stakeholder throughout. To that end on 27 July 2023, we published the Code of Practice for the Remediation of Residential Buildings which sets our expectations for all remediation projects. The Code places residents at the heart of remediations projects as the key stakeholder and sets the standard for how we expect all remediation projects to account and deliver for residents.
As of 31 December 2023, 950 buildings residential buildings over 18 metres in height in England have been deemed eligible for the Building Safety Fund due to the presence of unsafe non-ACM cladding. Of these, 486 (51%) have started or completed remediation and of those 231 (24%) have completed works.
The then Minister for Housing last met with the FCA on 11 October 2023 and the Secretary of State met the Association of British Insurers on 13 December 2023. We continue to press the insurance industry to launch their scheme, which leaseholders need urgently. The Association of British Insurers released a public update on the scheme on their blog on 19 December 2023.
In the last 6 months, both the Secretary of State and I have met with the FCA (on 11 October 2023) and the Association of British Insurers (on 18 August 2023, 27 November 2023 and 12 December 2023). The Secretary of State met the Association of British Insurers on 13 December 2023. We continue to press the insurance industry to launch their scheme, which leaseholders need urgently.
Asked by: Mike Amesbury (Independent - Runcorn and Helsby)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the building safety fund.
Answered by Lee Rowley
All residential buildings above 11 metres in England now have a pathway to fix unsafe cladding, through either a taxpayer-funded scheme or developer-funded scheme; the Government has committed £5.1 billion to remove unsafe cladding from buildings. Five remediation schemes are underway:
Residents must be at the heart of building safety. This includes the significant and disruptive works required to remediate buildings, with those responsible for the project and works considering residents as a key stakeholder throughout. To that end on 27 July 2023, we published the Code of Practice for the Remediation of Residential Buildings which sets our expectations for all remediation projects. The Code places residents at the heart of remediations projects as the key stakeholder and sets the standard for how we expect all remediation projects to account and deliver for residents.
As of 31 December 2023, 950 buildings residential buildings over 18 metres in height in England have been deemed eligible for the Building Safety Fund due to the presence of unsafe non-ACM cladding. Of these, 486 (51%) have started or completed remediation and of those 231 (24%) have completed works.
The then Minister for Housing last met with the FCA on 11 October 2023 and the Secretary of State met the Association of British Insurers on 13 December 2023. We continue to press the insurance industry to launch their scheme, which leaseholders need urgently. The Association of British Insurers released a public update on the scheme on their blog on 19 December 2023.
In the last 6 months, both the Secretary of State and I have met with the FCA (on 11 October 2023) and the Association of British Insurers (on 18 August 2023, 27 November 2023 and 12 December 2023). The Secretary of State met the Association of British Insurers on 13 December 2023. We continue to press the insurance industry to launch their scheme, which leaseholders need urgently.
Asked by: Baroness Smith of Basildon (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government what guidance has been issued to the film and television industry regarding the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.
Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Shadow Minister (Work and Pensions)
Work in the film and television industry is covered under the general requirements of the Health and Safety etc. Act 1974 and associated regulations. However, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) also provides extensive guidance on common or higher risk activities encountered across multiple industries which may be applicable to activities within film and television production, e.g. working at height or managing asbestos (when filming on location).
HSE also provides a range of guidance which is specific to film and television industry that describes the various roles and responsibilities of those within the production process (INDG360: Health and safety in audio-visual production. Your legal duties) and information sheets for specific production activities and risks, e.g. stunts, use of firearms and filming while using vehicles.
All guidance and information are freely available on the HSE website, a section of which is dedicated to health and safety in the film, theatre and broadcasting industries.
Alongside this, industry specific guidance is also available from a range of industry bodies and stakeholders.
Asked by: Dan Jarvis (Labour - Barnsley North)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what recent assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the Work at Height Regulations 2005.
Answered by Paul Maynard
The Work at Height Regulations 2005 set out the approach necessary to ensure the safety of people working at height. They place clear responsibilities on employers and those in control of any work at height to prevent falls by making sure work is properly planned, supervised, and undertaken by competent people. This includes using the right type of equipment including, where suitable, ladders.
In 2022/23, 40 fatal injuries were due to falls from a height accounting for 30% of all worker deaths1 over the year. The level of fatality and major injury arising from falls is still high so there is an ongoing need for the regulations to focus attention on the issue.
Following the announcement of the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill, Heath and Safety engagement with industry groups and trade organisations demonstrated extensive support to retain the Work at Height Regulations. The Regulations are well embedded in the health and safety framework and recognised as a key instrument in ensuring effective workplace health and safety standards.
1Work-related fatal injuries in Great Britain, 2023 (hse.gov.uk)