Asked by: James Cleverly (Conservative - Braintree)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Written Statement of 23 October 2025 entitled Delivering ambitious and high-quality sustainable growth in Greater Cambridge, HCWS990, what (a) water efficiency and (b) water interventions are being proposed; and whether they include changes to how households are billed for (i) water and (ii) waste water.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government’s water efficiency programme and wider water package will fund a range of measures to generate water savings and offset new development in Greater Cambridge. The first phase of the efficiency programme will roll out water retrofits in social housing and public buildings. The second phase and wider package is currently under development. The overall package is funded by government and will not impact on how households are billed.
Anglian Water is responsible for wastewater infrastructure for the Greater Cambridge area and Cambridge Water is responsible for water supply. Ofwat sets a price cap every five years for each water and sewerage company, which limits the maximum amount it can increase customer bills. Companies then use this price limit to set their individual bills.
Asked by: Andrew Gwynne (Independent - Gorton and Denton)
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 has taken to (a) protect fishing populations and (b) support fishing communities.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We are committed to the long-term sustainability and prosperity of the UK fleet. Our aim is to ensure that catch limits are set sustainably, consistent with the best available scientific advice, and rebuild stocks for the long term whilst also maintaining a viable and profitable fishing industry. Fisheries Management Plans (FMPs) will help deliver this ambition for sustainable fisheries - they are evidence-based plans that set out short, medium and long-term actions to restore or maintain stocks to sustainable levels.
We are also supporting fishing communities through the £360 million Fisheries and Coastal Growth Fund which we announced in May. Over the next twelve years this funding will support the next generation of fishermen and breathe new life into our coastal communities.
Asked by: Baroness Redfern (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to review further the apprenticeship levy arrangements, particularly the requirement that funds can be split equally between (1) apprenticeships, and (2) other, flexible training opportunities.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
This government is transforming the apprenticeships offer into a new growth and skills offer, which will deliver greater flexibility to employers and learners in England and support the industrial strategy.
At this stage, the government has not put targets or limits on the level of flexibility in the growth and skills offer. This will be informed by the result of Skills England’s analysis and engagement, including on where flexibilities will be most helpful for employers.
Asked by: Lord Spencer of Alresford (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of their economic strategy on (1) productivity, and (2) international confidence in the UK market.
Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
Increasing productivity is vital in driving economic growth, in turn improving the living standards of working people and putting money into people’s pockets. That is why growth is the priority mission of this government and why we continue to take steps to boost productivity.
This includes increasing the capital envelope by £120 billion over the SR period. Additional capacity announced at Spending Review 2025 and the 10 Year Infrastructure Strategy has allowed the government to increase the capacity of Public Financial Institutions by around 60% this Parliament, to £153 billion. We are also removing barriers to investment through ambitious planning reforms, and championing growth-enhancing sectors through our modern Industrial Strategy.
The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), in its role as an independent economic forecaster, has assessed the impact of the increase in capital departmental expenditure limits (CDEL) announced at Autumn Budget 2024 and the planning reforms set out at Spring Statement 2025. The OBR estimated that the CDEL increase would raise real GDP by approximately 0.26% after ten years, while the planning reforms were assessed to increase real GDP by around 0.42% over the same period.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 20 June 2025 to Question 58975 on Civil Service: Offices, for what reason offices outside London have a lower office attendance expectation.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has commenced a project to secure new and additional space in some of our offices outside London which supports the demand for office space we anticipate from completing the Places for Growth programme and increasing the proportion of our workforce outside London. Until that new and additional space is secured, it has and will be necessary to ensure attendance comes within statutory building safety limits. In some cases this may mean that individual office capacities will offer lower attendance ratios than others.
Asked by: Baroness Altmann (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the sale of Government bonds by insurance companies who have taken over pension fund assets in exchange for annuities on (1) growth and (2) Government bond yields.
Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The volume of government gilt issuance is determined by the Office for Budget Responsibility forecast for cash borrowing, adjusted for redeeming gilts, any unanticipated under/over-financing in the previous financial year, and financing via other sources (such as National Savings & Investments).
Underlying demand for the UK’s debt remains robust, with a well-diversified investor base and the Debt Management Office’s gilt sales operations continue to see strong demand.
Insurance companies have fewer incentives to invest in gilts than Defined Benefit schemes, so insurance buyouts are expected to reduce demand from the sector over the longer term. This is well understood by the market. Gilts continue to offer benefits to insurance companies, though, and there are limits to the pace at which insurers can buy out pension funds.
Historically, we have seen changes in demand patterns from across the investor base. Overall demand has however remained resilient throughout these periods of changing investor patterns as a result of our policy of supporting a strong and diversified market. More generally, gilt yields are determined by a wide range of both domestic and international factors.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have received from lenders asking for higher funding limits under the Growth Guarantee Scheme, and what plans they have to extend funding limits for lenders under the Scheme.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch
The Government and the British Business Bank maintain constant dialogue with Growth Guarantee Scheme Delivery Partners to ensure the terms and capacity of the Scheme remain appropriate. With the announcement of resources to facilitate an additional £500 million of lending through the Scheme to businesses affected by turbulence in global trade, the British Business Bank are working with Delivery Partners on how best to allocate this additional capacity. Funding allocations for future years are subject to negotiation.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the press release entitled Government steps in to back British business in changing world, published on 14 April 2025, whether any of the funding is additional to funding provided at the Spring Statement 2025.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The Government is committed to supporting British businesses as the world enters a new era of global trade. The government has increased the capacity of UK Export Finance (UKEF) to provide support for exporters by £20 billion and has expanded the British Business Bank (BBB) Growth Guarantee Scheme. UKEF operates at no net cost to the taxpayer and increasing its limits does not have a fiscal cost. BBB support is funded within the overall spending plans set out at Spring Statement 2025.
Asked by: Scott Arthur (Labour - Edinburgh South West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of the policy paper entitled Restoring control over the immigration system: white paper, published on 12 May 2025, on the finances of higher education institutions.
Answered by Janet Daby
This government welcomes international students who enrich our university campuses, forge lifelong friendships with our domestic students and become global ambassadors for the UK. Our world-class higher education (HE) sector can offer a fulfilling and enjoyable experience to international students from around the world.
The Immigration White Paper sets out a series of measures that will achieve a reduction in net migration, while maintaining the UK’s globally competitive offer to international students and making a significant contribution to growth by boosting our skills base. This includes the commitment to explore the introduction of a levy on HE provider income from international students, with proceeds to be reinvested in the domestic HE and skills system. We will set out more details around this in the Autumn Budget. Analysis of the potential impacts is based on the levy applying to English HE providers only. We will fully consult all the devolved governments on the implementation of the international student levy.
In March, Professor Edward Peck was appointed as substantive Chair of the Office for Students. Professor Peck will continue the excellent work of interim Chair, Sir David Behan, focusing on the sector’s financial sustainability and increasing opportunities in HE.
Moreover, in November, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education announced the difficult decision to increase tuition fee limits in line with forecast inflation. The maximum fee for a standard full-time undergraduate course in the 2025/26 academic year will increase by 3.1%, from £9,250 to £9,535. In return for the increased investment we are asking students to make, we expect the sector to deliver the very best outcomes, both for those students and for the country.
Alongside this, we expect all universities to have a sustainable business model. Our forthcoming plans for reform of the HE sector will set out how we will support universities in this regard.
Asked by: Scott Arthur (Labour - Edinburgh South West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of the proposed levy on higher education provider income from international students on Scottish universities.
Answered by Janet Daby
This government welcomes international students who enrich our university campuses, forge lifelong friendships with our domestic students and become global ambassadors for the UK. Our world-class higher education (HE) sector can offer a fulfilling and enjoyable experience to international students from around the world.
The Immigration White Paper sets out a series of measures that will achieve a reduction in net migration, while maintaining the UK’s globally competitive offer to international students and making a significant contribution to growth by boosting our skills base. This includes the commitment to explore the introduction of a levy on HE provider income from international students, with proceeds to be reinvested in the domestic HE and skills system. We will set out more details around this in the Autumn Budget. Analysis of the potential impacts is based on the levy applying to English HE providers only. We will fully consult all the devolved governments on the implementation of the international student levy.
In March, Professor Edward Peck was appointed as substantive Chair of the Office for Students. Professor Peck will continue the excellent work of interim Chair, Sir David Behan, focusing on the sector’s financial sustainability and increasing opportunities in HE.
Moreover, in November, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education announced the difficult decision to increase tuition fee limits in line with forecast inflation. The maximum fee for a standard full-time undergraduate course in the 2025/26 academic year will increase by 3.1%, from £9,250 to £9,535. In return for the increased investment we are asking students to make, we expect the sector to deliver the very best outcomes, both for those students and for the country.
Alongside this, we expect all universities to have a sustainable business model. Our forthcoming plans for reform of the HE sector will set out how we will support universities in this regard.