Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help tackle educational underachievement.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.
All children and young people should have every opportunity to succeed, but too many face barriers holding them back, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The government’s Plan for Change sets our intention to give every child the best start in life, setting a milestone of a record proportion of children starting school ready to learn, backed by investment close to £1.5 billion over the next three years, subject to the spending review.
High and rising standards are the key to strengthening outcomes for every child. The department is driving standards in every school through regional improvement for standards and excellence teams, a refreshed high quality curriculum and assessment system, and recruiting an additional 6,500 additional teachers.
The Schools White Paper will build on our existing work to drive school standards and improve outcomes for all children.
This is alongside wider work to improve outcomes for all children, including tackling child poverty and our Post-16 Education and Skills Strategy.
Asked by: Suella Braverman (Reform UK - Fareham and Waterlooville)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when he plans to publish full details of the Warm Homes Plan; and whether he has made an assessment of the effect of the delay on businesses operating in the energy‑efficiency and eco‑homes sector.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government published the Warm Homes Plan on 21 January 2026. The Warm Homes Plan will invest £15 billion, making it the biggest ever public investment to upgrade British homes and cut bills.
We will help millions of households benefit from solar panels, batteries, heat pumps and insulation that can save a typical household £550 a year compared to a gas boiler – reducing our exposure to the volatile international fossil fuel markets which have driven the cost-of-living crisis.
This comes on top of the measures announced at the Budget, which took an average of £150 of costs off energy bills from April 2026.
We will reach up to 5 million homes by 2030, tackle fuel poverty and create good jobs across the country. Our plan will unlock £38 billion in total investment across this Parliament, and with additional funding for skills, innovation and UK manufacturing, we will ensure that British workers and businesses reap the benefits.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what financial support is available for the installation of solar panels in UK domestic settings.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Solar is an important part of the Government’s strategy for increasing energy performance of buildings and contributes to meeting the government’s fuel poverty targets.
The Warm Homes Plan will deliver £15 billion of public investment helping households take up measures like solar panels, heat pumps, batteries and insulation. Homeowners will soon be able to apply for government-backed, low and zero interest loans to assist with upfront costs for solar.
Asked by: Clive Betts (Labour - Sheffield South East)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to help protect private renters from rent increases after landlords invest to improve the energy efficiency of homes in line with the new energy efficiency standards.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The government is standing up for renters through new minimum energy efficiency standards in the private rented sector, and proposed standard for the social rented sector, which will lift around 650,000 households out of fuel poverty.
Landlords should provide clear communications about any changes, and government will provide guidance for landlords and tenants so that tenants know what to expect. There is also support available for landlords, including financing options.
The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 delivers stronger protections for tenants, including the right to appeal above‑market rents, the removal of Section 21 ‘no‑fault’ evictions, and a simplified tenancy structure. These measures increase security for renters and support them to challenge poor practice, and unfair rent rises without risking eviction.
Asked by: Carla Denyer (Green Party - Bristol Central)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to Question 103540 answered on 13 January, what discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on potential impact of the extension of the qualifying period for indefinite leave to remain on the Child Poverty Strategy.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
In developing the Child Poverty Strategy, the Child Poverty Taskforce considered all children across the UK, including migrant children and children in families subject to the No Recourse to Public Funds condition.
The earned settlement model is currently subject to a public consultation, running until 12 February 2026. Details of the earned settlement scheme will be finalised following that consultation.
Asked by: Callum Anderson (Labour - Buckingham and Bletchley)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what plans his Department has to monitor changes in energy efficiency in homes in Buckingham and Bletchley constituency over the next five years.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Through delivery of the Warm Homes Plan we will reach 5 million homes by 2030, through direct support for those on low incomes and in fuel poverty, and innovative low-interest finance available to all.
We will publish monitoring statistics and evaluation of policies announced in the Warm Homes Plan. DESNZ currently publishes statistics covering the uptake and impacts of energy efficiency measures on GOV.UK.
The Warm Homes Plan will help lift up to one million households out of fuel poverty by 2030 through public investment and new minimum energy efficiency standards for private landlords.
DESNZ’s annual sub-regional fuel poverty statistics estimate the rates of fuel poverty in constituencies within England, so will reflect the impacts of the Warm Homes Plan in time.
Asked by: Callum Anderson (Labour - Buckingham and Bletchley)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure low-income households in Buckingham and Bletchley constituency can access grants for energy-efficient improvements.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Through the Warm Homes Plan, we are offering direct support for low-income families backed by £5 billion of public investment.
Low-income grant funding will continue to be delivered through the government’s Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund (WH:SHF) and Warm Homes: Local Grant (WH:LG) as planned, honouring existing funding agreements.
The WH:LG has been allocated £500m to provide energy performance measures and low carbon heating to low-income households across England through participating local authorities, including Buckinghamshire.
DESNZ, and its delivery partners, will continue to work with local authorities to ensure as many eligible households as possible receive support during the scheme.
Additionally, alongside the Warm Homes Plan we published a new fuel poverty strategy for England, to help lift up to 1 million households out of fuel poverty by 2030.
Asked by: Callum Anderson (Labour - Buckingham and Bletchley)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking with social housing providers in Buckingham and Bletchley constituency to help reduce energy costs for tenants.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Warm Homes Plan will deliver £15bn of public investment and help lift up to a million families out of fuel poverty by 2030. This includes support for those on low-incomes and the introduction of minimum energy efficiency standards for the social rented sector, which will slash the cost of heating for families, making homes warmer and more comfortable. Previously, Milton Keynes City Council had received £3 million under SHDF Wave 1, £22.7 million under SHDF Wave 2.1, and now £2.5 million as part of the just under £1.15bn Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund. The funding will support energy efficiency and low‑carbon heating upgrades, helping raise properties below EPC Band C up to that standard.
Asked by: Alex Mayer (Labour - Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate he has made of the number of people who will benefit from the Warm Homes Plan in (a) Central Bedfordshire, (b) the East of England and (c) England.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
We have invested £15 billion in the Warm Homes Plan, making it the biggest investment in home upgrades ever. We will reach 5 million homes by 2030, through direct support for those on low incomes and in fuel poverty, and innovative low-interest finance available to all. The Warm Homes Plan will help lift up to one million households out of fuel poverty by 2030 through public investment and new minimum energy standards for private landlords.
The Department will publish monitoring statistics and evaluation of policies announced in the Warm Homes Plan. DESNZ currently publishes statistics covering the uptake and impacts of energy efficiency measures here.
Asked by: Victoria Collins (Liberal Democrat - Harpenden and Berkhamsted)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to help reduce annual increases in household energy bills in Harpenden and Berkhamsted constituency.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Tackling the affordability crisis is Government’s number one priority. Energy bills remain too high – that is why we are acting to bring bills down now and for the long term. At the last Budget, we took an average of £150 of costs off energy bills from this coming April. On top of this around six million households will receive the £150 Warm Home Discount, after we expanded the scheme for this winter.
In addition, the Government’s Warm Homes Plan is the biggest investment in home upgrades ever, with £15 billion of investment to cut energy bills, bring households out of fuel poverty, increase our energy security and make our homes warmer and more efficient. The £15 billion total includes £5 billion directed towards low income and fuel poor households, helping to lift up to one million households out of fuel poverty by 2030.