Committee publication · Correspondence · 15 July 2026
Letter from the Secretary of State Environment, Food & Rural Affairs in response to the committees letter relating to Extreme Weather: heat, 14 July 2026
From: Environmental Audit Committee
Inquiry: Extreme weather: heat
Summary
Secretary of State Emma Reynolds responds to the Environmental Audit Committee's letter on extreme weather and heat resilience. The government commits to strengthened climate adaptation through the fourth National Adaptation Programme (NAP4), due 2028, with cross-departmental action on workplace temperatures, public building overheating, housing standards, and vulnerable populations. Specific initiatives include HSE consultation on workplace temperature guidance, £6.75bn NHS investment, £710m school retrofit programme, and Building Regulations Part O review.
Key findings
- Government committed to preparing NAP4 (2028) with stronger, measurable adaptation objectives against 2°C warming scenario by 2050, following Climate Change Committee advice
- HSE launching public consultation this year on Approved Code of Practice changes for workplace temperature; legal duty already exists for employers to assess heat risks and maintain reasonable indoor temperatures
- NHS receiving £6.75bn over 9 years for estates resilience including cooling/ventilation; all new Hospital Programme builds from 2025 must incorporate climate adaptation measures
- Schools receiving £710m Renewal and Retrofit Programme to 2029-30 plus £20bn School Rebuilding Programme for 750+ schools; new construction framework requires overheating risk assessments and ground source heat pumps
- Part O Building Regulations (2022) already mandate new homes mitigate overheating; full technical review committed to ensure effectiveness as climate changes; active cooling should not be primary intervention due to high operational costs
Tone
ProceduralTopics
Key actors
Emma Reynolds, Toby Perkins MP, Climate Change Committee, Health and Safety Executive, Department of Health and Social Care, Ministry of Justice, Department for Education
Notable line
“The Government has committed to strengthen our approach to climate adaptation, to build our resilience and prepare for a minimum of 2 degrees of global warming by 2050 in line with the advice …”
Key Quotes
“I am committed to making sure we have robust plans in place for climate adaptation.”
“There is already a legal duty for employers to fully assess the risks to workers from extreme heat, and additionally to ensure a reasonable temperature for indoor workplaces.”
“… all NHS organisations are required to have effective business continuity arrangements for extreme weather, aligning with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA)'s Adver se Weather Health Plan.”
“Part O of the Building Regulations, which came into force in 2022, requires that new residential buildings are built to mitigate the risk of overheating.”
“… active cooling should not be the primary or sole intervention given the high operational costs for the household and subsequent impact of system demand.”
“Defra has commenced work to prepare NAP4 which will be published in”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗