Every parliamentary written question tabled by James Naish this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 121–140 of 839 · this parliament
Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to help increase the affordability of insulation material for construction companies.
The government is consulting on long-term reforms to the construction products regulatory regime, which aims to create a dynamic environment that supports long-term economic growth, infrastructure and housing delivery.
What discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on supply chain disruption to the construction industry as a consequence of global effects; and what steps his Department is taking to help mitigate these effects on the construction industry.
My Department is monitoring the situation, and is in regular contact with stakeholders, including through our partnership with the Construction Leadership Council, which I co-chair.The Construction Leadership Council’s Material’s Supply Chain Group, in March 2026, noted the main disruption to the sector from the Middle East crisis is the rapid rise in energy prices and their immediate impact on material costs, particularly for products with energy-intensive manufacturing processes or derived from oil-based raw materials.Ministers are being kept updated on the supply chain disruption (and impacts) as part of our cross Whitehall monitoring.
What steps his Department is taking to help small construction companies in the context of recent global supply chain disruption to the construction industry.
My Department is monitoring the situation, and is in regular contact with stakeholders, including through our partnership with the Construction Leadership Council, which I co-chair.The Construction Leadership Council’s Material’s Supply Chain Group, in March 2026, noted the main disruption to the sector from the Middle East crisis is the rapid rise in energy prices and their immediate impact on material costs, particularly for products with energy-intensive manufacturing processes or derived from oil-based raw materials.Ministers are being kept updated on the supply chain disruption (and impacts) as part of our cross Whitehall monitoring.
Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of providing targeted funding to councils to increase infrastructure adoption on new estates.
I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement published on 18 December 2025 (HCWS1210).
Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of introducing national adoptable standards for new build estates.
I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement published on 18 December 2025 (HCWS1210).
Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of financial oversight and scrutiny arrangements in parish and town councils.
Parish and town councils are independent of central government. Decisions on precept levels are taken locally by individual councils, in line with the relevant legislative framework. The Government continues to monitor the precept increases set by town and parish councils, and considers whether to set referendum principles for the sector as part of the annual local government finance settlement process. Issues about parish council expenditure can be raised at the annual parish meeting. The Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015 require parish councils to complete and publish an Annual Governance and Accountability Return (AGAR) to support scrutiny of council spending and enable the local electorate to hold them to account. To strengthen public confidence in the oversight of parish council finances, the government committed to reviewing the AGAR process in its response to the Local Audit Strategy consultation published in April 2025. The government has no plans to assess the merits of developing mechanisms to hold former councillors to account.
Food and Rural Affairs, what progress her Department has made with enacting Schedule 3 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010.
The Government is strongly committed to improving the implementation of Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS). In December 2024 we made changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) to support increased delivery of SuDS. The NPPF now requires all development to utilise SuDS where they could have drainage impacts. These systems should be appropriate to the nature and scale of the proposed development. We consulted on a revised version of the NPPF, with new policies on local plans and national decision making, including flood risk and SuDS, and are now in the process of considering next steps. Better delivery of SuDS may be achieved by continuing to improve the current planning policy-based approach and looking at ways of improving the approach to adoption and maintenance, rather than commencing Schedule 3 to the Flood and Water Management Act 2010.
Communities and Local Government, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing mechanisms available to hold former parish or town councillors to account for financial decisions that have contributed to substantial increases in local precepts.
Parish and town councils are independent of central government. Decisions on precept levels are taken locally by individual councils, in line with the relevant legislative framework. The Government continues to monitor the precept increases set by town and parish councils, and considers whether to set referendum principles for the sector as part of the annual local government finance settlement process. Issues about parish council expenditure can be raised at the annual parish meeting. The Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015 require parish councils to complete and publish an Annual Governance and Accountability Return (AGAR) to support scrutiny of council spending and enable the local electorate to hold them to account. To strengthen public confidence in the oversight of parish council finances, the government committed to reviewing the AGAR process in its response to the Local Audit Strategy consultation published in April 2025. The government has no plans to assess the merits of developing mechanisms to hold former councillors to account.
What steps his Department is taking to support those with serious mental health conditions through the Individual Placement and Support Programme.
The Department recognises the importance of supporting people with serious mental health conditions to access and remain in employment.Support to improve employment outcomes is embedded within NHS Talking Therapies services. Employment advisers are available in all NHS Talking Therapies services in England and work alongside therapists to provide tailored employment support alongside psychological therapy. In general, people referred for employment support are able to access this within four weeks, and where appropriate, employment support can be provided alongside therapy, or earlier where there is an urgent work-related issue.For people with more severe mental illness, the Department is expanding the Individual Placement and Support programme so that 73,500 people can access this evidence-based service by March 2028.More widely, the Department recognises that the fit note process is not working as effectively as it should in supporting people to manage health conditions at work. Through initiatives such as the WorkWell Primary Care Innovation Fund, local areas are piloting improved ways of connecting people to appropriate work and health support, helping to support earlier returns to work and reducing avoidable pressure on psychological therapy services. Wider work to better join up health and employment support includes initiatives such as Health and Growth Accelerators. Further information can be found at the following link:https://www.gov.uk/government/news/funding-boost-to-support-patients-to-stay-in-and-return-to-work
What assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of expanding the list of allergens which require highlighting on food products to include botanically classified ingredients such as pine nuts.
There are many foods that people might be allergic to, but the current list of 14 allergens, defined in legislation, are those established as the most common allergenic ingredients or processing aids of public health concern across Europe. They must be clearly identified on prepacked foods and communicated effectively when eating out. Foods like pine nuts are not classified as tree nuts and as such are not named in the regulations. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is working with the British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology and other stakeholders to gather more information on hidden and emerging food allergens, which will help assess the need for further research and work in this area. Any change to the current list of the 14 mandated allergens would need to be supported by robust evidence and thoroughly assessed.The FSA continues to monitor the situation closely but at present there are no plans to amend the regulated list of 14 allergens. It advises those with an allergy or intolerance to foods outside of the mandated allergens should be able to check the ingredients list and avoid foods they need to, and in restaurants they should ask the person serving them if the food they wish to avoid is used in any of the dishes to make the right choices.
Pursuant to the Answer of 22 April 2025 to Question 44172 on Public Order Act 2023, what progress her Department has made with post-legislative scrutiny of the Public Order Act 2023.
As part of this Government’s commitment to protect the rights to freedom of expression and assembly, in May 2025 the Home Office began conducting post-legislative scrutiny of the Public Order Act 2023.The post-legislative scrutiny of this Public Order Act 2023 is ongoing and once completed, the command paper will be sent to the Home Affairs Select Committee in accordance with the guidance on established post legislative scrutiny. In parallel the Home Secretary has commissioned Lord Macdonald of River Glaven KC to conduct a review of public order and hate crime legislation which will be concluded by the end of Spring.
What steps his Department is taking to support families who have experienced an hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy event, including the provision of mental health support.
The Maternity and Newborn Safety Investigations (MNSI) programme provides independent, standardised, and family focused investigations for families, and where relevant, makes safety recommendations to improve services at a local level and across the whole maternity healthcare system in England. All cases of term hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE) are referred to the programme for external and independent review. As part of the programme’s investigatory process, families are provided a named MNSI investigator as a dedicated point of contact, and are also supported by local trusts.Mental health services are also available in all areas of England for women who have pre-existing mental health needs prior to their pregnancy, as well as for those who experience mental health difficulties during or as a result of their pregnancy, labour, or birth.
What steps his Department is taking to support the diagnosis and treatment of hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy.
There are robust, standardised criteria in place for diagnosing and treating hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE). Babies who meet these criteria are managed through regional networked pathways established by the British Association of Perinatal Medicine framework.Treatment approaches are evidence-based and tailored to the severity of the condition. For infants diagnosed with moderate to severe HIE, therapeutic hypothermia is the recommended intervention and is typically initiated within the first six hours following birth.To further support the diagnosis and treatment of hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy, research is underway to enhance our understanding of neonatal brain function following therapeutic cooling. Data relating to brain injury is also being incorporated into the Maternity Outcomes Signal System, which will trigger service-led critical safety checks, offering early insights into potential intrapartum care safety issues, and facilitating rapid intervention to reduce harm and improve outcomes for affected babies.
What assessment his department has made of the potential merits of listing hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy as a condition on the NHS website.
A formal assessment has not been made on the potential merits of listing hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy as a condition on the National Health Service website.
Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of current measures of deprivation in capturing dispersed and hidden poverty in rural communities.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) leads on management and publication of the English Indices of Deprivation (IoD). Defra collaborated with MHCLG on a review and update of the indices, published in October 2025. A comprehensive independent literature review identified factors affecting deprivation in rural areas and its measurement which were taken into account in the updated indices. As part of the IoD, MHCLG published a rural report.
Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department plans to incorporate transport costs, access to services and off-grid energy costs into its assessment of rural deprivation and need.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) leads on management and publication of the English Indices of Deprivation (IoD). Defra collaborated with MHCLG on a review and update of the indices, published in October 2025. A comprehensive independent literature review identified factors affecting deprivation in rural areas and its measurement which were taken into account in the updated indices. As part of the IoD, MHCLG published a rural report.
Whether his Department has undertaken any assessment of the risk that UK firms could be linked through supply chains to surveillance, security or prison-related technology used in Hong Kong’s correctional system against political prisoners.
The Government continues to highlight concerns about the erosion of rights and freedoms in Hong Kong in public statements, and monitors associated risks through wider human‑rights and supply‑chain due‑diligence policies. UK businesses are guided by NCSC supply‑chain security principles to identify and manage risks in complex supply chains. The UK operates a comprehensive regulatory framework for strategic export controls, which prevents the export of goods where there is a risk to domestic security, international security, or human rights.
What steps she is taking to provide long-term and stable funding for rural bus services.
The Government knows how important affordable and reliable bus services are in keeping communities connected, including in rural areas. The Government has confirmed over £3 billion from 2026/27 to support local leaders and bus operators to improve bus services over the spending review period. This includes multi-year allocations for local authorities under the Local Authority Bus Grant (LABG) totalling nearly £700 million per year.East Midlands Combined County Authority will be allocated £65.5 million of this funding from 2026/27 to 2028/29, in addition to the £21.7 million they have received in 2025/26. Funding allocated to local authorities to improve services can be used in whichever way they wish, to deliver better services for passengers, including expanding services and improving reliability. The formula used to calculate LABG allocations for 2026/27 onwards includes consideration of the rurality of local areas for the first time, acknowledging the challenges of running services in rural areas, in addition to population size, levels of deprivation, and the extent of existing bus services.
What steps she is taking to help ensure changes to driving test booking rules mean booking driving tests will be accessible to everyone.
The changes to driving test booking rules follow a call for evidence and a public consultation that many in the driving instructor industry responded to. In addition to reviewing the consultation responses, an options assessment was conducted. This provides a structured approach to decision making by evaluating the potential benefits, risks, and implications of different choices, in line with the better regulation framework guidance. The Options Assessment process is based on the ‘Rationale, Objectives, Appraisal, Monitoring, Evaluation, Feedback’ policy cycle and uses options analysis to ensure good practice in developing policy based on robust evidence. Further details of the options assessment will be published alongside amendments to The Motor Vehicles Regulations 1999 at a later date. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) knows that some learners might need help with the online booking process when these measures are introduced. Before they are implemented, DVSA will make sure the booking system continues to meet government digital accessibility standardsprovide clear, step-by-step guidance on how to book and manage testsoffer telephone support through our customer service centrereview what additional support may be needed for learners with disabilities or limited digital skills DVSA will provide further information on this before the change is implemented. DVSA has engaged with driving instructor representative bodies, including the National Associations Strategic Partnership (NASP), and large driving schools, before, during and after the consultation on improving car driving test booking rules.
Whether her Department plans to include transport cost as a proportion of household income, service frequency, journey times and reliability in assessments of transport poverty in rural areas.
The Department for Transport recognises that rural communities face particular transport challenges. As announced in the Government’s Child Poverty Strategy, the Department is developing a new transport poverty tool to help national and local bodies in England identify where transport connectivity and affordability may be barriers to people’s access to employment and essential services. In developing this tool, officials are considering a range of data sources, together with the perspectives of academics, local transport authorities, community organisations and residents through targeted research, to understand better the transport issues people, particularly those in low-income households, experience.