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If she will make a statement on her departmental responsibilities.
If she will make a statement on her departmental responsibilities.
National Highways and local authorities are working together through initiatives, such as the £165 million growth and housing accelerator fund, to unlock housing sites where transport infrastructure is a barrier. I will ask National Highways to reach out to my hon. Friend.
While many of our ongoing discussions in this House rightly focus on decarbonising heating, climate change means that cooling is becoming increasingly important, too, particularly in the context of our recent extreme heatwaves. As these heatwaves become increasingly frequent, homes and businesses in Erewash and across the country increasingly need cooling as well as heating. What steps is the Secretary of State taking to ensure that the growing demand for air conditioning is met through energy-efficient technologies and clean electricity, so that adaptation to climate change does not come at the expense of our net zero goals?
While many of our ongoing discussions in this House rightly focus on decarbonising heating, climate change means that cooling is becoming increasingly important, too, particularly in the context of our recent extreme heatwaves. As these heatwaves become increasingly frequent, homes and businesses in Erewash and across the country increasingly need cooling as well as heating. What steps is the Secretary of State taking to ensure that the growing demand for air conditioning is met through energy-efficient technologies and clean electricity, so that adaptation to climate change does not come at the expense of our net zero goals?
My hon. Friend is absolutely right. We know that active cooling systems will be really important to manage overheating in buildings. That is why we announced that we will extend support under the boiler upgrade scheme to include air-to-air heat pumps, which offer both heating and cooling. These grants make £2,500 available for installation of those systems, and air-to-air heat pumps are also included in the VAT relief scheme for energy-saving materials, which are currently subject to 0% VAT. It is a very important issue for the future.
What steps he plans to take following recent weather events to help tackle climate change.
What steps he plans to take following recent weather events to help tackle climate change.
What steps she is taking to help increase prosecution rates for crimes involving violence against women and girls.
What steps she is taking to help increase prosecution rates for crimes involving violence against women and girls.
A new Best Start family hub is opening in Cotmanhay, bringing together support for families in one of the most deprived communities in my constituency and across Derbyshire. As the Government roll out the hubs nationwide, what steps is the Minister taking to ensure that they improve school readiness and help close attainment gaps before children even reach the classroom?
A new Best Start family hub is opening in Cotmanhay, bringing together support for families in one of the most deprived communities in my constituency and across Derbyshire. As the Government roll out the hubs nationwide, what steps is the Minister taking to ensure that they improve school readiness and help close attainment gaps before children even reach the classroom?
I thank my hon. Friend for all that he has done to secure that new hub in Cotmanhay. All the evidence shows that children who start school on the backfoot find it much harder to catch up. The Conservatives gutted Sure Start and let school readiness flatline, but this Government want the best start for every child. That is why we are setting a stretching target for record proportions of children to be ready for school, and why we are transforming early education and family support services with record investment and a strategic focus that has long been lacking.
If she will make a statement on her departmental responsibilities.
If she will make a statement on her departmental responsibilities.
What steps her Department is taking with international partners to support the response to the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
What steps her Department is taking with international partners to support the response to the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The UK has allocated £26.9 million of UK aid funding to support the response to the current Ebola outbreak within the DRC. That funding will strengthen disease surveillance and rapid response, and improve infection prevention and control. We are also working with the World Health Organisation and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention to help scale up the response and adapt existing programmes. This is a deeply concerning situation. Over the coming weeks, we will continue to work intensively alongside international partners to monitor developments and take the necessary action to protect both regional and global health security.
The covid-19 pandemic showed us how quickly infectious diseases can spread globally and the importance of acting early to contain outbreaks at source. Given that lesson, can the Minister outline how the UK is working with international partners to strengthen pandemic preparedness through this response, including by improving surveillance, early warning systems and rapid response capacity in countries like the Democratic Republic of the Congo, so that outbreaks such as Ebola are contained before they pose a wider global health risk?
The covid-19 pandemic showed us how quickly infectious diseases can spread globally and the importance of acting early to contain outbreaks at source. Given that lesson, can the Minister outline how the UK is working with international partners to strengthen pandemic preparedness through this response, including by improving surveillance, early warning systems and rapid response capacity in countries like the Democratic Republic of the Congo, so that outbreaks such as Ebola are contained before they pose a wider global health risk?
As my hon. Friend said, our immediate priority is supporting the DRC and the Africa-led response to the Ebola outbreak. The UK and international support will also strengthen health systems so that countries can better respond to future outbreaks. That includes backing Government-owned surveillance systems through the World Bank and major global health organisations. It also means providing UK expertise through mechanisms such as the UK Health Security Agency’s UK public health rapid support team.
Particularly for people with a very low body mass index or an eating disorder, the use of app-based fitness classes for hours of ultra-high-intensity exercise every day can lead to addiction. When I wrote to one brand to ask about implementing access limitation tools in its app, it was dismissive. Will the Secretary of State consider reviewing whether such tools could be mandated to support those with eating disorders?
Particularly for people with a very low body mass index or an eating disorder, the use of app-based fitness classes for hours of ultra-high-intensity exercise every day can lead to addiction. When I wrote to one brand to ask about implementing access limitation tools in its app, it was dismissive. Will the Secretary of State consider reviewing whether such tools could be mandated to support those with eating disorders?
What steps she is taking to help increase regional economic growth.
What steps she is taking to help increase regional economic growth.
The government is committed to ensuring that growth is felt in every region of the UK, and the Chancellor named regional growth as one of her three main economic focuses in her recent Mais lecture.
At the Budget and Spending Review, we committed to £725 billion of economic and social infrastructure investment across the country over the next decade. We have also published a new Green Book to ensure all parts of the country get a fair hearing on public spending decisions.
Because of the previous Government’s actions, the number of people not in employment, education or training rose by nearly 250,000 between 2021 and 2024, leaving many hundreds of my constituents among the almost 1 million young people in that situation today. I am glad to see, then, that the Secretary of State is taking action to support young people in Erewash through the youth guarantee. Further to that, will the Secretary of State please explain the measures that his Department is taking to address the decade-long trend of growing youth unemployment?
Because of the previous Government’s actions, the number of people not in employment, education or training rose by nearly 250,000 between 2021 and 2024, leaving many hundreds of my constituents among the almost 1 million young people in that situation today. I am glad to see, then, that the Secretary of State is taking action to support young people in Erewash through the youth guarantee. Further to that, will the Secretary of State please explain the measures that his Department is taking to address the decade-long trend of growing youth unemployment?
My hon. Friend will know that the number of young people not in education, employment or training rose by about a quarter of a million in the last three years of the Conservative party’s time in power, but that Government did nothing about it. We are putting in place a youth guarantee that offers training, work experience, subsidised employment and hiring incentives to small and medium-sized employers for both regular jobs and apprenticeships. That is all part of the effort to make sure that young people do not graduate from education to a life on benefits, and that they get the chance in life that a decent job brings.
What steps his Department has taken to support the advanced manufacturing sector.
What steps his Department has taken to support the advanced manufacturing sector.
Happy St George’s day, Mr Speaker. Erewash is home to many workers whose labour is vital to national security, employed at firms such as Rolls-Royce or at our many small and medium-sized advanced manufacturers, building things like jet engine parts. Although we have broadly been kept out of Donald Trump’s war on Iran, many global threats still loom. What steps will the Government take to protect British workers and secure supply chains for the UK defence industry?
Happy St George’s day, Mr Speaker. Erewash is home to many workers whose labour is vital to national security, employed at firms such as Rolls-Royce or at our many small and medium-sized advanced manufacturers, building things like jet engine parts. Although we have broadly been kept out of Donald Trump’s war on Iran, many global threats still loom. What steps will the Government take to protect British workers and secure supply chains for the UK defence industry?
I am grateful to my hon. Friend for raising that important point. The UK’s defence industry is a cornerstone of our national security and an engine for growth. We are committed to spending £2.5 billion more with defence SMEs and recently launched the Defence Office for Small Business Growth, a key driver to improve SME access to defence opportunities. The £31 billion that we spend annually with the defence industry in the UK powers over 460,000 jobs and 24,000 apprenticeships nationwide, including many high-quality roles in the east midlands.
What steps his Department is taking to improve national security.
What steps his Department is taking to improve national security.
The Cabinet Office is driving implementation of the national security strategy. At CyberUK yesterday, I called on AI companies and innovators to work with the Government to build national-scale AI cyber-defence capabilities, and announced that a further £90 million will be invested to boost cyber-resilience. I also visited His Majesty’s Naval Base Clyde, where the Government are investing £250 million to strengthen our national security and deter our adversaries.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps the Government will take to ensure that the sale of properties acquired by HS2 minimises disruption to existing tenancies and safeguards the housing of current tenants.
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps the Government will take to ensure that the sale of properties acquired by HS2 minimises disruption to existing tenancies and safeguards the housing of current tenants.
We recognise the concern regarding disruption to existing tenants due to the sale of HS2 properties that are no longer required. We are committed to ensuring that sales are delivered in a sensible and sensitive way. We will provide updates to tenants as the programme develops and, wherever possible, properties will be sold where tenancies have run to the end of their term.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the government plans to include representatives of families with a child harmed by maternity or neonatal negligence, and a representative of women harmed by maternity or neonatal negligence, on the National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the government plans to include representatives of families with a child harmed by maternity or neonatal negligence, and a representative of women harmed by maternity or neonatal negligence, on the National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce.
Family voices are at the heart of our work to improve maternity and neonatal care.
There are four family representatives on the National Maternity and Neonatal Taskforce, many of whom have experienced bereavement in maternity and neonatal services. To hear a wider breath of family voices, the taskforce will be supported by three family Expert Reference Groups. These will comprise of people who have lived experience of maternity and neonatal care, particularly, but not exclusively, those families and mothers who have experienced harm or bereavement.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will will consider exempting PhD students from the International Student Levy.
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will will consider exempting PhD students from the International Student Levy.
We are engaging with the higher education sector to shape the design of the International Student Levy (ISL) to make delivery as easy as possible for providers. A technical consultation on the delivery of the ISL was open for responses until 18 February 2026. The government will publish its response in Summer 2026.
We have listened to concerns raised by the sector. The levy will not be introduced until 2028/29 to give providers time to plan for its introduction. Providers will also pay the ISL one year in arrears, to help with their financial planning and will also be given an allowance for the first 220 international students per year. This is to mitigate the ISL having a disproportionate impact on smaller providers, particularly those operating specialist and resource intensive models with limited other means of cross-subsidisation.
I thank the Secretary of State for her answer. Despite the massive Government increases in funding generally, in a recent meeting of the Science, Innovation and Technology Committee, we heard how the Science and Technology Facilities Council is currently dealing with a significant reduction in funding, particularly in particle physics, astronomy and nuclear physics. Michele Dougherty, the executive chair of the STFC, placed the blame squarely on decisions made prior to her arrival and explained her efforts to sort out the mess, but it is the scientific community, research professionals and UK science that will feel the brunt of this funding crunch. What is the Secretary of State doing to ensure that UK science is not damaged by STFC’s historical failings?
I thank the Secretary of State for her answer. Despite the massive Government increases in funding generally, in a recent meeting of the Science, Innovation and Technology Committee, we heard how the Science and Technology Facilities Council is currently dealing with a significant reduction in funding, particularly in particle physics, astronomy and nuclear physics. Michele Dougherty, the executive chair of the STFC, placed the blame squarely on decisions made prior to her arrival and explained her efforts to sort out the mess, but it is the scientific community, research professionals and UK science that will feel the brunt of this funding crunch. What is the Secretary of State doing to ensure that UK science is not damaged by STFC’s historical failings?
A lot of concerns have been raised by the physics community about this issue. The STFC’s budget is actually flat over the spending review, but, as the executive chair says, there have been overspends in its budget over the past five years or so. Those overspends have had to be met from elsewhere in UKRI’s budget, meaning other things have not been funded as a result. STFC and UKRI are looking at how to get the balance right among their different projects. They, and our Minister for Science, Innovation, Research and Nuclear, will be engaging closely with the physics community over the coming months to make sure we get this right.
What steps she is taking to increase levels of funding for UK Research and Innovation.
What steps she is taking to increase levels of funding for UK Research and Innovation.
I am very proud that this Labour Government have put the biggest investment into research and development of any Government ever, with a record £38 billion for UK Research and Innovation, including £14 billion for curiosity-led research. This week, we announced our ambitious plan to buy usable, large-scale quantum computers by the early 2030s, backed by £2 billion of funding—a world first. We are backing our world-leading quantum sector, because we are determined to do everything to back our brilliant British scientists, innovators and entrepreneurs.
In December 2024, 18-year-old Noah Smedley from Ilkeston in my constituency was killed when he was stabbed by a 17-year-old armed with a Rambo knife. For a young man to lose his life this way, murdered by another teenager, was absolutely devastating to our community. There was a very deep public outcry of grief in this tight-knit town with a strong local identity. Noah’s death hit the town profoundly. Could the Minister outline the work that the Government are doing to protect young people, especially teenage boys, from the horrors of knife crime?
In December 2024, 18-year-old Noah Smedley from Ilkeston in my constituency was killed when he was stabbed by a 17-year-old armed with a Rambo knife. For a young man to lose his life this way, murdered by another teenager, was absolutely devastating to our community. There was a very deep public outcry of grief in this tight-knit town with a strong local identity. Noah’s death hit the town profoundly. Could the Minister outline the work that the Government are doing to protect young people, especially teenage boys, from the horrors of knife crime?
Each case is an absolutely tragedy, and Noah’s is no different. On behalf of the Government, I send our commiserations and thoughts to his family and, indeed, the whole community, which suffers when these events occur.
In the past 18 months of this Labour Government, we have seen an 8% reduction in knife crime, which is a start. Very recently, we invested a further £15 million in the turnaround programme—a specialist programme aimed at early intervention, working particularly with young people and teenagers. We have set out a three-year funding settlement for youth justice services, offering for the first time in a generation that stability and certainty. We have taken tens of thousands of dangerous knives off the streets, and have invested in violence reduction units, young futures hubs and young futures panels. There is a lot more to do, but this Labour Government are getting on with the job of tackling knife crime.