The Government is committed to setting stronger adaptation objectives to improve preparedness for climate impacts, supporting an ambitious fourth National Adaptation Programme in 2028. These objectives will be underpinned by evidence in the Climate Change Committee’s independent assessment of climate risk and the Well Adapted UK Report.

Wetter, healthy-functioning peatlands are more resilient to the impacts of wildfire. That is why, in September 2025, we amended the Heather and Grass etc Burning (England) Regulations 2021, restricting unnecessary burning on all upland deep peat without a licence, to enhance protection and improve the resilience of our moorlands.

Defra is encouraging landowners and land managers to adopt good quality wildfire management plans, use sustainable methods to manage habitat and restore their peatland.

Levels of standing charges in the non-domestic market are a commercial decision for suppliers, who typically set their prices based on network charge differences, leading to regional variations in electricity standing charges.

Nonetheless, the Government understands that for too many consumers, too much of the burden of the bill is placed on standing charges and is committed to lowering the cost of standing charges. Ofgem have recently launched a Cost Allocation Recovery Review to review how ‘fixed’ costs should be recovered in the future energy system. This includes whether costs could be recovered from consumers, including businesses in more progressive and fairer ways.

The government recognises that volatile energy prices remain a concern for small businesses in Cumbria and across the country. We are monitoring the impact of international energy markets on businesses and stand ready to respond.

The Chancellor recently announced the government would cut energy bills by up to 25% for over 10,000 manufacturers from April 2027 through the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme (BICS). BICS will be expanded by 40%, with one-off additional payment in 2027 rolled out to an extra 3,000 businesses, from 7,000 to 10,000 businesses.

Government is also working with Ofgem to reform the non‑domestic energy market, improving transparency and complaint handling.

Each fire and rescue authority is required to plan for the foreseeable risks in their area (including wildfire), through their Community Risk Management Plan (CRMP), and having regard to the views of other key local responders.  This includes a local assessment of response capacity.

Since 2024 the Government has funded a National Resilience Wildfire Advisor to assess what additional wildfire national capabilities might be needed to increase resilience to the wildfire risk and to ensure coordination of approaches across the sector.

It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

Current traffic management proposals for the M6 Lune Gorge project are being designed to keep traffic on the M6 motorway for the majority of the project. A contraflow system is planned on the M6 to provide a safe working area for construction, while maintaining sufficient lane capacity to avoid significant disruption to drivers.

There will need to be a limited number of full closures of the M6 overnight and at weekends. During these closures, traffic will be diverted onto the local road network using the A6, A591 and A590. This diversion route has been agreed with the relevant local highway authorities as the most suitable option.

National Highways’ current proposals for traffic management arrangements at Junction 38 would keep the junction partially open with traffic diverted via the M6 to the next junction and then back. National Highways is still considering options proposed by stakeholders, including temporary slip roads at junction 38 and other traffic mitigations.

National Highways does not intend to use the A685 as a diversion route. The decision to defer Lawtland House Bridge works, which the A685 runs over, was made to provide additional connectivity to the local community during the Lune Gorge project.

National Highways’ current traffic management proposals would keep Junction 38 of M6 partially open, apart from a limited number of full weekend and overnight closures. For the majority of the works, slip road closures would be phased, with traffic diverted via the M6 to the next junction and then back. While disruptive, they would be required to carry out the bridge replacement works safely. National Highways is still considering options proposed by stakeholders, including temporary slip roads at junction 38, and other traffic mitigations.

Traffic impacts on diversion routes are being assessed through live surveys with Westmorland and Furness Unitary Authority.

National Highways has undertaken over 60 engagement sessions since 2023 to understand the impact on the local community and businesses. As the project progresses towards construction in Spring 2027, the construction methodology and traffic management plans will be finalised. This work will determine what mitigation measures are both necessary and feasible to deliver the scheme safely.

National Highways shared its 2019 option assessment work for the M6 Lune Gorge scheme with local stakeholders, which considered mitigation measures, including the consideration of temporary slip roads at junction 38.

Following further stakeholder engagement, National Highways revisited this option and commissioned a feasibility exercise in August 2025. They presented their findings from the feasibility exercise in September 2025. Subsequently, BWB Consulting have put forward alternative proposals on behalf of local stakeholders. We are keen to work with local people and National Highways have committed to review these further proposals. National Highways will feed back on this.

At the meeting, National Highways shared information on its proposed delivery approach and emerging design and construction methodology. BWB Consulting raised questions and outlined high‑level proposals.

National Highways committed to further engagement.

Between 1 September 2025 and 14 April 2026, all recorded closures associated with preparatory works were partial closures only, affecting a single northbound or southbound carriageway, or lane closures. There were 18 overnight carriageway closures, each operating within a standard nine hour window (8pm – 5am), giving up to 162 hours of partial closures. In addition, lane closures from January 2026 total up to 270 hours. There were no full closures affecting both directions simultaneously during this period.

The M6 Lune Gorge bridge works are being undertaken to avoid future emergency interventions, such as unplanned closures or restrictions, which would have greater adverse impacts on local businesses, tourism and employment in Cumbria. These works will maintain the M6 as a safe and dependable corridor for freight, commerce and local communities for years to come.

National Highways has undertaken over 60 engagement sessions since 2023 to understand the local impact. National Highways is planning the works to minimise impact as far as possible and will continue to engage with local stakeholders to seek further mitigations where feasible.

Since 2023, National Highways has undertaken extensive engagement on the Lune Gorge project, including plans for M6 Junction 38, to understand its impacts and identify ways to reduce disruption. This has included meetings with Members, local authorities, industry bodies, residents and local businesses. National Highways has held over 60 engagement meetings and events, including four public information events in May and August 2025.

In addition, National Highways has established a Stakeholder Engagement Group to support ongoing communication with local stakeholders as the scheme progresses. The Department and National Highways recognise the importance of meaningful engagement for schemes of this scale and duration.

For most of the M6 Lune Gorge works, traffic, including freight, will continue to use the M6 via a contraflow arrangement, which has been assessed as providing sufficient capacity to avoid significant delays. National Highways does not anticipate significant changes to freight movements as a result.

A limited number of overnight and weekend full closures of the M6 will be required for safety reasons. For full closures between junction 38 and 39, traffic will use a fully signed diversion route via Junction 36 and the A6, A591 and A590, as agreed with relevant local highway authorities. This approach is intended to maintain connectivity between England, Scotland and Northern Ireland throughout the works.

Decisions on emergency service responses and traffic management decisions for motorway roadworks are for emergency service responders and National Highways, respectively. They have the expertise to make decisions with regard to responder access, public safety and site constraints, based on individual circumstances.

No assessment has been made by the Home Office of the potential impact to emergency service response times from the proposed roadworks at Junction 38 of the M6 Motorway.

National Highways is currently assessing the latest proposals for temporary slip roads at M6 Junction 38 and will feedback on this in due course.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning primary care services, including National Health Service dentistry, to meet the needs of the local population. The North East and North Cumbria ICB has implemented measures to improve access to dental services as part of the ICB’s Oral Health and Dental Strategy for 2025/27. Further information can be found on the NHS.UK website, in an online format.

The Government is committed to ensuring that people can access urgent dental care when they need it. Over the past year, ICBs have been commissioning additional urgent dental appointments and there is now an urgent care safety net available in all areas of the country. 1.8 million additional courses of NHS dental treatment have been delivered in the seven months between April to October 2025 compared to the corresponding months prior to the general election.

The following table shows the total number of general dental practice contracts, including the number of units of dental activity (UDA) and the total value, that were handed back in the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board since it took over the delegated commissioning responsibility in April 2023:

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning primary care services, including National Health Service dentistry, to meet the needs of the local population. Therefore, responses to these questions should be requested directly from the North East and North Cumbria ICB.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning primary care services, including National Health Service dentistry, to meet the needs of the local population. Therefore, responses to these questions should be requested directly from the North East and North Cumbria ICB.