Young people have consistently expressed a strong desire for more education on climate change, so they are prepared for life and work in a changing world. Teachers have also highlighted previously that limited depth on environmental topics in the national curriculum has made it difficult to develop effective provision in this area.

The independent Curriculum and Assessment Review recommended earlier sequencing and updated environmental content within the subjects of citizenship, geography, science, and design and technology. The Secretary of State is considering the recommendations of the Review, and we expect there will be a public consultation on the proposals for the curriculum and assessment system in due course.

The department takes periods of hot weather and heatwaves seriously and has published a climate risk assessment and continues to support Responsible Bodies and schools to provide education in a safe environment. The department has published guidance on hot weather available via the Education Hub on www.gov.uk.

In addition to the recent guidance published by the Department for Education, on Friday 14 August, millions of people were sent wildfire emergency phone alerts warning against any activity that could start a fire. The Emergency Alerts system is used to amplify and complement other methods of warning and informing the public in emergency situations. In this case, we took the decision to use the system after a direct request from fire and rescue services on the front line of the fight against wildfires.

The Government furthermore released a press notice reminding the public not to light fires and to take litter home, and took action to implement a temporary ban on disposable barbecues. Various public information campaigns from the Fire and Rescue Services (national and local) include fire safety advice for the public.

The Cabinet Office develops Emergency Alerts in collaboration with local responders and emergency services. Every Alert is carefully coordinated with responding public bodies and each request is evaluated by the Cabinet Office on a rigorous, case-by-case basis to ensure it is necessary for public safety.

All Emergency Alerts must meet the criteria for use and since the launch of the capability in April 2023, the Cabinet Office has authorised seven live activations, six of which were related to extreme weather.

The Government remains ready to deploy the capability at short-notice in response to risks that pose a danger to life, including but not limited to flooding, severe weather and wildfires.

Following the devastating wildfires this summer, the Prime Minister has committed to holding a Wildfire Summit later this year. The summit will bring together a range of partners to turn the lessons of the exceptional wildfire and extreme heat events of 2026 into practical action.

We recognise that clear public information helps stop wildfires starting and helps people protect themselves and their property. We are making wildfire advice more visible, including through social media during high-risk periods, the Cabinet Office Prepare website, the Fire Kills campaign and StayWise, the NFCC-led education platform. We will consider what more we can do as part of the wildfire summit.

During the period of hot weather, ASRU assessed temperature data provided by MBR Acres in June and July 2026, and found no evidence of adverse animal welfare impacts.

Establishments are required to undertake daily checks by competent persons to monitor animal welfare and environmental conditions, take prompt action where necessary, and report any actual or potential breach of licence conditions to the Home Office.

Genetic technologies offer huge potential for British farmers, enabling development of crops that are more nutritious, resistant to pests and disease, resilient to climate change and more environmentally beneficial.

The department is supporting innovation through Defra’s Farming Innovation Programme, funding a £12.5 million competition specifically for precision breeding, including drought resistant crops. Defra’s Genetic Improvement Networks Platform also supports £15m crop breeding R&D for priority climate resilience traits, including drought and heat.

Land managers have an important role in assessing and managing wildfire risk. Defra is supporting land managers to manage risk and put in place proportionate wildfire management plans, reflecting local risks and circumstances. These plans may include considerations of risk, control measures and monitoring mechanisms.

Defra officials are working with ALBs to ensure an aligned and coherent approach to wildfire policy. Defra’s agencies have a central role in resilience and preparedness, and officials in Defra’s agencies are working closely with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and Defra to ensure an aligned and coherent approach to wildfire policy. The Forestry Commission supports wildfire resilience through forest and land management, risk assessment and operational preparedness, and Natural England provides evidence-based advice on environmental impacts, habitat management and nature recovery, including burning licence applications.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) estimates that the mortality burden of air pollution is linked to 29,000-43,000 deaths annually. The ONS does not produce estimates of the number of deaths attributable to ozone, PM2.5 or PM10 during specific heatwave periods.

The Government is pushing ahead with reforms to the water sector under our Plan for Change, which includes £104 billion of private investment, including £8 billion dedicated to improved drought planning, long-term water resource management and the delivery of 9 new reservoirs alongside major infrastructure upgrades to reduce leakage and improve water security.

The department takes periods of hot weather and heatwaves seriously and has published a climate risk assessment on GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/impact-of-uk-climate-change-risk-on-the-delivery-of-education/summary-of-findings-in-relation-to-3-climate-risks-overheating-flooding-and-water-scarcity.

The department publishes non-statutory guidance on ventilation, thermal comfort and indoor air quality in schools in Building Bulletin 101, available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/building-bulletin-101-ventilation-for-school-buildings. There are no plans to update this guidance.

The department has recently launched a new construction framework and updated design standards, setting out requirements for all new and refurbished school buildings delivered by the department in England, which are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/design-standards-employers-requirements. These standards are separate to Building Bulletin 101. They cover overheating risk assessments which account for rising temperatures associated with climate change, as well as external shading, cross ventilation and the use of cooling through ground source heat pumps.

The Government is committed improving water resilience. With increasing demand and the climate changing, the need for investment in resilient water supply infrastructure is necessary to meet our future needs.

Water companies have the statutory duty to provide a secure supply of water and set out how they plan to continue to do this through statutory Water Resources Management Plans (WRMPs). WRMPs set out how each company will maintain resilient water supplies for at least the next 25 years. Within their WRMPs, companies consider all options, including improved demand management and a mix of new water resources infrastructure, such as reservoirs, large scale water transfers, desalination and water recycling. The EA has published a summary of new water infrastructure planned by the water companies: Appendix C: Revised draft water resources management plans supply options - GOV.UK (see attached).

I completely recognise the importance of the point that the hon. Lady has made; she has made it previously. The Government have established and tested response protocols in place for all severe weather events. The impact of each is often very different based on different factors, but I give her an assurance of the seriousness with which we take these issues. We are working across Government to ensure that our response is proportionate to the nature of the threat we face from climate change.

The next national adaptation programme, NAP4, is not due until 2028, but the wildfires and droughts we saw this summer and the impending extreme El Niño show that we cannot wait that long. Will the Minister commit to taking urgent action to tackle resilience before then and give our farmers, communities and householders the support they need to face the challenges of drought, wildfire and flood risk?

The Government does not currently plan to introduce statutory maximum and minimum temperature ranges for each species housed in establishments licensed under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.

The statutory Code of Practice requires establishments to maintain conditions that protect the welfare of animals in their care. This allows environmental conditions to be appropriate to variable requirements within a species, for example according to factors such as age, health, housing, acclimatisation and the nature of the procedures being undertaken.

Further guidance is available to establishments in the Advisory Standards, which provide suggested (non-mandatory) temperature ranges for different species, and their named persons. The regulatory framework therefore combines relevant numerical guidance with outcome-based requirements. Establishments must monitor environmental conditions and animal welfare, assess the risks arising from temperature extremes, and take prompt corrective action where necessary.

Compliance is assessed against the Act, licence conditions and the Code of Practice, including whether an establishment’s monitoring, contingency arrangements and response protect animal welfare in practice.

The Forestry Commission works with woodland owners and managers to improve resilience to droughts and wildfires through its practice guidance, Lantra accredited training, communications and financial support. The Government funds measures through Countryside Stewardship to improve woodland resilience, including support for fire and fuel breaks and wildfire management. It also supports climate-resilient woodland creation through appropriate species selection, woodland design and long-term management.

Forestry England works closely with Fire and Rescue Services and landowners to prevent and prepare for wildfires through vegetation management, fire and fuel breaks, emergency response planning, weather monitoring and public awareness campaigns, while the Forestry Commission provides advice and communications during periods of high wildfire risk.

I refer the Hon Member to the report published by the UK Health Security Agency on excess deaths linked to the heatwaves in May and June, available at the link below, and to the accompanying response from my Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/ukhsa-report-shows-2877-excess-deaths-caused-by-may-and-june-heatwaves