The Government is supporting heat batteries by including them in the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, with a £2,500 grant to support homes that are not suitable for heat pumps. Heat batteries will become eligible once new product and installation standards are in place, ensuring quality and consumer protection and we expect applications to open in 2026/27, once standards, regulations and guidance have been completed.

Installations of qualifying energy-saving materials (ESMs) in residential accommodation and buildings used solely for a charitable purpose benefit from a temporary VAT zero rate until March 2027, after which they will revert to the reduced rate of VAT at five per cent.

The Government assesses whether to add ESMs to this relief by evaluating them against the following tests: the primary purpose of the technology must be to improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions; relieving the technology of VAT must be a cost effective lever for encouraging installations; and it must be practical for business to operate and for HMRC to administer.

The Government is supporting heat batteries by including them in the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, with a £2,500 grant to support homes that are not suitable for heat pumps. Heat batteries will become eligible once new product and installation standards are in place, ensuring quality and consumer protection and we expect applications to open in 2026/27, once standards, regulations and guidance have been completed.

Installations of qualifying energy-saving materials (ESMs) in residential accommodation and buildings used solely for a charitable purpose benefit from a temporary VAT zero rate until March 2027, after which they will revert to the reduced rate of VAT at five per cent.

The Government assesses whether to add ESMs to this relief by evaluating them against the following tests: the primary purpose of the technology must be to improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions; relieving the technology of VAT must be a cost effective lever for encouraging installations; and it must be practical for business to operate and for HMRC to administer.

Great British Railways will create a railway run by the people for the people, turning the tide on a decade of decline under the previous Government. Eighty per cent of the rail journeys that will ultimately be run by GBR are now being run by publicly owned operators, and we are already seeing more reliable services as a result.

The National Procurement Policy Statement underscores the government’s commitment to increasing procurement of food that meets higher environmental standards, supporting local suppliers and upholding ethical sourcing practises, including sourcing products raised to high UK welfare standards.

While Defra has begun collecting new data to understand public sector food sourcing, the Government is open to considering all lawful means to increase sustainable and locally sourced food.

The Government is also considering policy options including the potential for updating the Government Buying Standards for Food and Catering Services.

The National Procurement Policy Statement underscores the government’s commitment to increasing procurement of food that meets higher environmental standards, supporting local suppliers and upholding ethical sourcing practises, including sourcing products raised to high UK welfare standards.

While Defra has begun collecting new data to understand public sector food sourcing, the Government is open to considering all lawful means to increase sustainable and locally sourced food.

The Government is also considering policy options including the potential for updating the Government Buying Standards for Food and Catering Services.

The National Procurement Policy Statement underscores the government’s commitment to increasing procurement of food that meets higher environmental standards, supporting local suppliers and upholding ethical sourcing practises, including sourcing products raised to high UK welfare standards.

While Defra has begun collecting new data to understand public sector food sourcing, the Government is open to considering all lawful means to increase sustainable and locally sourced food.

The Government is also considering policy options including the potential for updating the Government Buying Standards for Food and Catering Services.

We recognise the important role timber can play in supporting Net Zero, including through reducing embodied emissions in construction and storing carbon. The Government relaunched a more ambitious Timber in Construction Roadmap in February 2025 to increase sustainable timber use. The UK currently meets only around a fifth of its timber demand from domestic production, and even with increased planting and improved management, imports will continue to be essential to meet demand and balance wider land use priorities. Using a combination of domestic and imported timber, as well as other construction materials will allow the Government to meet its housing delivery ambitions.

We recognise the important role timber can play in supporting Net Zero, including through reducing embodied emissions in construction and storing carbon. The Government relaunched a more ambitious Timber in Construction Roadmap in February 2025 to increase sustainable timber use. The UK currently meets only around a fifth of its timber demand from domestic production, and even with increased planting and improved management, imports will continue to be essential to meet demand and balance wider land use priorities. Using a combination of domestic and imported timber, as well as other construction materials will allow the Government to meet its housing delivery ambitions.

We recognise the important role timber can play in supporting Net Zero, including through reducing embodied emissions in construction and storing carbon. The Government relaunched a more ambitious Timber in Construction Roadmap in February 2025 to increase sustainable timber use. The UK currently meets only around a fifth of its timber demand from domestic production, and even with increased planting and improved management, imports will continue to be essential to meet demand and balance wider land use priorities. Using a combination of domestic and imported timber, as well as other construction materials will allow the Government to meet its housing delivery ambitions.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

DCMS Ministers and officials have had no discussions with the Gambling Commission on the ownership arrangements of the Health Lottery.

The National Lottery is a national institution and a unique source of national pride and funding for good causes. It is a huge contributor to the Government’s Plan for Change, providing £1.9 billion in 2024/25 to the arts, heritage, sport and community sectors.

Allwyn, the operator of the 4th National Lottery licence, has successfully delivered its technical transformation. This modernisation will ensure the National Lottery continues to enrich lives and support communities across the country for generations to come.

The appointment of a permanent Chief Executive is a matter for the Gambling Commission. The Commission will identify a preferred candidate, with the appointment subject to the Secretary of State approving the terms and conditions. Officials are in regular contact with the Gambling Commission in relation to this appointment.

Allwyn, as the new operator of the National Lottery, has successfully delivered its technical transformation programme. This marks the biggest investment in the National Lottery since 2009, and will support Allwyn’s commitment to double weekly good cause returns by 2034.

In 2024/5, good cause returns were £1.9 billion, which is consistent with returns over the last 5 years (£1.8 billion in 2023/4). In 2024/5, the National Lottery Community Fund’s share of the good cause returns was £760m, up from £728m in 2023/24.

The Government recognises the important role that food and drink manufacturers play in growing our economy, accounting for £37 billion in Gross Value Added in 2023.

We understand, and are taking seriously, the possible impacts of the conflict in the Middle East on the food sector.

The Government has been meeting, and will continue to meet, with stakeholders to share intelligence, assess emerging pressures, and agree how we can keep our food sector resilient and stable.

Food and drink inflation is determined by a range of factors and it is not always possible to isolate the direct impact of regulation on food prices. However, Defra is taking action to reduce cost pressures in the food system, including from regulation. In November, Defra launched the Food Inflation Gateway to ensure regulatory impacts on food businesses are appropriately assessed, and to identify where burdens can be reduced or better sequenced. Food price inflation rose sharply in 2022 (following the start of the war in Ukraine) to a peak of 19.1% in March 2023. Subsequently the inflation rate has decreased but not reached pre-2022 levels. Food price inflation averaged 4.6% over 2025 and in March 2026 stood at 3.7%.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is responsible for ensuring that the obligations under Part 2 of the Retail Banking Market Investigation Order (the Order), and the accompanying Agreed Arrangements, are satisfied. The Government is aware that Open Banking Limited (OBL) has recently conducted a review of its settlement agreements and sought external legal advice to ensure that these are legally compliant.

For the future, the Government has committed to establish a long-term regulatory framework to support the growth of UK Open Banking. This will provide the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) with powers to regulate Open Banking – including FCA oversight of a so-called ‘Future Entity’ which will take on the functions currently carried out by OBL under the Order.

Treasury officials are engaging with the CMA to inform the design of this future framework.

In due course, the Government will consult on its legislative approach, including the powers it intends to provide the FCA to ensure it can effectively oversee the Open Banking ecosystem and its participants.