Written questions by Bailey.

What steps the Government is taking to ensure that (a) installers and (b) other businesses within the ECO supply chain are paid (i) appropriately and (ii) promptly for completed works.

Awaiting answer.

What oversight mechanisms are in place in relation to (a) payment delays, (b) retentions and (c) wider commercial practices by obligated suppliers within the ECO scheme supply chain.

Awaiting answer.

Whether she has made an assessment of the adequacy of safeguarding measures for in-person work experience placements at i) outlets centrally owned by and ii) franchisee-owned stores operated by McDonald's UK in relation to the risk of sexual harassment of young people in the workplace.

Awaiting answer.

What consideration he has made of joining inclusive mediation with 1950s born women about the maladministration of state pension age changes.

Awaiting answer.

Whether he has had discussions with McDonalds UK on the adequacy of safeguarding measures in relation to the "in-person work experience placements" at (i) outlets centrally owned by McDonald's UK and (ii) franchisee-owned stores operated by McDonald's UK in relation to the potential risk of sexual harassment in the workplace.

Awaiting answer.

When HMRC last reviewed the overseas subsistence scale rates; what assessment she has made of the potential impact of those rates on employees working abroad, in the context of increases in the cost of food; and whether she plans to bring forward an updated schedule.

Where employers reimburse allowable travel expenses, tax relief is available provided the expenses are wholly, exclusively and necessarily incurred for work purposes. Ordinarily, employers must hold evidence of the employee’s actual expenditure. However, to reduce administrative burdens on employers, HMRC allows expenses for travel outside the UK to be reimbursed without evidence up to the levels contained within the Overseas Scale Rates. Where the Overseas Scale rates do not cover the expense incurred by employees, employers can still reimburse and provide tax relief provided they have appropriate evidence. The Government keeps all taxes under review as part of the policy‑making process. Any decisions on future changes in this area will be taken in the context of the wider public finances.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what proportion of the UK’s international climate finance is delivered as (a) grants and (b) loans; and what steps she is taking to ensure that financial support to countries most vulnerable to climate-related disasters is primarily provided in the form of grants rather than loans.

Between 2021/22 and 2025/26, 89 per cent of international climate finance (ICF3) was delivered as grants. We will continue to ensure grant finance delivered through ICF4 is targeted towards the most vulnerable.

What estimate he has made of the number of SMEs and microbusinesses in the energy efficiency sector and wider supply chains that are dependent on ECO scheme funding.

The Government recognises that ending ECO presents challenges for the supply chain. The Government will support the transition to opportunities provided by the Warm Homes Plan, including new regulations for renters and new builds treating millions of homes, and the additional £1.5 billion for upgrading low-income households. For this additional funding, the Government will use the procurement regime to support local supply chains and small businesses, working closely with the retrofit sector, housing associations and local authorities. Officials are working with the Department for Business and Trade to develop support for employees and companies in the construction sector.

What progress he has made on establishing the Warm Homes Plan workforce.

The Warm Homes Plan will create high-quality jobs and boost innovation to deliver economic growth. The government, in partnership with the Trades Union Congress (TUC), has established the Warm Homes Plan Workforce Taskforce to facilitate the transition, creation and growth of a diverse, skilled and resilient workforce for existing workers and new entrants. The Taskforce held its inaugural meeting in January this year. The Taskforce supports the government’s ambition to make sure the additional 180,000 jobs in energy efficiency and clean heating, created by the Warm Homes Plan, will be high-quality, well-paid and future-proofed.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of ending the ECO scheme on energy efficiency sector workers and businesses.

The Government recognises that ending ECO presents challenges for the supply chain. The Government will support the transition to opportunities provided by the Warm Homes Plan, including new regulations for renters and new builds treating millions of homes, and the additional £1.5 billion for upgrading low-income households. For this additional funding, the Government will use the procurement regime to support local supply chains and small businesses, working closely with the retrofit sector, housing associations and local authorities. Officials are working with the Department for Business and Trade to develop support for employees and companies in the construction sector.

What progress he has made on establishing the Warm Homes Agency.

Following the announcement of the Warm Homes Agency, officials have been working with relevant stakeholders, including Ofgem, Salix, devolved governments and local authorities, to develop the design, scope and functions of the Agency. We will further develop the specifications for the functions that the Agency will deliver during 2026, with the Warm Homes Agency beginning initial operations in 2027.

What funding is currently available for energy efficiency retrofitting of insulation for low-income households; and what funding will be available through the (a) Warm Homes Plan and (b) other scheme after December 2026.

The £15 billion investment in the Warm Homes Plan includes £5 billion allocated to low-income households, delivered initially through the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund (WH:SHF) and the Warm Homes: Local Grant (WH:LG). These continue to provide fabric measures, alongside clean heat, solar panels and other bill saving measures for low-income households and those in social housing, to improve thermal comfort, cut bills and reduce fuel poverty. From 2027/28, we intend to integrate the WH:SHF and WH:LG into a single low-income capital scheme which will shift toward area-based delivery. We will say more about the evolution of low-income schemes by Spring 2026.

What steps he is taking to provide support to energy efficiency (a) SMEs and (b) microbusinesses dependent on ECO scheme funding.

The Government recognises that ending ECO presents challenges for the supply chain. The Government will support the transition to opportunities provided by the Warm Homes Plan, including new regulations for renters and new builds treating millions of homes, and the additional £1.5 billion for upgrading low-income households. For this additional funding, the Government will use the procurement regime to support local supply chains and small businesses, working closely with the retrofit sector, housing associations and local authorities. Officials are working with the Department for Business and Trade to develop support for employees and companies in the construction sector.

What steps he has taken to encourage McDonald's Restaurants UK to take up the offer from the UK National Contact Point to provide mediation with complainants regarding the corporation's compliance with the 2023 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises on Responsible Business Conduct with respect to gender-based violence and sexual harassment, as recommended in its initial assessment published on 7 January 2026.

The Office for Responsible Business Conduct’s (ORBC) Dispute Resolution Service, formerly the UK National Contact Point, operates independently from Ministers. In line with the ORBC’s rules of procedure, mediation has been offered to both parties to the Complaint following the publication of the Initial Assessment on the 7th of January 2026.

Media and Sport, what external oversight mechanisms are in place to ensure that publicly owned broadcasters investigate whistleblowing concerns independently of senior management.

Our public service broadcasters are operationally independent of Government and so probationary periods rightfully remain a matter for them.Employees of public service broadcasters, like most employees in Great Britain, who blow the whistle on certain types of wrongdoing are protected from retaliatory unfair dismissal and detriment under the Employment Rights Act 1996 if legislative conditions are met. This is a day one right, meaning employees do not need to satisfy any qualifying period of service to seek remedies in employment tribunals.Employees of publicly owned broadcasters will be protected if they blow the whistle to Ofcom, the independent media regulator, if certain conditions in the legislation are met. Ofcom is a ‘prescribed person’ under the Public Interest Disclosure (Prescribed Person Order) 2014. The Government is also exploring the addition of the Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority (CIISA) to this list and the Secretary of State continues to call on the television sector and wider creative industries to support the work of CIISA to improve standards of behaviour across industry.

Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of trends in the use of extension of probationary periods in publicly owned broadcasters to detriment whistleblowing employees.

Our public service broadcasters are operationally independent of Government and so probationary periods rightfully remain a matter for them.Employees of public service broadcasters, like most employees in Great Britain, who blow the whistle on certain types of wrongdoing are protected from retaliatory unfair dismissal and detriment under the Employment Rights Act 1996 if legislative conditions are met. This is a day one right, meaning employees do not need to satisfy any qualifying period of service to seek remedies in employment tribunals.Employees of publicly owned broadcasters will be protected if they blow the whistle to Ofcom, the independent media regulator, if certain conditions in the legislation are met. Ofcom is a ‘prescribed person’ under the Public Interest Disclosure (Prescribed Person Order) 2014. The Government is also exploring the addition of the Creative Industries Independent Standards Authority (CIISA) to this list and the Secretary of State continues to call on the television sector and wider creative industries to support the work of CIISA to improve standards of behaviour across industry.

When he plans to respond to correspondence from the hon. Member for Salford of 30 October 2025 on deaths in custody and prison management at HMP Forest Bank, reference number MC128673.

The Department apologises for the delay in responding on this occasion and we regret that this falls short of expected standards. We are prioritising this and a response will be issued within the coming week.

When he plans to respond to correspondence from the hon. Member for Salford of 11 September 2025 on the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme.

The letter in question was transferred to this Department and issues raised were addressed in a response issued on 15 October. The 15 October letter was a response to correspondence received from my hon Friend on 11 September 2025 and 17 September on the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme.

Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of whistleblowing protections for employees of publicly owned broadcasters under the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998.

Our public service broadcasters, publicly owned or otherwise, rightfully remain independent of Government, but their employees like most in Great Britain are protected under the whistleblowing framework in the Employment Rights Act 1996 (as amended by the Public Interest and Disclosure Act 1998). This protects employees from detriment and dismissal if they blow the whistle on wrongdoing and certain conditions in the legislation are met.More broadly, the Government acknowledges concerns that the UK whistleblowing framework may not be operating as effectively as it should be and recently announced, through the Anti-Corruption Strategy 2025, that it will explore opportunities to reform that framework.

If he will publish a list of organisations represented at his Department's conference on food poverty on 14 and 15 January 2026.

The DWP Food Poverty Conference took place at the Abbey Centre on 15 January 2026.Our aim was to bring together a range of local authorities, other government departments, charities and academics to share and discuss a range of good practice happening on the ground to respond to increasing need in relation to food poverty. We received a high level of interest in the conference. Due to venue capacity, places were offered on a first come first served basis. We saw over 30 local authorities represented from different regions across England. Examples include the Greater London Authority, Medway Council, Bristol City Council, Greater Manchester Combined Authority, North Yorkshire Council, King’s Lynn and West Norfolk and East Lindsey District Council. Local government sat alongside over a dozen national third sector organisations – such as Trussell, Feeding Britain, Sustain and Community Shop – as well as officials from across five government departments, including DWP, DfE, Defra, DHSC and MHCLG. We’ve been encouraged by the positive feedback on the conference and the strong engagement shown across sectors. As a result, we are exploring the possibility of hosting a second conference online later in the year to enable more organisations to participate. We will provide further details as plans materialise.