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Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of seizures of cocaine at (a) ports and (b) airports on the supply of the drug. \p Dame Diana Johnson: In 2023/24, 28.3 tonnes of powder cocaine was seized by police and Border Force in England and Wales. This was an increase from 18.6 tonnes the previous year and the largest recorded quantity of cocaine seized since the time series began in 1973.

However, serious criminals are constantly developing their approaches to traffic cocaine into the UK in response to our efforts at the border. This includes changing their trafficking routes and evolving their methodologies to evade detection, for example, diversifying importation methods through at-sea-drop-offs.

We therefore recognise that we must continue to adapt our strategy and work more closely with law enforcement partners upstream to stop cocaine trafficking at source and all across the supply chain, targeting the gangs responsible, and bringing them to justice. Officials will continue to assess the impact of global drug trafficking on the UK and implement new approaches to respond to this threat.
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Ruth Cadbury:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of police powers to tackle bike thefts. \p Dame Diana Johnson: As part of this Government’s Plan for Change, our Safer Streets Mission is determined to clamp down on the crime that damages our communities, and affects people’s lives, and tackling theft – including bike theft - is a crucial part of that work.

We are delivering on our commitment to restore and strengthen neighbourhood policing, recruiting 13,000 additional police personnel into neighbourhood roles by the end of the Parliament and ensuring every community has named, contactable officers to turn to on local issues.

As a part of this pledge, the Metropolitan Police Service have been allocated £45,639,456 funding in 2025/26 to bolster their neighbourhood policing teams. Based on their funding allocation, the Metropolitan Police Service’s projected growth over 2025 to 2026 will be 420 police officers (FTE) and 50 Police Community Support Officers (FTE).

The Crime and Policing Bill, introduced to the House of Lords on 19 June 2025, will amend the Theft Act 1968 to give police new powers. Officers will be able to enter and search premises where stolen items – such as GPS-tracked bicycles – are reasonably believed to have been stolen and located, and where it is not reasonably practicable to obtain a court warrant. This will significantly enhance the ability of the police to act swiftly and effectively in recovering stolen property.
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David Simmonds:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answers of 30 May to Question 52709 on Police: Elections and of 2 May to Question 47267 on Cambridgeshire Constabulary: Domestic Visits, what assessment she has made of the compatibility of speeches made by the (a) Home Secretary and (b) Prime Minister at Cambridgeshire Police Headquarters on 10 April 2025 with the National Police Chief’s Council pre-election guidance on impartiality. \p Dame Diana Johnson: The National Police Chiefs’ Council is independent of government, and any assessment of compliance with its guidance on any subject would be for the NPCC to make.
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Bell Ribeiro-Addy:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to bring forward legislative proposals to help prevent the misuse of ID card data by (a) public authorities and (b) third-party contractors. \p Dame Diana Johnson: The Home Office keeps all aspects of the immigration system under regular review, in consultation with a wide range of experts and stakeholders.
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Bell Ribeiro-Addy:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of changes to the funding to the Volunteer Police Cadets scheme on (a) police recruitment, (b) youth engagement and (c) community trust in policing. \p Dame Diana Johnson: The Government is committed to supporting all volunteers in policing, including Volunteer Police Cadets, who bring diverse and valuable skills that complement the roles of regular officers and staff in delivering the best service to the public. Volunteers strengthen the police’s ability to engage with local residents and build trust in communities, which are both crucial pillars of neighbourhood policing. It is essential that a variety of life experiences, skills and knowledge across all communities in England and Wales are brought into police services.

The Home Office does not directly fund individual Volunteer Police Cadet schemes. Decisions on management and funding of each force’s Volunteer Police Cadet scheme is the responsibility of its chief officer and Police and Crime Commissioner.

As part of the ‘Police Workforce, England and Wales’ statistics the Home Office collects and publishes information on Police Support Volunteers, aged 18 and over. This information is available here: Police workforce England and Wales statistics - GOV.UK.
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Melanie Onn:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the average response time was to public complaints submitted to her Department in the last 12 months. \p Dame Diana Johnson: Performance against service standards in relation to replies to customer complaints for UKVI, Immigration Enforcement and Border Force (excluding His Majesty’s Passport Office) is available from published data and can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/migration-transparency-data#uk-visas-and-immigration
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Olly Glover:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of providing police forces with new enforcement powers to seize (a) unsafe and (b) non-compliant e-bikes. \p Dame Diana Johnson: Tackling anti-social behaviour is a top priority for this Government, and a key part of our Safer Streets Mission to take back our streets. Any form of anti-social, dangerous or inconsiderate behaviour involving vehicles is a serious issue.

Our Crime and Policing Bill will give the police greater powers to clamp down on all vehicles, including e-bikes, involved in anti-social behaviour including street racing, with officers no longer required to issue a warning before seizing these vehicles.

On 28 May, the Government launched a six-week consultation on proposals to allow the police to dispose of seized vehicles such as e-bikes, which have been used anti-socially from 14 days to 48 hours. Combined, these proposals will help tackle the scourge of vehicles ridden anti-socially and illegally by sending a clear message to would be offenders and local communities that this behaviour will not be tolerated.
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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to reduce violence against women and girls in (a) Fylde constituency and (b) Lancashire. \p Jess Phillips: The scale of violence against women and girls (VAWG) in our country is intolerable and this Government is treating it as the national emergency that it is. We are going further than ever before to deliver a cross-government transformative approach, which will be underpinned by a new VAWG Strategy later this year.

In May 2025, we announced a £19.9m investment to provide vital support to victims of VAWG and increase awareness to prevent these horrific crimes. This includes over £6 million for national helplines supporting victims of domestic abuse, 'honour'-based abuse, revenge porn and stalking, and £2.5m on prevention and early intervention.

Specifically in Lancashire, we have allocated £442,000 to Lancashire PCC for perpetrator funding. PCCs are best placed to understand their local communities and providers, and to commission appropriate support to meet that need.

Lancashire PCC currently receives funding from the Home Office’s Domestic Abuse and Stalking Perpetrator Intervention Fund. Using this funding, they deliver the Drive Project, which works with high-risk, serial domestic abuse perpetrators who are deemed to cause the most harm, in a few local authority areas.

At the national level, we have embedded domestic abuse specialists and dedicated domestic abuse teams in the first five 999 control rooms under Raneem’s Law, launched the new Domestic Abuse Protection Orders in selected police forces and courts and announced a new package of measures to tackle spiking, including committing to introducing a new criminal offence for spiking and piloting new spiking training for bar staff.

Through the Crime and Policing Bill, we are introducing a range of legislative measures to improve the response to sex offender management and stalking. Under the Bill, the police will be given new powers to issue a notice prohibiting registered sex offenders who pose a risk from changing their name without prior authorisation. Other measures include requiring registered sex offenders to provide advance notice before entering premises where children are present, and improving the management of stalkers. This includes statutory guidance for the police in releasing identifying information about online stalking perpetrators to victims as part of the “right to know”.
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Zöe Franklin:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to regulate (a) poisonous and (b) harmful substances procured (i) domestically and (ii) internationally that may be used for suicide. \p Dan Jarvis: I refer the Hon Member to the answer I gave her on 6 May to Question 48303.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment has she made of the potential risk of cultural exchanges of embassies of hostile states being used as a base for espionage in the United Kingdom. \p Dan Jarvis: We continually assess potential threats to the UK and take the protection of individuals’ rights, freedoms, and the security of our information extremely seriously.

Anyone seeking to conduct hostile acts against the UK, steal our information for commercial advantage, or interfere in our society covertly is liable to prosecution under the National Security Act 2023.

More broadly, diplomatic activity in the UK is governed through the principles of the Vienna Conventions which allows for legitimate diplomatic activity. Where we find evidence of any activity that goes beyond what is accredited for, this could invalidate the accreditation, and the UK would take appropriate action.
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Freddie van Mierlo:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of allocating SEND funding to schools on the basis of their current cohort of pupils rather than the cohort in a previous academic year. \p Catherine McKinnell: The schools national funding formula (NFF) operates on a lag, where schools are funded based on their pupils in the previous October census. This helps to give schools more certainty over funding levels, to aid their planning, and is particularly important in giving schools that see year-on-year reductions in their pupil numbers time to re-organise their staffing and costs before seeing the funding impact.

Schools are expected to meet from their core funding the additional support costs of pupils with special educational needs and disabilities up to £6,000 per pupil per annum. When those support costs exceed £6,000, the authority should also allocate additional top-up funding to cover the excess costs. This funding comes from the authority’s high needs budget, and is based on the needs of current pupils.
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Mary Glindon:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to consult charities on SEND reform. \p Catherine McKinnell: My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education and I continue to engage with special educational needs and disabilities charities, stakeholders and parent carers, and are conducting weekly engagement sessions via webinars, meetings and visits. We are also engaging via roundtables with the voluntary, charity and community sectors, the most recent being in June 2025.

These engagements will carry on throughout the White Paper consultation period into the autumn and beyond.
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Steff Aquarone:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the funding formula on the viability of small schools in rural areas. \p Catherine McKinnell: The government recognises the essential role that small schools play in their communities, many of which are in rural areas. The schools national funding formula (NFF) accounts for the particular challenges faced by small schools in rural areas through the lump sum and sparsity factor.

In the 2025/26 financial year, the sparsity factor provides eligible primary schools up to £57,400, and all other eligible schools up to £83,400. In addition to this, all small and rural schools have benefited from the increase to core factors in the NFF in 2025/26, including the NFF lump sum set at £145,100. The lump sum provides a fixed amount of funding that is particularly beneficial to small schools, as it is not affected by pupil numbers.
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Dan Tomlinson:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the absence of legal requirement for local authorities to provide free transport for young people with SEND beyond the age of 16 on (a) parental employment and (b) the future employment prospects of those children. \p Catherine McKinnell: This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.

Local authorities are responsible for transport to education and training for 16-19 year-olds. Post-16 transport guidance requires local authorities to make the necessary transport arrangements or provide financial support to ensure young people can participate in education or training. The needs of young people with SEND should be specifically considered and the arrangements put in place for each group must be documented in local authority transport policy statements.

For example, in the constituency of Chipping Barnet, Barnet Council can offer alternative options where public transport is not appropriate, such as a personal transport allowance, independent travel training or bespoke options on a case-by-case basis.

In addition to their statutory responsibilities, many local authorities offer some form of subsidised transport which, combined with the 16-19 bursary, has been intended to provide financial support to students from low-income households. These decisions are best made locally in consideration of local needs, the resources available and other local circumstances.
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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many applications for the Special Educational Needs Inclusion Fund were made in Cambridgeshire in each year between 2014-15 and 2024-25 inclusive. \p Catherine McKinnell: Since the 2017/18 financial year, all local authorities have been required to have a special educational needs inclusion fund (SENIF) for all eligible children for the entitlements and who have special educational needs.

Local authorities should establish their SENIFs using funding from the early years block and/or the high needs block of their dedicated schools grant, considering pressures on high needs and early years budgets locally.

The department gives local authorities the autonomy to set SENIF budgets and to decide on eligibility criteria locally, as they are best placed to meet local need. The department does not collect information on how many applications are made to local authorities.
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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many EHCPs were issued in Cambridgeshire in each year between 2014-15 and 2024-25 inclusive. \p Catherine McKinnell: Information on the number of education, health and care (EHC) plans issued by Cambridgeshire is available as part of the statistical release which can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/education-health-and-care-plans/2025.

This includes information at a local authority level and covers the calendar years from 2019 to 2024. Information for earlier years is available as part of the 2024 edition of the publication, which can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/education-health-and-care-plans/2024.
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Mrs Elsie Blundell:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that recommendations made by the School Support Staff Negotiating Body are implemented. \p Catherine McKinnell: The School Support Staff Negotiating Body (SSSNB) is being established in primary legislation through the Employment Rights Bill, which was introduced in Parliament within the first 100 days of government on 10 October 2024. The Bill is currently in the House of Lords. Due to the uncertainties of Parliamentary business and scheduling, we cannot confirm at this stage when the Bill will receive Royal Assent. After Royal Assent, secondary legislation will be required to constitute the body.

The department’s current estimate is that once the SSSNB has been established and is operational, the earliest the body will be in a position to start making pay related recommendations is in the 2027/28 academic year, to ensure a smooth transition from the current National Joint Council process.

The SSSNB will bring together employers and employee representatives to reach agreements on pay and terms and conditions which may then be ratified by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education. It is important that the department strikes an appropriate balance between the SSSNB having sufficient independence to reach agreements and make recommendations, whilst ensuring that any agreements in relation to remuneration, terms and conditions or advice in relation to training and career progression are practicable before being ratified or published as statutory guidance by the Secretary of State for Education. As a negotiating body, employee and employer representatives will be able to meaningfully negotiate on pay and conditions as well as advise on training and career progression, with a clear process for the Secretary of State for Education to decide on the course of action based on the agreements reached or recommendations made.
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Mrs Elsie Blundell:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure collaboration between the School Support Staff Negotiation Body and academy trusts. \p Catherine McKinnell: The School Support Staff Negotiating Body (SSSNB) will have a remit for pay, conditions, training and career progression for support staff in all state-funded schools, including academies, in England. As half of schools are now academies, it is vital that academies are included in the statutory remit of the SSSNB to ensure there is a national core offer for support staff pay and terms and conditions, across all schools.

The SSSNB will need to represent all school support staff and their employers effectively. The body will be composed of representatives of employers, employee representatives, an Independent Chairperson, and a member representing my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education. The Secretary of State for Education will appoint an employer organisation which represents academy employers via regulations.
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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to encourage more students to study languages in schools. \p Catherine McKinnell: The study of languages is compulsory under the national curriculum at key stages 2 and 3 for all maintained schools, and will become compulsory in academies, subject to the passage of the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill.

The most important factor in encouraging students to continue studying languages beyond key stage 3 is the quality of teaching. The government continues to fund the National Consortium for Languages Education, which is developing a new model of language support for schools and online continuing professional development for teachers that will support high quality language teaching. This programme is designed to have national reach, ensuring that all schools can benefit regardless of their location.

To further support languages education, the department is offering a £26,000 tax-free bursary for trainee language teachers starting courses in 2025, or alternatively, a £28,000 tax-free scholarship for those training to teach French, German, or Spanish. Additionally, Oak National Academy is developing modern foreign languages lesson resources for key stages 2 to 4, to be fully released by autumn 2025, helping teachers deliver high quality lessons and reduce planning time.
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Charlotte Cane:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help support businesses to invest in skills and training. \p Janet Daby: The department’s Industrial Strategy sets out the interventions we will make to help tackle barriers to employer engagement with the skills system. This includes introducing shorter duration and foundation apprenticeships in priority sectors, the introduction of short courses in England, funded through the Growth and Skills Levy from April 2026, and skills packages targeted at skills needed in multiple Industrial Strategy sectors, such as digital, engineering, and the defence sector, in addition to the £625 million construction skills package to train up to 60,000 skilled construction workers across this Parliament.

This investment will be underpinned by deeper employer partnerships, including launching Technical Excellence Colleges to develop pipelines of skilled workers for local businesses.

The Chair of Skills England, in partnership with the Industrial Strategy Advisory Council, will explore how employers, individuals and local and central government work together to address national skills needs, to support jobs of the future in the growth-driving sectors, and in particular opportunities for further business engagement and investment into the skills pipeline.
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Adam Dance:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help ensure that every student leaves school with CPR training in Yeovil constituency. \p Catherine McKinnell: All state-funded schools, including those in Yeovil, are required to teach first aid as part of the statutory health education curriculum, as part of relationships, sex and health education (RSHE). This includes dealing with common injuries, calling the emergency services and administering CPR, including developing an understanding of the purpose of defibrillators.

The department is currently reviewing the RSHE curriculum, including establishing whether any additional content is needed.
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Anneliese Dodds:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the Curriculum and Assessment Review includes (a) media and (b) artificial intelligence literacy. \p Catherine McKinnell: The Curriculum and Assessment Review’s terms of reference set out that it will seek to refresh the curriculum to ensure children and young people leave compulsory education ready for life and ready for work, building the knowledge, skills and attributes they need to thrive. This includes embedding digital skills in their learning.

In its interim report, the Review noted the importance of the curriculum keeping pace with the rise of artificial intelligence and trends in digital information, including a renewed focus on digital and media literacy and critical thinking skills.

During its current phase of work, the Review is considering whether there is sufficient coverage of key knowledge and skills in this area to prepare children and young people for future life and to thrive in a fast-changing world.

The Review’s final report and recommendations will be published in the autumn, at which point the government will respond.
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Jess Brown-Fuller:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department's rollout of Best Start Family Hubs will include (a) provisions and (b) support services for home-educating families that require SEND support. \p Janet Daby: On 7 July, the government published ‘Giving every child the Best Start in Life’, which is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/giving-every-child-the-best-start-in-life. This outlines the government’s commitment to deliver a new Best Start Family Service to bring together parenting, healthcare and education support services, as well as creating and funding Best Start Family Hubs in every local authority to give children the best start in life by strengthening and joining up family services. The department will provide over half a billion pounds of investment in the Best Start Family Service over the 2026/29 spending review period.

Best Start Family Hubs will provide both universal and targeted support, with open-access activities and referral routes for families with complex needs. They will bring together professionals from health, education, early years, and community services, prioritising delivery in areas of disadvantage, where families face the greatest barriers to support. Each Best Start Family Hub will have a children and family services professional specifically trained in working to support inclusion for children with additional needs.
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Andrew Gwynne:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to support people in education who are affected by Foetal Valproate Spectrum Disorder. \p Catherine McKinnell: The government recognises that children who have Foetal Valproate Spectrum Disorder (FVSD) can present with a range of learning needs, and thus schools have a legal responsibility to support them. Schools must use their best endeavours to make sure a child or young person gets the special educational provision they need, this includes monitoring the progress of pupils regularly and putting support in place where needed, which may include a specialist assessment.

The special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) code of practice sets out that all schools should apply a ‘graduated approach’ when deciding on the provision to be made for a particular child or young person with special educational needs, such as FVSD.

Pupils at school with medical conditions should be properly supported so that they have full access to education. In 2014, the government introduced a duty on schools to support pupils with all medical conditions and published statutory guidance intended to help governing bodies meet their legal responsibilities. This guidance sets out the arrangements they are expected to make, based on good practice. Schools should ensure they are aware of any pupils with medical conditions and should have policies and processes in place to ensure these can be well managed.

‘Supporting pupils at school with medical conditions’ can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5ce6a72e40f0b620a103bd53/supporting-pupils-at-school-with-medical-conditions.pdf.

The department is committed to improving support for all children and young people with SEND, including those with FVSD.
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Neil Duncan-Jordan:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of the recommendations made in the Children's Commissioner's report entitled Growing up in a low-income family: Children’s experiences, published in July 2025. \p Catherine McKinnell: The Child Poverty Taskforce, of which my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education is co-chair, is committed to listening to the voices of children and families and bringing in the voices of these families directly into our work. The Office of the Children’s Commissioner’s report ‘Growing up in a low-income family: Children's experiences’ was commissioned by the Child Poverty Taskforce to provide evidence on children’s lived experience of poverty to support the development of an ambitious child poverty strategy. This valuable research forms part of the department’s ongoing wider work to ensure those voices are a central part of strategy development.

The Child Poverty Unit, based in the Cabinet Office, worked closely with the Office of the Children’s Commissioner on the report, including at research design and reporting stages, and the findings have already been considered as part of our strategy development.

I am planning to meet with the Children's Commissioner for England to discuss the report in detail and I will also be co-chairing a Children’s Commissioners roundtable with the Minister for Employment in September to bring together all four Children’s Commissioners for a broader discussion on child poverty.

The government is considering the report’s recommendations in advance of publication of the strategy in the autumn.
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Rachael Maskell:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the number of adoption disruptions in the last year; and what steps her Department is taking to reduce these. \p Janet Daby: I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for York Central to the answer of 28 March 2025 to Question 37457.
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Rachael Maskell:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when she will place in the Library a copy of the Equalities Impact Assessment. \p Janet Daby: The equalities impact assessment for the adoption and special guardianship support fund will be deposited in the Libraries of both Houses shortly.
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Rachael Maskell:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of establishing an Adoptee Reference Group to provide guidance to the Department on adoption policy. \p Janet Daby: I regularly meet with representatives from the adoption sector including Adoption England, Adoption UK and Coram amongst others to discuss a range of issues. I hosted an adoption roundtable sector meeting on 21 May with a number of key representatives to discuss some of the challenges within adoption and I am committed to hosting similar meetings in the future.

The department already has a well-established Adopter Reference Group which meets regularly and acts as an important sounding board on adoption policy. I was pleased to meet with them on 6 May this year.
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Edward Morello:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will hold cross-party discussions on the potential establishment of a national body for special educational needs and disabilities. \p Catherine McKinnell: The department is aware of the challenges in the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system, and we understand how urgently we need to address these. We do not, however, believe that what the SEND system needs is another body which would add to the bureaucracy in the system. Our focus is on making the system less bureaucratic and getting support to children and young people who need it, quickly and efficiently.

Details of the government's intended approach to SEND reform will be set out in a White Paper in the autumn.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-15)

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Laura Trott:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what her Department’s policy is on state schools charging parents for mandatory laptops or IT equipment used during school hours. \p Stephen Morgan: The department's guidance on charging for school activities is clear that there should be no charge for state funded education. Section 454 of the Education Act 1996 prohibits schools from charging for education during school hours or for the supply of materials, books or other equipment, like laptops or IT equipment, that are required for education during school hours. Schools may ask parents to make a voluntary contribution towards the cost of equipment, but must make clear that these are voluntary. The Act allows an exemption to enable schools to charge for equipment where a parent wants their child to own it, but parents should not be pressured into this. The guidance on charging for school activities can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/charging-for-school-activities.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-15)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-15 conversation_130

Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department funds educational programmes on coastal conservation for schools visiting beaches. \p Catherine McKinnell: The department does not fund specific educational programmes on coastal conservation, but free resources on coastal topics are provided by Oak National Academy. Bodies such as the Geographical Association and Royal Geographical Society, and others with an interest in coastal conservation, also provide resources.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-15)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-15 conversation_131

Nick Timothy:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what information his Department holds on (a) what components used in the power grid were manufactured by Chinese companies and (b) whether (i) Chinese companies and (ii) the Chinese state can (A) access data from and (B) control those components remotely. \p Michael Shanks: The protection and security of the energy sector is a priority of this Government.

HMRC publishes the value and mass of electrical machinery, equipment and parts imported, by country, on its data portal at www.uktradeinfo.com/trade-data/ots-custom-table/.

Foreign investment in critical national infrastructure undergoes the highest levels of scrutiny, and the government has powers to protect energy infrastructure and critical services through a broad range of mitigations, including legislative and regulatory powers. DESNZ works closely with industry and other government departments to maintain a detailed picture of ownership and foreign involvement in energy infrastructure
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-15)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-15 conversation_132

Darren Paffey:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent discussions he has had with Ofgem on ensuring that consumers are treated fairly in relation to historic overpayments to energy network operators; and whether he has considered options for returning any such overpayments to bill payers. \p Michael Shanks: The unexpected inflation shock of 2022-23 increased equity value for network companies due to fixed-rate debt financing. Following a public consultation, Ofgem took action to adjust how it regulates network company investment, deliverables and returns, so this cannot happen again going forward.

Ofgem considered reclaiming previous excess profits but decided against this to avoid raising the cost of capital and costs for consumers. Ofgem has made clear that it expects network companies to use any inflation benefit to accelerate network upgrades and find additional ways to support consumers struggling with bills.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-15)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-15 conversation_133

Charlotte Cane:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to safeguard critical energy infrastructure against the extreme summer temperatures. \p Michael Shanks: Great Britain’s electricity infrastructure is highly resilient and designed to operate in a wide range of conditions. The risks to GB's electricity system from extreme heat are low, but in the unlikely event of any impacts, the energy sector has long-standing plans and procedures to minimise disruption to customers, as set out in the National Emergency Plan for Downstream Gas and Electricity.

Government works closely with industry to minimise the risk of unplanned outages and in line with licence conditions, the National Energy System Operator is required to assess network operators’ resilience to a range of weather events, including extreme temperatures.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-15)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-15 conversation_134

James Naish:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate he has made of the proportion of UK solar-panel imports sourced from Xinjiang-based polysilicon manufacturers sanctioned by the United States; and whether he plans to introduce a full import ban on such products. \p Michael Shanks: The Government recognises the importance of ensuring UK businesses are not complicit in forced labour and human rights violations.

In the Trade Strategy, the Government launched a review of its approach to responsible business conduct policy. The review will consider the effectiveness of the UK’s current Responsible Business Conduct measures and alternative policy options to support responsible business practices.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-15)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-15 conversation_135

Charlotte Cane:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what plans he has to assess land use changes in applications for new energy infrastructure. \p Michael Shanks: The implications of land use change are already considered as part of the examination and determination of all applications for new energy infrastructure. In future, optimal locations for energy infrastructure will be identified by the Strategic Spatial Energy Plan (SSEP). We are ensuring that, in its development, the SSEP considers wider demands on land and sea, including (but not limited to) food production, transport, water supply, nature recovery and fisheries. The SSEP’s recommendations will not take precedence over other land uses but will exist alongside other sectoral spatial plans and frameworks.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-15)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-15 conversation_136

Dr Roz Savage:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what comparative assessment he has made of the potential merits of (a) small nuclear power plants and (b) large-scale solar farms. \p Michael Shanks: As set out in the Clean Power 2030 Action Plan, a power system run on low carbon generation with renewables providing the vast majority of generation, supported by nuclear, can form the basis of a clean, affordable and secure energy system. This assessment was supported by independent advice from the National Energy System Operator (NESO), whose clean power scenarios highlighted the importance of different technologies working in combination. The Department continues to model a range of different energy mixes and scenarios to support policy decisions.

Alongside the Scottish and Welsh Governments, we have also jointly commissioned NESO to develop a Strategic Spatial Energy Plan (SSEP). The SSEP will assess infrastructure potential on a zonal basis as well as the quantities and types of energy infrastructure required to meet our future energy demand with the clean, affordable and secure supply that we need. The first SSEP will be published in 2026.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-15)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-15 conversation_137

Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many switch-off orders have been issued to solar power generating facilities by the National Energy System Operator since 5 July 2024. \p Michael Shanks: The National Energy System Operator (NESO) is responsible for operating Great Britain’s electricity system, which includes managing constraints. NESO publishes total balancing costs.

Constraints are a natural part of operating an efficient electricity system and electricity systems around the world use the constraint payment model. Government is working to reduce constraints and improve energy security and resilience by accelerating the building of new electricity network infrastructure to increase capacity on the system.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-15)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-15 conversation_138

Charlotte Cane:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to provide funding for renewable energy sources. \p Michael Shanks: The Government has proposed a number of reforms to the next allocation round of the Contracts for Difference scheme, to ensure the auction can deliver significant renewable electricity capacity at a fair price to consumers.

Great British Energy and Great British Energy – Nuclear will together invest more than £8.3 billion over the parliament in homegrown clean power. This includes a total £180 million investment from the Government and GBE to install rooftop solar panels on schools and hospitals, and £1 billion investment for clean energy supply chains.

Through the government’s Warm Homes Plan, schemes such as the Boiler Upgrade Scheme will also continue to provide upfront grants for property owners to make the transition to low carbon heating.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-15)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-15 conversation_139

Carla Lockhart:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what the condition is of the Moyle Interconnector; and what plans he has for the development of new energy interconnectors between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. \p Michael Shanks: Moyle is a point-to-point interconnector that has been in operation since 2002. It is a commercially developed interconnector and operates without government financial support.

On future interconnection between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Ofgem gave in-principle approval in November 2024 for the proposed LirIC electricity interconnector. This project is being taken forward under the Ofgem cap and floor regulatory regime.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-15)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-15 conversation_140

Llinos Medi:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of large solar developers on local communities. \p Michael Shanks: Solar power is at the heart of our clean power mission. It is clean, cheap, and reliable.

All projects are subject to a rigorous planning process, in which the views and interests of local communities are considered.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-15)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-15 conversation_141

Danny Beales:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps Great British Energy is taking to help public services use more renewable energy. \p Michael Shanks: GBE’s first investment, together with government, included £180 million for around 200 schools and 200 hospitals in England to install solar power and complementary technology, cutting energy costs.

Eleven school installations have already happened, enabling estimated annual bill savings of £175,000 total.