theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Sarah Coombes:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the potential impact of the Future Homes Standard on air pollution emissions from domestic wood burning. \p Alex Norris: The Future Homes Standard (FHS) will require new-build homes to use heat pumps or other low-carbon technologies as their primary heating source, ensuring that almost all the home’s heating needs will be met with low-emission systems. This shift away from fossil fuels will significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support improved air quality. The consultation on the FHS did not focus on secondary heating systems or support solid fuel systems, such as wood-burning stoves, as primary heating.

The FHS will update Part L of the Building Regulations. While air quality falls outside the scope of Part L and the FHS, my officials and I work closely with our colleagues at DEFRA to align with broader efforts to tackle air pollution.
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Steff Aquarone:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 30 June 2025 to Question 62866 on Neighbourhood Plans: Finance, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of this policy on levels of council tax. \p Matthew Pennycook: Precept levels are decided by parish councils, considering the needs of their community. The government expects parish councils to consider carefully the burden they are placing on local taxpayers.
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Rachael Maskell:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department's consultation document Fair Funding Review 2.0 updated on 23 June 2025, what the funding formula used for the review is. \p Jim McMahon: I refer the hon. Member to chapter 4 of the Fair Funding Review 2.0 consultation which sets out the approach to assessing local authority demand through seven formulae. Government have also published detailed technical annexes for each formula.

We will publish our response to the consultation in the autumn, which will be followed by the publication of the provisional multi-year Settlement.
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Alistair Strathern:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the merits of including low cost effective property flood resilience measures in (a) the Future Homes Standard and (b) building regulations. \p Alex Norris: The Government is committed to building the homes the country needs while ensuring they are safe from flooding. The Building Regulations set minimum standards for all new dwellings. The Future Homes Standard will focus on the energy efficiency and carbon emission standards within the Building Regulations and will not encompass flood resilience measures. Statutory guidance to the Building Regulations in Approved Document C promotes the use of flood resilient and resistant construction in flood prone areas, without placing undue costs onto any properties that do not require further flood resilience measures.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to her Department's transparency data, MHCLG: spending over £25,000, March 2025 published on 28 April 2025, what was the full specification of the research undertaken by the Faith & Belief Forum on on inter faith. \p Alex Norris: The Department provided funding to the Faith & Belief Forum to lead a national consultation and analysis exercise on Inter Faith Week 2024 and the wider inter faith landscape, to inform the development of future policy and delivery.

I will arrange for the full research specification to be deposited in the House of Commons Library.
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Edward Morello:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of UK Shared Prosperity Fund allocations to Dorset. \p Alex Norris: UKSPF provides a total of £3.5 billion of funding for local investment over four years (2022-26), with all places in the UK receiving an allocation via a funding formula.

Dorset Council received £6.01 million (including a £1.58 million Multiply allocation) across 2022-25 and a further £1.45 million of UKSPF funding for 2025-26 to deliver interventions in line with their local priorities.
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Edward Morello:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to support local authorities in delivering UK Shared Prosperity Fund programmes effectively in rural constituencies. \p Alex Norris: UKSPF provides a total of £3.5 billion of funding for local investment over four years (2022-26), with all places in the UK receiving an allocation via a funding formula. The Fund has a light-touch delegated delivery model that empowers local authorities to deliver interventions in line with their local priorities, including rural area priorities.

We also administer the Rural England Prosperity Fund via UKSPF (2023-26). It supports activities that specifically address the particular challenges rural areas face. It is complementary to funding used to support rural areas under the UKSPF.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 24 June 2025 to Question 60044 on Cities and Local Growth Unit; why the unit was closed; and whether for what policy reason the joint unit has its functions have been reassigned. \p Alex Norris: The decision to close the Cities and Local Growth Unit was taken jointly by the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government and Department for Business and Trade to focus resources on the ambitious agendas of both Departments. The Departments continue to work closely on all matters of shared interest.
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Paula Barker:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 17 April 2025 to Question 41589 Rented Housing: Housing Improvement, whether the First-tier Tribunal takes account of a landlord’s declaration when determining a market rent assessment. \p Matthew Pennycook: It is important that means-tested energy efficiency grants schemes are used to benefit tenants. That is why, for example, we have set a clear expectation that landlords should declare that they do not intend to raise rents as a direct result of the upgrades funded by the Warm Homes: Local Grant that was launched in April.

When determining market rent, the First Tier-Tribunal disregards improvements made and funded by the tenant.

However, the Tribunal does not disregard measures funded by landlords, including instances where they may have been partially supported by specific government grants.

We strongly encourage landlords and tenants to communicate early about what adjustments to rent are sustainable for both parties.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will publish her Department's response to the Environmental Information Regulations request reference IR2025/10529, of 2 April 2025. \p Matthew Pennycook: The Department's response has already been provided to the applicant who requested the information in question. The government does not routinely publish responses to information requests.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 25 June 2025 to Question 60597 on Neighbourhood Plans, for what reason her Department is unable to commission new neighbourhood planning support services for 2025 onwards. \p Matthew Pennycook: Following the Spending Review, my Department announced that it is unable to commission new neighbourhood planning support services for 2025 onwards.

After more than a decade of taxpayer support, we believe that support for neighbourhood planning groups should be possible without further government funding.

Parish and Town Councils have access to their own resources which they can choose to use for neighbourhood planning if they wish.

With the end to the national structure for support, planning consultants should be able to innovate and offer groups lower cost support more targeted at their particular ambitions and needs.
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Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department is taking steps to increase the role of neighbourhood plans in the planning process. \p Matthew Pennycook: The government remains of the view that neighbourhood plans can play an important role in the planning system. Communities can continue to prepare neighbourhood plans where they consider that doing so is in their best interests.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking through the planning system to support the (a) provision, (b) conversion and (c) construction of family annexes to dwellings. \p Matthew Pennycook: The planning system already supports the creation of family annexes which are incidental to a dwelling, including their conversion and construction, through permitted development rights.

Where the proposed development is outside the scope of the PDR, a planning application would be required.

The government continues to keep permitted development rights under review.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the publication MHCLG: spending over £25,000, March 2025, published on 28 April 2025, if she will publish the full specification of the research commissioned from TPXimpact Limited on Research Services. \p Alex Norris: The spend relates to the build of new technical capability (MS Azure cloud platform) for data science, engineering & analytics work.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to her publication, Delivering a decade of renewal for social affordable housing, published on 2 July 2025, what estimate she has made of the number of additional affordable homes to be provided in each year under the 2026-2036 Affordable Housing Programme. \p Matthew Pennycook: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 60128.
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Matt Vickers:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department plans to take to improve the quality of private rented accommodation. \p Matthew Pennycook: The Renters’ Rights Bill enables the Decent Homes Standard to be applied to the private rented sector for the first time and provides local authorities with effective and proportionate powers to enforce it.

The Bill will allow ‘Awaab’s Law’ to be applied to the private rented sector. It will enable timeframes to be set out in regulations within which private rented sector landlords and licensors must make homes safe where they contain serious hazards.
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Ben Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the provision of (a) affordable and (b) social housing for key workers in North Cornwall constituency. \p Matthew Pennycook: The government recognises the need for social and affordable housing for key workers in North Cornwall and other areas.

The revised National Planning Policy Framework published on 12 December 2024 makes clear that local planning authorities should assess the size, type, and tenure of homes needed, including for those who require affordable housing, and to reflect this in their planning policies. When identifying affordable housing need in their areas, the Framework makes clear that local planning authorities should incorporate the minimum proportion of Social Rent homes required.
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Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 4 July 2025 to Question 62958 on Affordable Housing: West Midlands, when he will publish a figure for the funding that has been allocated to the West Midlands as part of the 10‑year Affordable Homes Programme. \p Matthew Pennycook: I refer the Rt Hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 2 July (HCWS771).
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 24 June 2025 to Question 60132 on Affordable Housing: Finance, and with reference to her Department's publication Delivering a decade of renewal for social affordable housing published on 2 July 2025, what her policy is on the 2026-2036 Social and Affordable Homes Programme being used to help purchase Section 106 affordable units from housing developers; and what the policy was in the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme. \p Matthew Pennycook: The government’s new Social and Affordable Homes Programme for 2026/27 to 2035/36, like the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme, will support the delivery of social and affordable homes additional to those that developers have committed to delivering through Section 106 agreement. We have no plans to change these arrangements.
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Sarah Gibson:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what mechanisms exist for residents to report breaches of the fit and proper person requirements (a) anonymously and (b) safely; and what steps her Department is taking to ensure that those mechanisms are effective. \p Matthew Pennycook: The fit and proper person test, which applies to a site owner or the person appointed to manage a park homes site, is aimed at ensuring that those managing park home sites are competent to do so. Local authorities are responsible for assessing this test and enforcing against breaches of the legislation.

Anyone who has concerns about a site owner’s conduct or capability should contact the local authority. Concerns can be shared anonymously in writing or by phone, however it is for each authority to decide how they treat anonymous reports.

If, after a person has been included in the register, new evidence relevant to the person's inclusion in the register becomes available, the local authority may decide to remove them from the register or impose additional conditions that must be met to retain their entry on the register.

Where properly applied by local authorities, the fit and proper person legislation has been shown to be effective. We will continue to monitor its operation and consider whether any changes are required.
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Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many affordable homes have been built since July 2024. \p Matthew Pennycook: Statistics on gross additional affordable housing supply in England between April 2024 and March 2025, including the number of affordable homes built, will be published by December 2025.
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Matt Vickers:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many brownfield housing starts have been recorded in the last 12 months. \p Matthew Pennycook: Figures on the number of housing starts specifically on brownfield sites are not centrally collected.
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Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what additional funding she plans to provide to planning departments in local authorities in 2025-26. \p Matthew Pennycook: Supporting local planning authorities to attract, retain and develop skilled planners is crucial to ensuring they provide a proactive, efficient planning service for local communities and that new developments are well designed and facilitate local growth.

The government appreciates that planning departments across the country are experiencing challenges with recruitment, retention, and skills gaps and that in many cases these issues are having a negative impact on service delivery.

At the Budget last year, the Chanceller announced a £46 million package of investment into the planning system as a one-year settlement for 2025-2026.

Our manifesto committed us to appointing 300 new planning officers into LPAs. We are on track to meet that commitment through two routes, namely graduate recruitment through the Pathways to Planning scheme run by the Local Government Association and mid-career recruitment through Public Practice.

On 27 February 2025, the government announced funding to support salaries and complement graduate bursaries. Further information can be found in the Written Ministerial Statement I made on 27 February 2025 (HCWS480).

On 25 February 2025, the draft Town and Country Planning (Fees for Applications, Deemed Applications, Requests and Site Visits) (England) (Amendment and Transitional Provision) Regulations 2025 were agreed. These regulations increase planning fees for householder and other applications, with a view to providing much-needed additional resources for hard-pressed LPAs.

More broadly, the Department’s established Planning Capacity and Capability programme is also developing a wider programme of support, working with partners across the planning sector, to ensure that LPAs have the skills and capacity they need, both now and in the future, to modernise local plans and speed up decision making, including through innovative use of digital planning data and software.

Lastly, the Planning and Infrastructure Bill includes provisions that will allow LPAs to set planning fees or charges at a level that reflects the individual costs to the LPA to carry out the function for which it is imposed and to ensure that the income from planning fees or charges is applied towards the delivery of the planning function.
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Dr Andrew Murrison:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing license-based occupancy contracts for specialist housing for older people. \p Matthew Pennycook: The government is committed to enhancing provision and choice for older people in the housing market and we will continue to consider this issue as we develop our long-term housing strategy, which will be published later this year.

As set out in the Written Ministerial Statement I made on 26 November 2024 (HCWS249), the government is giving careful consideration to the recommendations from the Older People’s Housing Taskforce report including in relation to specialist accommodation for older people.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 20 June 2025 to Question 59354 on Planning Permissions: Carbon Emissions, how she plans to update the climate change guidance to provide additional advice on taking carbon emissions into account. \p Matthew Pennycook: The updated guidance will be published in due course.
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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how much HM Land Registry has spent on equipment to enable staff to work from home in each of the last three years. \p Matthew Pennycook: Following the coronavirus pandemic, HM Land Registry (HMLR) has enabled all staff to work both from home and from the office in line with the government’s 60% office attendance requirements.

Heads of departments have agreed that 60% minimum office attendance for most staff continues to be the best balance of working for the Civil Service.

As part of this change, HMLR has, through its standard IT and equipment refresh programme, provided all staff with laptops and the necessary equipment to enable them to work in a hybrid fashion. This is now the standard departmental provision of equipment and as such the majority of the associated costs are not specific to home working.

As part of this approach, HMLR offers new staff appropriate furniture and peripheral IT equipment to enable them to work at home as part of this hybrid arrangement. It is estimated that this can cost up to £500 per person and is based upon need.
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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what information her Department holds on the (a) number and (b) proportion of people granted asylum status who are living in the private rented sector. \p Matthew Pennycook: My Department does not hold data on the number, or the proportion, of people granted asylum who are living in the private rented sector.
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David Simmonds:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether the new affordable housing programme will include (a) bringing empty homes back into use, (b) the acquisition of existing built properties and (c) traveller pitches. \p Matthew Pennycook: I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 2 July (HCWS771).
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Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how much funding her Department plans to provide for brownfield remediation in the (a) 2025-26 and (b) 2026-27 financial year. \p Matthew Pennycook: The government is making available over £1.8bn of grant funding for land and infrastructure in 2025/26.

We will launch the National Housing Delivery Fund in 2026/27. Its c.£5bn of capital grant funding will be available across the four financial years from 2026/27 to 2029/30.

As per the Written Ministerial Statement I made on 18 June 2025 (HCWS712), we are also intend to establish a new, permanent National Housing Bank to act as the government’s investment arm.

We also intend to establish a new, permanent National Housing Bank to act as the government’s investment arm. The Bank will have an initial allocation of £16 billion of new financial capacity.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what her planned timetable is for the (a) completion of the remaining stages and (b) implementation of the provisions of the Renters Rights Bill. \p Matthew Pennycook: The Renters’ Rights Bill is currently progressing through the House of Lords. Report stage concluded on 15 July. Third Reading is scheduled for 21 July and the dates for the remaining stages of the Bill will be announced in due course.

Upon the commencement date, the new tenancy system provided for by the Bill will apply to all private tenancies - existing tenancies will become periodic, and any new tenancies will be governed by the new rules.

We will provide sufficient notice and will work closely with tenants groups and the landlord and lettings sector ahead of implementation.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 19 May 2025 to Question 51399 on Embassies: China, whether (a) MI5, (b) GCHQ or (c) MI6 have made any direct representations to (i) the planning inspector and (ii) her Department on the proposed Chinese Embassy. \p Matthew Pennycook: Representations on planning applications are dealt with in accordance with paragraphs 18, 19 and 20 of the published propriety guidance on planning casework decisions which can be found on gov.uk here

All Inquiry documents including representations to the Inquiry are publicly available on Tower Hamlets website here.
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Sarah Hall:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to help ensure that local government bodies adopt (a) common data standards and (b) open Application Programming Interfaces. \p Matthew Pennycook: MHCLG are supporting data standards initiatives to ensure that local government bodies can effectively adopt common data standards and open APIs, to enhance service delivery and interoperability. This includes the Open Referral UK and SAVVI data standards for community services and vulnerable people.

MHCLG’s Digital Planning Programme is working with local planning authorities to adopt common data standards; to provide better access to planning data, improve data quality and to make more data open, to achieve our digital ambitions and make the planning system more efficient. The Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 includes planning data powers, and MHCLG will be introducing data standards for planning data via secondary legislation.

MHCLG are supported by the Government Digital Service on the API programme, which publishes API technical and data standards for all public sector organisations to follow, including local authorities.
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Seamus Logan:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when he plans to publish the Clean Energy Workforce Strategy. \p Sarah Jones: We will publish the Clean Energy Workforce Strategy later this year. This Strategy will be a first for the UK Government, and will set out how government, industry and trade unions will come together to address skills and workforce challenges to deliver the Clean Energy Superpower Mission, including Clean Power 2030.
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Seamus Logan:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what the additional £700 million of funding for Great British Energy announced in the Clean Energy Industries Sector Plan, published on 23 June 2025 will be spent on. \p Michael Shanks: The Great British Energy (GBE) Supply Chain fund is £1 billion, as announced in the Clean Energy Industries Sector Plan published on 23 June 2025. This will help ensure the clean energy revolution is built in Britain.

Up to £300 million of the fund is committed grant funding for manufacturing offshore wind components.

GBE will invest a further £700 million in clean energy supply chains. Where this will be invested will be determined through market engagement and working alongside HMG Public Finance Institutions to develop the right delivery approach according to market needs.
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Olly Glover:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what discussions his Department has had with Ofgem on selling energy generated by community-led renewable energy schemes directly to the community. \p Michael Shanks: The Secretary of State previously commissioned Ofgem to explore some of the policy and regulatory barriers to local supply. The Department is working closely with Ofgem, Great British Energy and other key stakeholders to determine how best to support local generation being matched with local demand.

The energy industry has also been working to make changes to industry rules to support the local trade of energy, including code modifications to the Balancing and Settlement Code, P442, and standardising the classification of local energy sites, P441. Further updates and outcomes from this work will be provided in due course.
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Nick Timothy:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to the oral contribution of Baron Wilson of Sedgefield in the House of Lords on 3 July 2025, Official Report, column 867, what plans he has to take up internationally fuel refining industry margins. \p Michael Shanks: Refining margins differ from site to site and are driven by the prices of the crude oils each refinery buys and of the products that they produce. These prices are largely set by international traded markets.

The Government is determined to work with industry, workers and trade unions to ensure our UK refineries can compete in this international context. That is why, in less than 12 months in office, we have invested in carbon capture, usage and storage, which can help key refineries, such as Phillips 66 and Stanlow, through Viking and HyNet; and we are driving forward with the sustainable aviation fuel mandate, to help the refining sector maximise the opportunities created by the clean energy revolution.

We are also reviewing the methodology for the energy-intensive industries compensation scheme, to help assess whether sectors such as this should be covered in the future, and whether more can be done to help their competitiveness.
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Lee Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how much their Department has spent on translating documents into languages other than (a) English and (b) other native UK languages in each year since 2023; and what these languages were. \p Michael Shanks: The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero does not record this data in a way in which we can determine what proportion of the spend on translation services was for translating documents into languages other than (a) English and (b) other native UK languages in each year since 2023; and what these languages were.
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Nick Timothy:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has considered mandating market payments from intermittent renewable generators for costs associated with system inertia provision. \p Michael Shanks: The National Energy System Operator (NESO) continuously monitors the electricity system and ensures that there is sufficient inertia. In the transition to clean power, we are deploying the technologies needed for this. NESO is procuring technologies such as synchronous condensers and flywheels and use sub-second response services to manage frequency changes and maintain system stability.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_325

Nick Timothy:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what (a) his Department’s and (b) NESO’s estimate is of the likely (i) scale and (ii) cost of constraints of embedded generation up to 2030 and assuming that the Clean Power 2030 targets are met or exceeded. \p Michael Shanks: The National Energy System Operator (NESO) is responsible for operating Great Britain’s electricity system, which includes managing constraints. NESO publishes forecast constraint volumes and costs, but data is not available on the split of costs between different types of generators. NESO's latest balancing costs report can be found here.

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. NESO’s independent advice shows we can achieve clean power by 2030 with cheaper electricity, even factoring in constraint payments.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_326

Nick Timothy:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what (a) his Department’s and (b) NESO’s estimate of the magnitude in MWh and the aggregate cost of any constraints of embedded solar generation resulting from instructions at the distribution level by Distribution Network Operators in their emerging role as Distribution System Operators for all years in which such constraints and costs have occurred since 2020. \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, which can be found here: Constraint Breakdown 2025-2026 | National Energy System Operator. Actions taken in the Balancing Mechanism, including bids taken by individual Balancing Mechanism Units, can be accessed here API documentation | Insights Solution.

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 (2025-07-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_327

Afzal Khan:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to promote UK leadership on methane reduction (a) technologies and (b) services in international markets ahead of COP30. \p Kerry McCarthy: We promote the use of technology in reducing emissions across agriculture, waste and oil and gas sectors. Examples include offshore and onshore oil and gas operators using cameras, drones and sensors to detect leaks, capturing methane from landfill and using it for electricity, carrying out world-leading research to reduce landfill methane emissions and we are reviewing the use of methane suppressing feed products in suitable cattle systems. Ahead of COP30 will use our international leadership role as a Global Methane Pledge Champion to continue to encourage and support others to reduce methane emissions across all sectors.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_328

Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what discussions he has had with his counterparts in the devolved Administrations on the potential merits of offering incentives to small and medium-sized businesses to encourage them to adopt net zero approaches. \p Kerry McCarthy: Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) business support is a devolved matter with devolved Governments able to determine how to best support SMEs to adopt net zero approaches.

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero have engaged with their counterparts in the devolved Governments on the role of SMEs in the transition to net zero, including the potential merits of offering targeted incentives. We have discussed the approaches taken in Scotland and Wales, where loan programmes are in place to support SMEs in adopting low-carbon technologies and practices. We have also engaged with the Northern Ireland Executive, which offers a funded audit scheme to help SMEs identify decarbonisation opportunities. These schemes have provided valuable insights, and we are continuing to explore how similar models might inform future policy development in England.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_329

Lewis Cocking:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of net zero policies on (a) energy security and (b) industrial competitiveness. \p Kerry McCarthy: The transition to net zero will support both energy security and industrial competitiveness.

Switching to homegrown clean energy, including renewables and other clean technologies, offers security that fossil fuels simply cannot provide. And our Clean Power 2030 target is the key to long-term sustainable price reductions. Clean, homegrown energy is the best way to protect billpayers and boost Britain's energy independence.

The Government recognises the challenges in moving away from fossil fuels but is confident security of supply can be maintained throughout this transition. The recently published Clean Power 2030 Action Plan sets out our plans to secure critical supply chains in clean energy and foundational industries, such as steel and concrete.

Alongside measures to support the growth of these sectors, we are bringing energy costs for UK industries closer in line with other major economies, including through the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme. This will slash industrial electricity prices by around 20-25% from 2027, which could benefit over 7,000 manufacturing businesses, including carmakers and defence manufacturers – which employ over 300,000 skilled workers.

The Government will publish its updated carbon budget plan by October. This will set out the policy package to the end of Carbon Budget 6 in 2037 for all sectors of the economy, and will include consideration of energy security and industrial competitiveness.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_330

Mike Wood:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 18 June 2025 to Question HL8158 on Arm’s Length Bodies, what is the (a) purpose and (b) function of Project Seahorse. \p Miatta Fahnbulleh: I refer the hon. Member to the answers of 29 May 2025 to Question UIN 53535 and of 16 July 2025 to Question UIN 65871.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_331

Paula Barker:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 17 April 2025 to Question 41589 on Rented Housing: Housing Improvement, whether (a) landlords who have received a Warm Homes local grant and (b) local authorities are required to notify tenants of a declaration not to raise rents following the improvements. \p Miatta Fahnbulleh: The Warm Homes: Local Grant requires landlords to declare that they will not raise rents as a direct result of the upgrades being installed funded by government grants. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero is monitoring the impact of the scheme, including on rents and may make changes if needed.

There is not a requirement on either landlords or local authorities to notify tenants of this declaration.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_332

Sarah Edwards:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will publish the training materials for case handlers of the Energy Ombudsman. \p Miatta Fahnbulleh: Ofgem is required to review the Energy Ombudsman every two years. As part of these reviews, the Energy Ombudsman provided training materials to Ofgem, who judged that staff at the Ombudsman were sufficiently well-trained. The decision about whether to publish training materials is a decision for the Energy Ombudsman, who are independent of Government.

We want it to be quicker and easier for consumers to access the Energy Ombudsman service and for any customer who has received a poor-quality service from their supplier to receive the compensation and resolution they deserve.

That is why the Government has announced proposals to strengthen the Energy Ombudsman to ensure that suppliers comply with its final decisions or pay compensation to their consumer. We will also consult on introducing automatic referrals to the Ombudsman, explore the reduction of referral waiting times from 8 weeks to 4 weeks and make the overall complaints process more transparent and accessible.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_333

Will Stone:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to increase political education in the curriculum in the context of lowering the voting age to 16. \p Catherine McKinnell: Democracy is currently taught through the national curriculum for citizenship at key stages 3 and 4, which covers parliamentary democracy, the key elements of the constitution of the United Kingdom, the power of government and how citizens and Parliament hold it to account, including through the voting system.

Support for curriculum delivery is available through optional, free and adaptable resources from Oak National Academy (Oak). The resource package will be ready by this autumn; the resources will be here: https://www.thenational.academy/.

The government has established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review which seeks to deliver a rich, broad, inclusive and innovative curriculum that equips young people with the knowledge, skills and attributes needed to thrive in life and work.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_334

Helen Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the market impact assessment for the Oak National Academy will be published alongside the independent review findings. \p Catherine McKinnell: My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education is currently considering the findings of the independent review and market impact assessment of Oak National Academy. Both the findings of the review and the market impact assessment will be published in due course.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_335

Helen Morgan:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure young people living with special educational needs in North Shropshire can access the support they require. \p Catherine McKinnell: This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or in alternative provision receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.

Following the last Ofsted inspection, departmental officials have been working with Shropshire Council to closely monitor progress against the areas for improvement identified by inspectors. A SEND Advisor was appointed to support and work alongside Shropshire Council and the local area partnership. Shropshire is also gaining valuable insights and learning across the SEND and alternative provision system through engagement in the Change Programme. A clear strategic vision and strength of partnership continues to drive improvement and access to support, though there is more work to be done.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-21)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-21 conversation_336

Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to ensure equal access to (a) comprehensive and (b) age-appropriate relationships and sex education across schools in Fylde. \p Catherine McKinnell: Relationships education is compulsory for all primary school pupils, and relationships and sex education compulsory for all secondary school pupils in England.

The department published revised relationships, sex and health education statutory guidance on 15 July, which sets out a comprehensive and age-appropriate curriculum for all pupils in England. The revised guidance will become statutory on 1 September 2026, replacing the existing guidance which has been in force since 2020. This guidance is accessible at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education.