theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
wrans/answers2025-11-25 conversation_465
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-25)

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Rupert Lowe:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many cases of fraudulent IELTS certificates have been identified by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) in each of the last five years. \p Mike Tapp: The data is only available at disproportionate cost.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-25)

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Mr Will Forster:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of trends in the level of the Maritime Skills Allowance on Border Force officers; and whether it will review remuneration arrangements. \p Mike Tapp: Border Force and the Border Security Command work tirelessly to keep our borders safe and secure. Our maritime assets and the officers who crew them are a key capability in our mission.

We have been in close dialogue with our maritime officers and their Trade Unions for some time with a view to resolving the ongoing dispute with current terms and conditions.

We are currently holding constructive negotiations with Trade Unions which we believe are moving us closer to a final offer to staff. This offer will include flexibility and attendance- based payments as well as renumeration for professional qualifications through a revised Maritime Skills Allowance package.
wrans/answers2025-11-25 conversation_467
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-25)

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Dr Scott Arthur:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her oral Statement one 20 of November 2025, what thresholds is she considering  to evaluate integration metrics such as volunteering and proficiency in English. \p Mike Tapp: Under the new earned settlement model, generally, those seeking to settle must evidence that they are proficient in English at B2 level under the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

We are consulting on how a higher, C1 standard of English might be rewarded with a reduction to the qualification period for settlement.

Similarly, we are consulting as to how volunteering and other contributions might be recognised and rewarded under the new earned settlement model.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-25)

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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment has been made of police and enforcement capacity to investigate cryptocurrency-related crimes, including scams, ransomware payments, and illicit trading platforms. \p Dan Jarvis: The UK government has strengthened UK policing capabilities to tackle cryptocurrency-related crime effectively.

Through the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act (2023), law enforcement agencies (LEAs) gained new powers to seize illicit cryptoassets. As set out in the UK’s National Risk Assessment (NRA) of Money Laundering (ML) and Terrorist Financing (TF) 20251, this is supported by the recruitment of 475 new financial investigators across UK law enforcement, investment in advanced crypto forensic tracing technologies for LEAs, provision of specialist training for officers in crypto investigations and the creation of public-private operational crypto partnerships. Together, these measures enhance the UK’s ability to investigate cryptoasset crimes of all types and confiscate criminal proceeds.

This year LEAs also received £3.2m of additional funding through the Asset Recovery Incentivisation Scheme (ARIS) Top Slice grant to tackle crypto crime through innovative projects which further build capability within the LEA system. A further c£3.9m of funding is committed for next year. Monitored by the Home Office, these projects strengthen efforts to investigate and seize crypto attributed to crime.

The Home Office is developing legislative proposals to counter ransomware, which will provide law enforcement and operational partners with a robust evidence base and understanding of the ransomware payment landscape to support investigations and wider activity. The UK has led significant disruptions against ransomware gangs and their criminal ecosystem. In October 2024, we sanctioned 16 members of the prolific cyber-crime gang, Evil Corp, and in February 2025, UK sanctions targeted ZSERVERS, a prolific Russian cybercrime entity responsible for facilitating crippling ransomware attacks globally.

The Government will also soon publish a new fraud strategy designed to tackle all types of scams, including those involving cryptocurrencies.

1National risk assessment of money laundering and terrorist financing 2025 - GOV.UK
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-25)

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Max Wilkinson:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how does her department define an "unmeritous" asylum claim. \p Alex Norris: The asylum and returns policy statement sets out the intention to deal swiftly with unmeritorious protection claims that are made by nationals of manifestly safe countries in an attempt to frustrate their removal. In this context, an unmeritorious claim is one which is so lacking in merit that it can be appropriately considered following a single interview.

This policy does not relate to any designation of a specific country as manifestly safe, but rather a holistic assessment of whether there is a basis on which a prolonged assessment of a claim is required, for example through an additional interview. This is distinct from existing legislative provisions (under s94 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002) which allow all or part of a country to be designated as safe, for the purposes of assessing whether a claim should be certified as clearly unfounded.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-25)

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Max Wilkinson:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of supporting work asylum seekers who do not qualify for benefits on local authority spending. \p Alex Norris: Asylum seekers are not eligible for mainstream benefits (such as universal credit) which are available to British citizens and other permanent residents. However, if they would otherwise be destitute, the Home Office currently has a legal duty to offer support, which generally consist of providing accommodation and a cash allowance to cover their essential living needs.

We will be revoking that duty, restoring a discretionary power for the Home Office to offer support, as previously provided under UK law.

We will deny support to those who are able to support themselves, or have deliberately made themselves destitute. We will remove support from those who fail to comply with UK law or conditions of support.

Details of how eligibility considerations will apply will be set out in published guidance in due course.
wrans/answers2025-11-25 conversation_471
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-25)

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Max Wilkinson:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her department's policy paper entitled Restoring Order and Control: A statement on the government’s asylum and returns policy, updated on 20 November 2025, what process will her department use to define "vulnerable groups". \p Alex Norris: The earned settlement consultation launched on 20 November 2025.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-25)

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Max Wilkinson:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made with the Ministry of Justice of the capacity of the legal system to offer early legal advice to asylum seekers. \p Alex Norris: Reforms to the appeals system, including the development of a new independent appeals body will help asylum seekers have access to justice, overcome delays and restore public confidence. Early legal advice will be embedded as a core part of these reforms.

We will work closely with the Ministry of Justice to understand and manage the justice impacts of all proposals, including ensuring there is sufficient capacity to deliver early legal advice.

Further details on these reforms will be set out in due course.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-25)

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Max Wilkinson:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of Digital ID checks for the right to work on the ability of asylum seekers to compete against British nationals in the job market. \p Alex Norris: Asylum seekers who have been granted permission to work are expected to be able to obtain a digital ID for right-to-work checks once the scheme is fully implemented. As announced by the Prime Minister on 26 September, digital checks of an individual’s digital ID to establish right to work will become mandatory by the end of the Parliament.

The digital ID system will build on existing digital right-to-work checks for foreign nationals, where eVisa share codes are currently used, making the process more streamlined. It will standardise verification across all individuals, including British nationals, but will not change the underlying eligibility rules for asylum seekers.

Asylum seekers are generally not allowed to work while their claim is being considered and receive support to meet essential living needs if they would otherwise be destitute. They may apply for permission to work only if their claim has been outstanding for 12 months or more through no fault of their own.
wrans/answers2025-11-25 conversation_474
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-25)

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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress has she made on the design and pilot of AI tools to support asylum case working as part of the Asylum Transformation Programme. \p Alex Norris: The Asylum Case Summarisation (ACS) tool uses artificial intelligence (AI) to summarise asylum interview transcripts. The Asylum Policy Search (APS) tool is an AI search assistant that finds and summarises country policy information. The tools were designed as an aid for decision-makers to improve efficiency but do not, and cannot, replace any part of the decision-making process. APS has been rolled out and is accessible to all Asylum decision makers and ACS is in advances stages of development with a full roll out planned in the new year. Further tooling is being worked on including an asylum letter writing assistant for caseworkers.
wrans/answers2025-11-25 conversation_475
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-25)

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Dr Scott Arthur:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the policy paper entitled Restoring Order and Control: A statement on the government’s asylum and returns policy, published on 17 November 2025, whether processes will be put in place for asylum seekers whose home countries have been deemed safe but that are not personally safe for them to return. \p Alex Norris: Core Protection will allow those who are at risk to remain in the UK as long it is necessary, whilst it is unsafe for them to return. Each case will be considered on its own individual merits. Further details about financial contributions, English language provision and the new work or study path are subject to further policy development which will be set out in due course.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-25)

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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent progress she has made in implementing the Asylum Transformation Programme. \p Alex Norris: The Asylum Transformation Programme is focused on improving the asylum journey by streamlining, simplifying and digitalising processes to speed up decision making and establishing an asylum accommodation system with the right capacity and optimum cost. The programme was formally established in 2022 and since that time has delivered a number of planned initiatives and will continue to deliver until programme closure. Recent Project delivery includes but is not limited to; AI tooling in Asylum case working, a two-way communication portal for legal representatives and the Home Office, improvement to age assessment data management and processes, and tooling that provides greater visibility of asylum accommodation availability across the estate.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-25)

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Lee Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to make (a) streets and (b) communities safer for women and girls. \p Jess Phillips: Tackling violence against women and girls (VAWG) is a top priority for this Government with a manifesto mission to halve violence against women and girls in a decade. We will deliver a cross-government transformative approach, underpinned by a new strategy which we aim to publish as soon as possible.

In advance of the strategy, we have already introduced measures designed to strengthen the police response to VAWG, protect victims and hold perpetrators to account.

These include: funding to rollout Drive Project, a proven intervention for high-risk and high-harm domestic abuse perpetrators across England and Wales; embedding the first domestic abuse specialists in 999 control rooms in five police forces; measures to tackle spiking to strengthen the law and improve the response victims receive, including committing to introducing a new criminal offence for spiking and piloting new spiking training for bar staff; measures focusing on preventing and tackling ‘honour’-based abuse (HBA), developing a statutory definition for HBA, community engagement campaigns, enhanced training and funding for support services; six measures to tackle stalking including statutory guidance to empower the police to release the identities of online stalkers to protect victims, and a review of the stalking legislation to ensure it is fit for purpose; and launching the new Domestic Abuse Protection Orders in selected police forces and courts which go further than any existing orders.
wrans/answers2025-11-25 conversation_478
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-25)

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Max Wilkinson:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate her Department has made of the costs of deporting migrants through return hubs. \p Alex Norris: The Prime Minister has been clear since entering government that we need to have innovative and bold solutions to reduce the burden of migration on UK taxpayers. It would not be appropriate to pre-empt the outcome of ongoing negotiations and further details will be released in due course. Our guiding principle will always be something that is workable and meets international obligations.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-25)

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Max Wilkinson:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what criteria her Department is using to determine the correct financial remuneration for assisted voluntary return. \p Alex Norris: All criteria for accessing support to return is set out on the Voluntary Returns Service webpage at Get help to return home if you’re a migrant in the UK: Who can get help - GOV.UK

We are planning to pilot an increased financial package for a limited time for those willing to return home voluntarily, saving the taxpayer money on costly asylum accommodation. We have not yet alighted on the full sums involved or eligibility criteria.

Voluntary removals save the UK taxpayer money on expensive asylum accommodation and costs of detention, appeals, and other legal challenges are also significantly reduced.
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Mims Davies:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has issued guidance to local authorities on (a) when and (b) how often they can issue legal stop notices in relation to the housing of asylum seekers in their areas. \p Alex Norris: Planning enforcement action is not a matter for the Home Office.  This government will close every asylum hotel. Work is well underway, with more suitable sites being brought forward to ease pressure on communities across the country so that the Home Office continues to meet its statutory obligations while also carefully considering the impact on local areas.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-25)

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Cat Eccles:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if her Department will publish the number and proportion of successful appeals against deportation that relied on ECHR grounds since July 2024. \p Alex Norris: The requested data is not held centrally in a reportable format.
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Euan Stainbank:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Statement on Asylum Policy of 17 of November, Official Report column 509, what the qualifying tests for family reunion for refugees applying through the work and study route will be. \p Alex Norris: A refugee who is given core protection will have no automatic right to bring family to the UK. Refugees will be able to switch into a new, bespoke work and study route to access family reunion and settlement rights with new fees and conditions in accordance with the rules of that route. This will enable them to earn down their length of time before they can settle in the UK from 20 years.

The Government will set out the requirements and timelines in due course.
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Dr Scott Arthur:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, within the context of her asylum statement on 17 November 2025, if those arriving in the UK via safe and legal routes to seek asylum will have to wait for 20 years for indefinite settled status if they are recognised as refugees. \p Alex Norris: Our intention is that individuals arriving through reformed Safe and Legal resettlement routes will follow a ten-year path to settlement with the possibility of reducing this period based on contribution, in line with wider settlement reforms. This approach is subject to further consultation.

We are introducing transformative changes to Safe and Legal routes that will fundamentally reshape how the UK offers opportunities to refugees. Work is underway at pace to operationalise these new routes, and further details will be provided in due course.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-25)

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Dr Luke Evans:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent progress the National Crime Agency has made on tackling cash-only businesses engaged in money laundering. \p Dan Jarvis: Addressing cash-based money laundering is one of the strategic priorities of the National Economic Crime Centre, which sits within the National Crime Agency. In March 2025, the NECC led a three-week intensification campaign (Operation MACHINIZE) against barbershops and other cash intensive businesses which saw 380 premises visited, 84 warrants, 35 arrests, and the seizure of illicit goods.

This was followed by a second phase of activity (Operation MACHINIZE 2) throughout October which involved every UK police force and Regional Organised Crime Unit, Home Office Immigration Enforcement, Trading Standards, HM Revenue & Customs and Companies House. The operation saw: 2734 premises visited and raided, 924 individuals arrested, over £10.7m of suspected criminal proceeds seized and over £2.7m worth of illicit commodities destroyed.

The Home Office is working closely with partners to use the learning from this operation to build on and develop long-term solutions.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-25)

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Gareth Thomas:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many cases of alleged trustee mismanagement of asset protection trusts were recorded in the last three years by Action Fraud in a) Scotland b) London c) Suffolk and d) In total. \p Dan Jarvis: The capturing of fraud reports is recorded in line with the Home Office Crime Counting Rules for fraud, which breaks fraud down into a range of codes. The information requested does not currently align to the crimes recorded in the Action Fraud data set.

The Home Office is working with City of London Police to replace Action Fraud with a new and improved national police reporting service for fraud and cybercrime. The new service will include capabilities to better track threat trends and enhanced search features for the report database.
wrans/answers2025-11-25 conversation_487
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-25)

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Dr Scott Arthur:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her plan to offer permanent settlement to refugees only after 20 years residence in the UK will apply to people currently (a) in the asylum system and (b) holding refugee status. \p Alex Norris: We will carefully manage the transition into the new system - avoiding any risk of a 'closing down sale'. That is why we will seek to put in place transitional provisions to ensure that the offer remains clear and fair.

Refugees who are given core protection will be able to switch into a new, bespoke work and study route to access family reunion and settlement rights with new fees and conditions in accordance with the rules of that route. This will enable them to earn down their length of time before they can settle in the UK from 20 years.

Settlement requirements will be considered in an upcoming consultation on earned settlement, covering both legal and illegal migrants.
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Jim McMahon:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what proportion of dispersed accommodation procured by her Department in (a) Greater Manchester and (b) Oldham is in Selective Landlord Licensing areas. \p Alex Norris: Dispersed Accommodation procured by private providers on behalf of the Home Office is standard practice. Our providers comply with any local authority licensing requirements as standard practice.
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Jim McMahon:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which contracts valued over £25,000 for dispersed accommodation providers have been contracted by Serco in Greater Manchester. \p Alex Norris: The Home Office holds seven Asylum Accommodation and Support Contracts across the UK. The Home Office has contracted Serco Ltd as the AASC Provider for the North West region, including Greater Manchester. Responsibility for the provision of all dispersal accommodation in Greater Manchester therefore lies Serco Ltd. This includes the management of all subcontractors.

The Home Office does not hold contracts with other suppliers for the direct provision of dispersal accommodation and support services in Greater Manchester.

Further information on the Home Office’s contract with Serco Ltd is available here: AASC - Asylum Accommodation & Support Services Contract NW - Contracts Finder
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Euan Stainbank:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of clause 52 of the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill to permit the denial of refugee status to asylum seekers who are serious offenders. \p Alex Norris: Clause 52 ensures that convictions for Schedule 3 sexual offences will be assumed to be ‘particularly serious’ for the purpose of exclusion from the Refugee Convention. Not only have these individuals failed to respect the laws of the UK by committing heinous acts, but they have also undermined public confidence in the ability of the state to protect the public.

All crime causes harm to victims, communities, and society in general. By their very nature, sexual offences (especially those which warrant the imposition of the notification requirement) can have very serious impacts on victims and the overall fabric of society. Parliament has debated these issues and considered these offences to sit in a unique category, not least given the effect they have on victims and communities.

These individuals will be liable for removal at the earliest opportunity. Where removal is not possible due to our ECHR obligations, clause 52 will ensure that such individuals are not afforded the generous benefits of protection status in the UK.
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Mr Peter Bedford:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if her department monitors the whereabouts of people in the UK who overstay their visa. \p Alex Norris: We expect people with no right to be here to leave the country voluntarily but, where they do not, Immigration Enforcement will seek to enforce their departure.

The Home Office does not routinely categorise immigration offenders by the manner in which they became irregular. The Home Office monitors those individuals in the UK that are here on a temporary visa and, where we know or suspect that they have overstayed, they become liable for enforcement action.
wrans/answers2025-11-25 conversation_493
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Euan Stainbank:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Statement on Asylum Policy of 17 of November, Official Report column 509, how many failed asylum seekers are from a home country who is not a signatory to the European Convention on Human Rights in each year for which information is available. \p Alex Norris: The Home Office does not publish data on the number of failed asylum seekers, including those with exhausted appeal rights, from countries that are not signatories to the European Convention on Human Rights.

Published asylum data is available in the Immigration System Statistics Quarterly Release. The latest outcomes of asylum claims, as at July 2024, are in table Asy_D04 of the asylum detailed datasets. These figures should not be interpreted as the number of failed asylum seekers, as refusal outcomes may still be subject to review or appeal.

As appeals information is not included, it is not possible to determine from published data how many individuals have become failed asylum seekers. Data on cases subject to removal is available in table Asy_03 of the transparency data.
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Euan Stainbank:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the Statement on Asylum Policy of 17 of November, Official Report column 509, which international partners have raised similar concerns about the inability to apply the public interest to the Article 3 Absolute Right under the European Convention on Human Rights. \p Alex Norris: A number of Council of Europe members have expressed concern over the interpretation and application of the ECHR in the context of migration. An open letter of nine Council of Europe countries of 22 May 2025 called for "discussion about how international conventions match the challenges of today". We agree on the importance of addressing these challenges together and the Deputy Prime Minister will meet with other Justice Ministers at the Council of Europe on 10 December to set out the UK position and advance work on the ECHR reform agenda.
wrans/answers2025-11-25 conversation_495
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Euan Stainbank:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Statement on Asylum Policy of 17 of November, Official Report column 509, what the threshold of (a) income and (b) assets will be before an asylum seeker is required to receive before they are asked to contribute to their support. \p Alex Norris: These details are subject to further policy development which will be set out in due course.
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Euan Stainbank:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Statement on Asylum Policy of 17 of November, Official Report column 509, which means other than sponsorship will be opened up to new, capped, safe and legal routes for asylum seekers. \p Alex Norris: The UK has rightly played its part alongside other countries in response to crises such as Ukraine, Hong Kong and Afghanistan.

As set out in the policy statement, in addition to the sponsorship pathways, we are developing new capped safe and legal routes at pace for refugees and displaced people to access the UK for work and study purposes.

This approach remains flexible to respond to global crises, as demonstrated by recent extensions to the Ukraine scheme and targeted support for individuals affected by conflicts in Gaza.
wrans/answers2025-11-25 conversation_497
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Mr Peter Bedford:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department holds information on the number of immigrants granted asylum or indefinite leave to remain that have a criminal record either in the UK or abroad. \p Alex Norris: The requested information is not in a reportable format and can only be collated at disproportionate cost.

As explained in this note published in April 2025, systems for collecting and compiling data related to foreign national offenders in the immigration system are currently undergoing a transition to improve the quality of information held by the department. The Home Office proposes to publish more detailed statistical reporting on FNOs subject to deportation and those returned to countries outside of the UK once system developments are complete.

Official statistics published by the Home Office are kept under review in line with the code of practice for statistics, taking into account a number of factors including user needs, the resources required to compile the statistics, as well as quality and availability of data. These reviews allow us to balance the production of our regular statistics whilst developing new statistics for future release.
wrans/answers2025-11-25 conversation_498
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Mr Gregory Campbell:To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to the Answer of 16 October 2025 to Question 81262 on Connect Fund: Northern Ireland, how many of the 24 applications to the Connect Fund were successful. \p Hilary Benn: The Connect Fund has continued to receive a positive reaction from the voluntary and community sector and I am glad to see many innovative projects are already underway. In the August window, 24 applications were received with 11 of these subsequently awarded funding.
wrans/answers2025-11-25 conversation_499
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-25)

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Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether he has had discussions with the European Union on barriers to selling poppies under the Windsor Framework. \p Hilary Benn: The Government engages with the European Union on a range of issues on a regular basis. I can confirm that there are no barriers to selling poppies in respect of the Poppy Appeal under the Windsor Framework, and the Government has updated the relevant GOV.UK guidance to reflect this.
wrans/answers2025-03-18 conversation_1
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-18)

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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has plans to review the use of marginal-cost pricing for wholesale electricity. \p Michael Shanks: The second REMA consultation, published in March 2024, considered a range of options related to reform the market. Among other things, the previous government decided to retain marginal pricing across the wholesale market and to proceed with the rapid rollout of renewable generation via a CfD-type scheme. We believe we can achieve this through Clean Power 2030, which represents the best way to decouple gas and electricity prices and enable efficient electricity system operation.
wrans/answers2025-03-18 conversation_2
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-18)

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Gareth Snell:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 13 March 2025 to Question 36729, if he will give an example of a cost effective solution to decarbonise for the ceramics sector. \p Sarah Jones: Making Britain a clean energy superpower is one of the five missions of this Government — delivering clean power by 2030 and accelerating to net zero. British industries, such as those in the ceramics sector, have been held back by high electricity costs, which has often made investing here uncompetitive. The Government’s clean energy mission will drive down costs, making British businesses internationally competitive while our National Wealth Fund supports the most energy intensive sectors to decarbonise.

A recent report from Ceramics UK, Decarbonising UK Ceramic Manufacturing, outlines potential solutions for decarbonising the ceramics sector.
wrans/answers2025-03-18 conversation_3
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-18)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-18 conversation_3

Gareth Snell:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 13 March 2025 to Question 36729 on UK Emissions Trading Scheme: Ceramics, whether he has made a sectoral assessment of the potential merits of exempting ceramics from the UK Emissions Trading Scheme. \p Sarah Jones: The UK Emissions Trading Scheme, whose coverage includes energy intensive industries such as those in the ceramics sector, allows installations who meet certain criteria to apply to be exempted from the main scheme by obtaining ‘small emitter’ classification.

Over half of sites in the ceramics sector are already exempted from the UK ETS via achieving Small Emitter status. The UK Emissions Trading Scheme as an essential part of our approach to cutting emissions and driving green investment. UK ETS participants, including those in the ceramics sector, are provided with free allocations, to incentivise emissions reduction and protect energy intensive, trade exposed industries from the risk of carbon leakage. We have guaranteed current free allocation levels until 2027 and are currently reviewing how we calculate free allocations to better support sectors most at risk of carbon leakage.

We will always work in the best interest of industry.
wrans/answers2025-03-18 conversation_4
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-18)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-18 conversation_4

Sir Julian Lewis:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent estimate his Department has made of the (a) volume and (b) proportion of liquefied natural gas imported from the United States derived from shale gas in each of the last three years; and whether emissions created by the (i) extraction, (ii) liquefaction and (iii) transportation to the UK of that gas exceed the emissions which would be created by extracting an equivalent volume of shale gas in the UK. \p Michael Shanks: Data on gas import origins (including imports of liquified natural gas (LNG) from the US) is published each month in Energy Trends table 4.4. Further disaggregation of US LNG by method of extraction is not collected or available.

The UK has no active commercial shale gas production and hence no emissions data from production to allow a comparison with emissions from imported gas.
wrans/answers2025-03-18 conversation_5
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-18)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-18 conversation_5

Gareth Snell:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will introduce an energy price cap for (a) the ceramics industry and (b) other energy intensive industries. \p Miatta Fahnbulleh: The Government has no plans to introduce a non-domestic price cap. Businesses have different needs to households. Non-domestic demand varies in scale, flexibility and seasonality. From high demand from large industrial users to intermittent demand from some microbusinesses. Accordingly, there are a range of suppliers and energy products that are available to efficiently meet these needs.

However, the Government is committed to championing businesses and improving non-domestic consumer protections. Since December 2024 Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) with fewer than 50 employees can now access free support to resolve issues with their energy supplier through the Energy Ombudsman. This means that 99% of British businesses can now access this service with outcomes ranging up to £20,000 in financial awards. Last year, the Government also launched a consultation on introducing regulation of Third-Party Intermediaries (TPIs), such as energy brokers. This is aimed at enhancing consumer protections, particularly for non-domestic consumers.

The consultation has now closed, and a Government response will follow in due course once all feedback has been reviewed.
wrans/answers2025-03-18 conversation_6
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-18)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-18 conversation_6

Pippa Heylings:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to support landlords to improve energy efficiency in the private rented sector. \p Miatta Fahnbulleh: The Government is now consulting on increasing minimum energy efficiency standards in the domestic private rented sector. The consultation sets out proposals on the maximum spend required from landlords and the exemptions regime to manage the cost burden placed on landlords and the impact on the rental market. We are considering how we can best support landlords to meet the new standards and welcome responses from landlords to the consultation.
wrans/answers2025-03-18 conversation_7
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-18)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-18 conversation_7

Pippa Heylings:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department has modelled the effectiveness of the Warm Homes Plan on reducing energy bills. \p Miatta Fahnbulleh: The Warm Homes Plan will help cut household bills for families and slash fuel poverty. The Government has committed £3.4 billion towards the Warm Homes Plan over the next three years. Further details on the Warm Homes Plan will be set out in due course.

Future funding towards decarbonisation and to tackle fuel poverty will be considered as part of Phase 2 of the Spending Review, which will conclude in late Spring 2025.

By investing in the electrification of heat in buildings, the Warm Homes Plan will help to protect families and businesses from the volatile costs of the international fossil fuel market and make us more secure from the actions of foreign powers.
wrans/answers2025-03-18 conversation_8
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-18)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-18 conversation_8

Tom Morrison:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to support a just transition for workers in the oil and gas sector; and what steps he has taken to support (a) retraining and (b) reskilling them for jobs in the renewable energy industry. \p Sarah Jones: The Office of Clean Energy Jobs (OCEJ) is engaging widely with industry, experts, and trade unions for a clear assessment of the skills opportunities and challenges. It is working closely with Skills England to ensure that skills systems reforms support the clean energy transition.

The OCEJ will also set out targeted interventions to support specific skills needs in the clean energy workforce. It has recently launched the initial version of the Energy Skills Passport to support oil and gas workers into new roles in the clean energy sector like offshore wind. In phase two, we are exploring opportunities to expand it into other clean energy sectors such as CCUS and Hydrogen.
wrans/answers2025-03-18 conversation_9
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-18)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-18 conversation_9

Pippa Heylings:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to the oil spill map published by the Ocean Alliance Against Offshore Drilling on 19 February 2025, what steps he is taking to help tackle the systematic and ongoing oil and chemical pollution that occurs in UK marine protected areas. \p Michael Shanks: The data presented in the oil spill map overstates the number of permit breaches associated with oil or chemicals discharged to sea as a number of these report duplicate discharges while some relate to administrative failures to comply with permit conditions, such as sampling and late reporting. The UK has a comprehensive environmental regulatory regime for the offshore oil and gas sector which ensures that provisions are in place to minimise the chances of and, if required, respond to oil and chemical spills. Oil and chemical spills from offshore oil operations are of significant concern to OPRED which is why there is no minimum quantity for reporting. The number of oil and chemical spills reported to OPRED has almost halved since 2018 and the amount of oil and chemical spilled in 2023 is at a historic low. Every spill is investigated by OPRED proportionately and OPRED can take enforcement action against operators if needed, including the use of fines or referral for criminal prosecution. OPRED continues to work with industry to improve their performance and further reduce the occurrence of oil and chemical spills.
wrans/answers2025-03-18 conversation_10
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-18)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-18 conversation_10

Mr Angus MacDonald:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the transition from the radio teleswitch service on households in (a) rural and (b) remote areas; and what steps he is taking to ensure that these households are not disproportionately affected. \p Miatta Fahnbulleh: The Department and Ofgem have been clear that they expect energy suppliers to promptly arrange suitable replacement metering solutions for their remaining RTS customers.

Suppliers should sufficiently resource themselves to ensure they have installer workforce capacity to replace RTS meters in rural and remote areas. This could involve measures such as deploying roaming teams of installers in areas with low installer capacity.

Ofgem has consulted on new licence conditions which will seek to ensure consumers are treated fairly and have an alternative metering arrangement following the cessation of RTS.
wrans/answers2025-03-18 conversation_11
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-18)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-18 conversation_11

Mr Angus MacDonald:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what discussions his Department has had with (a) Ofgem and (b) energy suppliers on (i) providing additional financial support and (ii) targeted protection for vulnerable households with increased costs associated with the replacement of radio teleswitch service meters. \p Miatta Fahnbulleh: The Department attends the Industry Taskforce on the Radio Teleswitch Service, which was convened by Ofgem last year and is led by Energy UK. The Taskforce’s Call to Action in October 2024 highlighted that energy suppliers should fast-track meter upgrades to RTS customers, particularly prioritising vulnerable customers, ahead of the switch-off.

Ofgem has also consulted on plans to introduce new RTS specific licence conditions for energy suppliers. These propose that suppliers must take all reasonable steps to provide an energy tariff that leaves all their customers ‘no worse off’ than before once their RTS meter is replaced.
wrans/answers2025-03-18 conversation_12
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-18)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-18 conversation_12

Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to support the hospitality sector with energy costs. \p Miatta Fahnbulleh: The Government believes that our mission to deliver clean power by 2030 is the best way to break our dependence on global fossil fuel markets and protect billpayers permanently.

The creation of Great British Energy will help us to harness clean energy with less reliance on volatile international energy markets and help in our commitment to make Britain a clean energy superpower by 2030.

In the short-term, the Government wants to provide businesses with better protection from being locked into unfair and expensive energy contracts, and more redress when they have a complaint. Last year, the Government launched a consultation on introducing regulation of Third-Party Intermediaries (TPIs), such as energy brokers. This is aimed at enhancing consumer protections, particularly for non-domestic consumers. The consultation has now closed, and a Government response will follow in due course once all feedback has been reviewed.

For non-domestic consumers who agreed to contracts at very expensive rates at the peak of price spikes, I recommend that they contact their supplier to enquire about ‘blend and extend’ contracts. These contracts blend the original, higher, unit rate with a new lower rate, spreading the cost over the course of an extended contract lifetime.