theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Robin Swann:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many companies with addresses in Northern Ireland have been removed from the Companies House register in the last year by the National Economic Crime Centre. \p Justin Madders: The National Economic Crime Centre does not remove companies from the Registers of Companies. This is a function of the Registrars of Companies.

During the most recent period for which published figures are available (April 2024 to March 2025), 10,096 companies were struck off the Register of Companies for Northern Ireland and dissolved. These statistics are available from Table A9 of the Companies Register Activities: Statistical Release April 2024 to March 2025. This can be accessed at the address below:

Companies register activities: statistical release April 2024 to March 2025 - GOV.UK
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Neil Coyle:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to tackle bogus self-employment in the digital economy. \p Justin Madders: The Government is clear that bogus self-employment is unacceptable. Employers should never seek to deny people their employment rights and avoid their own legal obligations by claiming someone is self-employed when in reality they are not. We recognise the complexity of the UK's current employment status framework and are committed to consulting on a simpler framework.

Our priority is ensuring those workers who are most vulnerable know their rights and have the benefit of protection at work, including those working in the digital economy.
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Rupert Lowe:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many and what proportion of departmental procurement contracts were awarded to British companies in the last financial year. \p Justin Madders: In the financial year 2024-25, the Department awarded 274 contracts, 239 (87.2%) of which were to UK companies.
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Max Wilkinson:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent assessment his Department has made of the contribution of secondary ticketing platforms to the economy. \p Justin Madders: Earlier this year, the government consulted on the resale of live events tickets to seek views on a range of proposals aimed at improving fairness for consumers – including a price cap that would restrict the price at which tickets could lawfully be resold.

In the consultation document, we set out our assessment of the beneficial role of the secondary ticketing market and ongoing issues relating to how it currently operates.

We are currently reviewing all the evidence that we received in response to the consultation and we intend to publish the government response later this summer.
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Bell Ribeiro-Addy:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of establishing a working time council to explore the wider implementation of a four-day working across the economy. \p Justin Madders: A four-day week is an example of a flexible working arrangement. All employees have the right to request flexible working, and we are changing legislation through the Employment Rights Bill to make it more likely that feasible requests are accepted.

The government continues to monitor the impacts of flexible working. As the full results of the latest four-day week trial have not yet been published, it has not been possible to determine any implications for business productivity or government policy.

Employers considering changes in working practices can draw on flexible working guidance on gov.uk and the Help to Grow website, as well as the new Business Growth Service which will launch shortly.

As we have no plans to mandate a four-day week, government is not planning to establish a working time council or business forum focussed on this topic. Our priority is to consult with and support businesses and employees with the planned changes to the flexible working measures as part of the wider Plan to Make Work Pay.
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Mr Peter Bedford:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill on youth unemployment. \p Justin Madders: The Employment Rights Bill Impact Assessments were published on October 21 and can be found here. This analysis shows that the Bill is expected to benefit younger workers, typically disproportionately represented in low paid, low quality and insecure jobs.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the potential impact of new packaging regulations on the cost of producing draught and bottled beer; and whether those impacts were taken into account when setting beer duty rates. \p Gareth Thomas: The Government has worked closely with industry, including the brewing and hospitality sectors throughout development of Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging (pEPR). In October 2024, the Government published an updated assessment of the impact of introducing the pEPR scheme on packaging producers as a whole.

Decisions on tax policy, including beer duty rates, are made by the Chancellor of the Exchequer at fiscal events. The Treasury welcomes representations from the beer and pub sectors in advance of the Budget.
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Matt Vickers:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent assessment he has made of the barriers to business growth in rural areas. \p Gareth Thomas: Rural areas offer significant potential for growth and are central to our economy. Addressing the needs of businesses in rural areas is at the heart of our policymaking and we continue to revisit and improve our support offers. The upcoming Business Growth Service will unify existing core services nationally while delivering locally, collaborating with local and devolved governments and Growth Hubs.

All businesses, including rural enterprises, can access Local Growth Hubs for tailored support throughout their development journey. Growth hubs customise their offerings based on specific community needs, whether in towns or rural locations.
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Matt Vickers:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many businesses have accessed the Help to Grow programme in the latest period for which data is available. \p Gareth Thomas: The Department for Business and Trade publishes data on participant enrolments and completions on the Help to Grow: Management course among transparency documents on gov.uk linked here. Up to the end of March 2025, the programme has supported 11,850 business people since its launch in June 2021.
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Matt Vickers:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the export credit schemes run by UK Export Finance. \p Gareth Thomas: The recently-published UK Export Finance (UKEF) Annual Report and Accounts (ARA) for the last financial year show that it provided a record £14.5 billion of support for exports, supported up to 70,000 UK jobs, and contributed up to £5.4 billion to the UK economy. The report is available online, along with those from previous years, at: UK Export Finance annual reports and accounts - GOV.UK.
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Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to p.12 of The UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy 2025 published on 23 June 2025, on what evidential basis his Department determined which business sectors have high potential. \p Sarah Jones: Invest 2035 (published on GOV.UK in October 2024) identified 8 high-level 'growth driving' sectors (the IS-8): Advanced Manufacturing, Clean Energy Industries, Creative Industries, Defence, Digital and Technologies, Financial Services, Life Sciences, and Professional and Business Services. Pages 18-20 of the Invest 2035 green paper outline the methodology for identifying the IS-8 sectors.

The Technical Annex of the Modern Industrial Strategy 2025 (published on GOV.UK in June 2025) outlines the methodology for identifying the frontier industries within the IS-8 sectors.
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Neil Coyle:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to support the UK glass manufacturing sector. \p Sarah Jones: The Government continues to support the glass sector, including with their energy costs.

We recently launched the consultation to increase the Network Charging Compensation component of the British Industry Supercharger from 60% to 90% from 2026, as trailed in the Industrial Strategy. This will save eligible glass manufacturers a further £7-10 per megawatt-hour on their electricity bills, bringing the total reduction to around £78 per megawatt-hour. We will also consult on eligibility for the separate British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme in due course.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to support local authorities in Essex to deliver place-based foreign direct investment strategies in line with the Harrington Review recommendations. \p Sarah Jones: The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) promotes investment across the UK. At the International Investment Summit, we announced a major overhaul of how DBT will implement the Harrington Review - strengthening the Office for Investment (OfI) and aligning government efforts under a single strategic delivery plan.

We have established an expanded OfI at the heart of government to reduce duplication, offer a clearer 'single door' for investors, and increase our influence on regulation and policy across HMG. We continue working with local partners, including Essex Council, to support and showcase investment opportunities aligned with industrial and infrastructure strategies to global investors.
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Sarah Olney:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to p.30 of The UK's Modern Industrial Strategy, published on 23 June 2025, what his Department's timetable is for publishing its consultation on a new British industrial competitiveness scheme. \p Sarah Jones: From 2027, the new British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme will reduce electricity costs by up to £40 per megawatt hour, which could benefit over 7,000 electricity-intensive businesses in manufacturing sectors, like automotive, and foundational manufacturing industries in the supply chains, like chemicals. Eligible businesses will be exempt from paying the costs of the Renewables Obligation, Feed-in Tariffs and the Capacity Market. My department is working towards launching a consultation to determine eligibility which will open shortly. The scheme is subject to review in 2030.
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Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of energy costs on energy intensive industries. \p Sarah Jones: Government is well aware of the issue of high industrial energy costs, and the challenges that poses for Energy Intensive Industries (EII). That is why we continue to offer support to electro-intensives through the EII compensation scheme and the Supercharger.

We will also soon be consulting on an uplift of the Network Charges Compensation scheme.

The recent Industrial Strategy also committed to consulting on the establishment of a new support scheme, British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme (BICS) which will exempt up to 7,000 businesses from some of policy costs included within electricity bills.
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Callum Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to his Department's policy paper entitled Industrial strategy partnership: joint statement between the UK and France, published on 11 July 2025, what steps his Department is taking to monitor the implementation of bilateral investment projects. \p Sarah Jones: The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) tracks UK investment in various ways, including through its global network and central platform, DataHub, which monitors all Office for Investment (OfI) projects. This includes investments announced on 11 July during the UK-France Summit and the UK-France Industrial Strategy Partnership.
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Callum Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential contribution of the Drive35 programme to the UK's domestic supply chain resilience in the automotive sector. \p Sarah Jones: DRIVE35 will ensure the UK remains at the forefront of zero-emission vehicle manufacturing It will support the latest research and development, accelerate commercial scale up, and unlock capital investment in zero emission vehicles, batteries, and the wider supply chain. This will help in strengthening UK supply chain resilience, and boost competitiveness in the sector.
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Callum Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what mechanisms are in place to monitor delivery partners' performance in disbursing Drive35 programme funding. \p Sarah Jones: DRIVE35 is delivered through the Advanced Propulsion Centre UK (APC) and Innovate UK, part of UKRI.

DRIVE35 programme funding dispersed by the programme’s delivery partners is monitored in line with Cabinet Office Grant Functional Standards to ensure compliance with grant conditions and alignment with delivery requirements and the programme’s objectives. This includes undertaking effective assurance of the delivery activities undertaken by delivery partners.
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Callum Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that SMEs can access funding opportunities under the Drive35 programme. \p Sarah Jones: DRIVE35 will ensure the UK remains at the forefront of zero-emission vehicle manufacturing. It will support the latest R&D in strategic vehicle technologies, accelerate their commercial scale-up, and unlock investment across all aspects of automotive electrification, enabling a holistic transition to next-generation electric vehicle technologies. All DRIVE35 competitions are open to SMEs.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to ensure that the Strategic Investment Opportunities Unit within the Office for Investment supports SMEs and scale-ups to access investment in (a) Basildon and Billericay constituency and (b) other areas outside major conurbations. \p Sarah Jones: As announced in the Infrastructure Strategy the new Strategic Investment Opportunities unit will identify, shape and deliver on strategic projects and programmes with significant scope for private capital and investor interest. These will be aligned to investor demand and matched to relevant institutional investors.

Attracting investors and capital is crucial to driving growth across the country, and will ultimately benefit SMEs in locations outside major conurbations, where aligned to investor demand.
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Matt Vickers:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to support jobs in the hospitality sector. \p Gareth Thomas: We recognise the vital role hospitality businesses play in driving economic growth and strengthening community cohesion across the country.

We also increased the Employment Allowance to £10,500, meaning 865,000 employers will pay no National Insurance Contributions (NICs) next year. This allows businesses to employ up to four full-time staff on the National Living Wage and pay no employer NICs and we’re committed to introducing permanently lower business rates for Retail, Hospitality and Leisure businesses with rateable values of less than £500,000.

We have recently launched Sector-based Work Academy Programmes (SWAPs), which help jobseekers move quickly into hospitality roles through flexible training and support. In addition the Hospitality Fund is backing projects that will include addressing skills gaps in the sector and boosting productivity.
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Callum Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many UK-based subcontractors are expected to be impacted from the Taiwan offshore wind project backed by UK Export Finance. \p Gareth Thomas: UK Export Finance (UKEF) support is conditional on the inclusion of UK content. This should usually be at least 20% of the portion of the support provided by UKEF. In this instance, UKEF has issued a guarantee to commercial lenders to help secure new export opportunities for the UK, which in turn support jobs across the UK, both in those businesses with which the project contracts directly, and in their supply chains. While there will be significant UK content, above the 20% threshold, we cannot comment on individual contracts for reasons of commercial sensitivity.

UKEF support is based on confirmed contracts for the provision of specialised services and components to support the construction project. UKEF is aware of several UK sub-contractors who are bidding for roles within the various construction contracts , but such selection is an ongoing process throughout the build phase.
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Mike Wood:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will list the names of the six digital influencers who were funded by his Department to promote the Living Wage and Minimum Wage. \p Justin Madders: I refer the member to the answer I gave on 2nd July 2025 to question 62768 (Written questions and answers - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament) and the answer I gave on 11th July to question 64918 (Written questions and answers - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament).
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Alex Ballinger:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to ensure that companies are legally obliged to prevent (a) human rights abuses and (b) environmental harms in their supply chains. \p Mr Douglas Alexander: The UK has a range of measures in place to promote RBC across the economy. In the Trade Strategy, the Government also launched a review into the UK's approach to responsible business conduct, focused on tackling human rights and labour abuses, modern slavery, and environmental harms in global supply chains.

The review will be a neutral, objective appraisal of policy, led by departmental officials. It will consider the effectiveness of the UK's current regime and alternative means of supporting responsible business practices. To complement the review, the FCDO is conducting a National Baseline Assessment (NBA) on the implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
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Alex Ballinger:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department plans to consult tea producers for the review of Responsible Business Conduct. \p Mr Douglas Alexander: In the Trade Strategy, the Government launched a review into the UK's approach to responsible business conduct, focused on tackling human rights and labour abuses, modern slavery, and environmental harms in global supply chains. Throughout the review, we will harness the insights and expertise of businesses and investors from across the economy, as well as trade unions, academia and civil society.

Stakeholders will also be given the opportunity to feed into the National Baseline Assessment on the implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, which will run in parallel and inform the review.
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Mike Wood:To ask the Solicitor General, with reference to the Civil Service 2024/2025 External Expenditure on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, published on 30 May 2025, which suppliers were used to provide the LGBTi internal conference. \p Lucy Rigby: The LGBTI conference was a Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) event, and the supplier used to provide venue services was Calder Conferences.

Calder Conferences offers venue solutions for meetings, conferences, and other events, and works with various government departments.

The CPS has a contract with Calder Conferences through the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) Framework for Travel and Venue Solutions. This framework allows CPS to access venues for meetings and conferences as needed.

The contract was signed in 2024 under the previous government for two years, with an option to extend for one additional year until February 2027, as is standard across government departments when contracting with conference suppliers. As standard, government contracts are routinely reviewed.
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James Naish:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to (a) monitor and (b) help tackle potential civil service recruitment barriers for candidates from underrepresented backgrounds. \p Georgia Gould: The Civil Service People Plan 2024 - 2027 outlines our commitment to having a Civil Service that reflects the composition of our society, attracting, retaining and investing in talent wherever it is found. This includes better socio-economic representation and investing in our young people.

We have recently launched a two year Careers Launch Apprenticeship scheme in Birmingham, Manchester and London, to support our young people. In addition, the Cabinet Office develops and supports Going Forward into Employment (GFiE) recruitment pathways across government. GFiE brings people who face barriers to employment into the Civil Service. There are over 20 GFiE pathways in place and over 3,600 people have joined the Civil Service through GFiE since 2018. These are just two of the ways in which we demonstrate our ambition regarding underrepresented backgrounds.

Diversity data is collected from candidates during the recruitment process and made available to departments to support their people strategies.
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James Naish:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the progress of the civil service in increasing the proportion of recruits from (a) lower socio-economic backgrounds, (b) with disabilities and (c) from ethnic minority backgrounds. \p Georgia Gould: We are committed to having a Civil Service that reflects the composition of our society, attracting, retaining and investing in talent wherever it is found. This includes better socio-economic representation and investing in our young people. We have recently launched a two year Careers Launch Apprenticeship scheme in Birmingham, Manchester and London, to support our ambition.

We continue to monitor the diversity of our candidates and workforce to improve our recruitment in these areas and tackle barriers to employment.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the (a) UK Statistics Authority and (b) Office for National Statistics plan to respond to the second part of the Professor Sullivan report entitled Barriers to research on sex and gender, published on 2 July 2025. \p Georgia Gould: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 9th July is attached.

PQ 66293 (pdf, 91.7KB)
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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the compliance of Palantir Technologies Ltd with transparency obligations under the Public Contracts Regulations 2015 prior to 2021. \p Georgia Gould: The transparency obligations prior to 2021 would have been managed directly by the awarding department or contracting authority. Details of Government contracts awarded prior to 2021 above £10,000 in Central Government, and £25,000 in the wider public sector, should be published on Contracts Finder: https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Search
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 25 June 2025 to Question 60496 on Civil Servants: London Allowance, what is the policy Cabinet Office policy on whether junior civil servants in his Department receiving London weighting have to attend and work in an office within Greater London. \p Georgia Gould: I refer the Hon Member to the answer on 3 July 2025 (PQ 63008).

Pay arrangements, including those for London, are delegated to each department. The Cabinet Office does not have a London Weighting Allowance. There are separate London and National pay ranges. An individual’s pay, paid as a salary, is determined by the location of their designated office, as set out in their contract.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 10 July 2025 to Question 64772 on Public Appointments: Council of the Nations and Regions, who is now undertaking the responsibilities that were previously assigned to the Envoy for the Nations and Regions. \p Georgia Gould: The Council facilitates partnership working between the UK Government, Devolved Governments, the Mayor of London, and Mayors of Combined Authorities and Mayors of Combined County Authorities.

The Secretaries of State for Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales and the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster routinely engage with the Heads of Devolved Governments and the Deputy Prime Minister and other ministers routinely engage with England’s Regional Mayors.
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Neil Duncan-Jordan:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what his Department's planned timetable is for responding to the Additional Report by the Infected Blood Inquiry, published on 9 July 2025. \p Nick Thomas-Symonds: I am grateful to Sir Brian Langstaff for his constructive Additional Report. We share his ambition to ensure that fair compensation is provided to every person that is eligible without delay.

On 21st July, I delivered an oral statement to the House confirming the Government’s approach to responding to the further report. You can find more information here: https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/infected-blood-inquiry-additional-report-oral-statement-to-parliament
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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many injunctions have been filed by government departments since 5 July 2024. \p Ms Abena Oppong-Asare: This information is not held by the Cabinet Office.
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Carla Lockhart:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on UK-wide civil contingency (a) planning and (b) response frameworks on cyberattacks on critical infrastructure. \p Ms Abena Oppong-Asare: Devolved Governments (DGs) have a vital role to play in our national resilience and were closely involved in the development of the Resilience Action Plan.

The UK Government is working hard to improve the cyber resilience of the UK’s Critical National Infrastructure (CNI), including by ensuring that CNI Owners and Operators are prepared to respond to, and recover from, cyber incidents through better planning and regular exercising. We work closely with the DGs to ensure appropriate resilience measures are in place and proportionate to the risks across all four Nations. Responding to a cyber incident is a cross-government responsibility with roles and responsibilities identified in the National Cyber Incident Management Framework.
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Navendu Mishra:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he plans to review Government contracts with Fujitsu. \p Georgia Gould: The impact of the Horizon scandal on postmasters and their families has been horrendous. The Government is determined to hold those responsible to account and will continue to seek to make rapid progress on compensation and redress. Fujitsu’s role in Horizon is one of the issues currently being reviewed by Sir Wyn Williams’s statutory inquiry. The Government are carefully considering volume 1 of the report. Once the inquiry has established the full facts, we will review its final report and consider any further action, where appropriate.

In January 2024, Fujitsu committed to withdraw from bidding for contracts with new government customers until the Post Office Horizon inquiry concludes. It will bid for work with existing government customers only where it already has a contract with them or where there is an agreed need for Fujitsu’s skills and capabilities.

Individual contracting authorities are responsible for the award and management of contracts. With regard to scrutiny during procurement processes, the Procurement Act 2023 enables and, where appropriate, requires the exclusion of suppliers where they pose particular risks to public procurement. The Cabinet Office has issued substantial guidance for departments, available on gov.uk. The exclusions regime provides a framework within which contracting authorities must consider a supplier’s recent past behaviour and circumstances (or their presence on the debarment list) to determine whether it should be allowed to compete for or be awarded a public contract.

The National Procurement Policy Statement asks contracting authorities to ensure they have the appropriate procurement and contract management skills and capability necessary to deliver public contracts and encourages the use of collaborative procurement frameworks, where appropriate, to deliver value for money.

To provide transparency, the government regularly publishes Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for its most important contracts, and the performance of the vendor against those KPIs.
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Neil O'Brien:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what information his Department holds on the number and what proportion of Universal Credit claimants who have (a) no qualifications, (b) Level 2 qualifications, (c) Level 3 qualifications, (d) Level 4 qualifications, (e) Level 5 qualifications and (f) Level 6 qualifications or above. \p Georgia Gould: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 17th July is attached.

PQ 68832 (pdf, 103.9KB)
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-22)

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Robin Swann:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when his Department plans to publish a response to the Independent Review of the Windsor Framework. \p Nick Thomas-Symonds: As set out in domestic law, the Government must publish a written response to any recommendations made by the Independent Review’s report no later than six months after receiving said report.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-22)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-22 conversation_352

Jim Shannon:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many jobs have been lost due to high street shop closures in the last 12 months for which data is available. \p Georgia Gould: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 14th July is attached.

PQ 67351 (pdf, 133.3KB)
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-22)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-22 conversation_353

Rupert Lowe:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many and what proportion of departmental procurement contracts were awarded to British companies in the 2024-25 financial year. \p Georgia Gould: Central government contracts above £12,000 for procurements commenced before 24 February 2025 are published on Contracts Finder (https://www.gov.uk/contracts-finder). Contracts procured under the Procurement Act 2023 above £12,000 inc VAT are published on the Central Digital Platform Find a Tender service. This includes a note of the winning supplier. (https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Search).
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-22)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-22 conversation_354

Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what discussions he has had with the the Secretary of State for Education on the level of uptake of community energy projects in schools. \p Michael Shanks: The first major project announced by Great British Energy (GBE) was a total £180 million investment from the UK government and GBE to install rooftop solar panels on schools and hospitals in England, which could see millions invested back into frontline services.

The Department for Education (DfE) is in the process of selecting around 200 schools, targeting deprived areas. 11 schools have already had panels installed under the scheme. The remaining schools set to benefit will be announced this summer, with all schools that are part of the scheme are expected to have solar panels installed by the end of the year.

As part of the GBE announcement in March on investment for devolved governments, £1.62 million was allocated to Northern Ireland. This will be used for renewable energy schemes which can be deployed either onto public sector buildings or to support new community or local renewables schemes.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-22)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-22 conversation_355

Andrew Bowie:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of different rules on the eligibility of biomethane to the (a) UK and (b) EU emissions trading scheme on costs to industry. \p Sarah Jones: The Government recognises biomethane as a practical and cost-effective way of contributing to net zero greenhouse gas emissions. The UK Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) applies a zero emissions factor to combustion of biomethane where supplied directly to ETS installations. Where biomethane is injected into the gas grid, there is not currently a mechanism to ensure biomethane is accounted for separately.

The UK Government and the EU commission have committed to work towards establishing a link between carbon markets, with the details of a potential link subject to negotiations.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-22)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-22 conversation_356

Afzal Khan:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department plans to include methane in the UK Emissions Trading Scheme. \p Sarah Jones: The expansion of the UK Emissions Trading Scheme scope to include methane emissions in the upstream oil and gas sector is being considered by the UK ETS Authority. The Authority will set out more detail in due course.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-22)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-22 conversation_357

Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what support is available to low-income households in (a) Fylde constituency and (b) across the UK to improve home cooling infrastructure in response to rising summer temperatures. \p Miatta Fahnbulleh: The Warm Homes Plan will help people across the country find ways to save money on energy bills and transform our building stock into comfortable, low-carbon homes fit for the future. The department is also conducting research to ensure homes are resilient to the future climate by identifying the buildings most vulnerable to extreme heat and appropriate adaptation solutions. This research is informing the development of the Warm Homes Plan which will be published in October.

The department recently consulted on expanding the scope of the Boiler Upgrade Scheme to allow air-to-air heat pumps to receive grant funding. The Government Response will be published in due course. Advantages of air-to-air heat pumps include the ability to provide cooling, dehumidification, and air filtration in addition to space heating.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-22)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-22 conversation_358

Neil Coyle:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what plans his Department has to include grants for replacement windows in the upcoming Warm Homes Plan. \p Miatta Fahnbulleh: The Warm Homes Plan will help people find ways to save money on energy bills and transform our ageing building stock into comfortable, low-carbon homes that are fit for the future. We are investing £13.2 billion in the Warm Homes Plan over the Spending Review period (up to 2029/30).

The government does not recommend specific measures for a household. Under the Warm Homes: Local Grant it is possible to install any RdSAP eligible measures that are non-fossil fuel and covered under the required standards. This includes energy performance and low carbon heating measures such as windows.

Further details on the Warm Homes Plan will be set out by October.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-22)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-22 conversation_359

Satvir Kaur:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what discussions he has had with Ofgem on (a) improving its accountability to consumers and (b) reducing its costs. \p Miatta Fahnbulleh: The Government acknowledges that households have paid the price for the country’s broken energy market, with sky-high bills, suppliers collapsing, and poor customer service during a cost-of-living crisis. To address this, in December the Government launched its first comprehensive review of the energy regulator, Ofgem.

The review will establish Ofgem as a strong consumer champion, driving up standards for household and business consumers both now, and as energy use evolves with smarter and greener technology. It will ensure that consumers have confidence that Ofgem is equipped to address unacceptable outcomes for consumers. A Call for Evidence to support the review closed on 28 February 2025 and the Department is considering the responses.

Ofgem is committed to driving efficiencies through the use of technology and the introduction of improved processes and systems. These efforts are aimed at delivering better value for money while safeguarding the integrity and impact of the schemes it administers.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-22)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-22 conversation_360

Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 9 June 2025 to Question 54885 on Private Rented Housing: Energy, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the increased Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards on private sector rents. \p Miatta Fahnbulleh: I refer the member to the answer I gave to him on 9 June to Question UIN 54885.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-22)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-22 conversation_361

Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the introduction of RdSAP 10 on the unit cost of an Energy Performance Certificate. \p Miatta Fahnbulleh: The Introduction of RdSAP 10 improves the accuracy of Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) assessments, helping households better understand their energy use. The fees charged are not set by government and reflect the commercial decisions of individual assessors or their employers.

RdSAP 10 delivers more accurate assessments and clearer recommendations for property owners. This supports better outcomes for consumers and enhances the credibility of EPCs.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-22)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-22 conversation_362

Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 10 June 2025 to Question 57653 on Department for Energy Security and Net Zero: Islamophobia, what the cost was of the Islamophobia training. \p Michael Shanks: DESNZ is committed to creating a culture where all colleagues feel valued and supported, in line with our ‘Inclusive’ value. DESNZ follows cross-Government guidance for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion expenditure, including reporting on all external spend. The training delivered by the Anti-Islamophobia Working Group cost £350.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-22)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-22 conversation_363

John Whitby:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to support the installation of solar energy projects on local government buildings. \p Michael Shanks: The Department for Energy Security & Net Zero is working closely with Great British Energy (GBE), the Department for Health and Social Care, and the Department for Education to install rooftop solar panels on schools and hospitals.

In England £180 million in funding will support around 200 schools and 200 hospitals. This could lead to lifetime savings of up to £400 million over approximately thirty years.

Additionally, more than £1 billion is also being invested between now and 2028 through the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme and the Integrated Settlements with Greater Manchester and West Midlands Mayoral Combined Authorities, which supports the installation of solar on public sector buildings across England.

The government has also published Solar on the Government Estate: A senior Leader’s handbook. This sets out the guidance available to senior leaders in the public sector regarding solar on their estates.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-22)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-22 conversation_364

Rupert Lowe:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what proportion of departmental procurement contracts were awarded to British companies in the 2024-2025 financial year. \p Michael Shanks: The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero awarded 98.5% of its contracts to British Companies.
wrans/answers2025-07-22 conversation_365
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-07-22)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-07-22 conversation_365

Afzal Khan:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has considered implementing a methane tax on vented emissions from North Sea oil and gas operators to help incentivise improved (a) capture and (b) use of wasted gas. \p Michael Shanks: The UK has committed to end routine flaring and venting by 2030. The North Sea Transition Authority issues consents for flaring and venting activity with strict limits and uses enforcement action as part of its regulatory toolkit. The UK’s oil and gas sector has one of the lowest upstream methane emission intensities globally and achieved the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative’s 0.2 per cent methane intensity target by 2025, achieving 0.17 per cent in 2020 with a further decrease to 0.13 per cent in 2022.