theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-11)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-11 conversation_97

Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to monitor train service improvements in (a) South Holland and the Deepings constituency and (b) Lincolnshire. \p Simon Lightwood: The Department can confirm that subject to the conclusion of the wider industry timetable process, East Midlands Railway (EMR) has identified the potential for service improvements across Lincolnshire to be implemented in the forthcoming December 2025 timetable change. This includes additional services between Lincoln and Peterborough.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-11)

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Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how much British Transport Police has spent on the implementation of infrastructure to accommodate electric police vehicles in each of the past 5 years. \p Simon Lightwood: The British Transport Police has provided the following figures:

2020-21

2021-22

2022-23

2023-24

2024-25

Total

Electric Vehicle infrastructure cost (Capital & Revenue, VAT inclusive)

£0

£0

£952,256

£109,287

£37,884

£1,099,427
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-11)

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Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has made a recent assessment of the potential impact of constructing a western rail link to Heathrow Airport on (a) railway capacity on the Great Western Mainline between Paddington and Iver, (b) passenger numbers at Paddington station and (c) car use. \p Lilian Greenwood: Any assessment of the impacts described would need to be carried out by the promoters of the Western Rail Link to Heathrow if it were to be required to support the expansion of the airport.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-11)

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Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero on the potential impact of constructing a western rail link to Heathrow airport on the Government's net zero targets. \p Lilian Greenwood: I am advised that no discussions have taken place between the Secretary of State for Transport and the Secretary of State for Energy, Security and Net Zero relating to the construction of a western rail link to Heathrow.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-11)

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Bell Ribeiro-Addy:To ask the Solicitor General, with reference to the Crown Prosecution Service Joint Enterprise Pilot 2023, whether the CPS convened a scrutiny panel in January 2024 as planned that focused on joint enterprise cases where evidence of gang association was a feature. \p Lucy Rigby: As Minister Sackman has set out in other substantive answers on the the matter of joint enterprise, we are aware of concerns about the impact of joint enterprise doctrine on defendants and their families. That is why more broadly the Government continues to keep the law in this area under review.

With regard to the role of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), following publication of the Joint Enterprise Pilot 2023, the CPS held two national scrutiny panels on joint enterprise, with input from external stakeholders with relevant expertise and experience, to review the findings of the pilot and scrutinise joint enterprise casework. This review included a national scrutiny panel held on 1 February 2024 which focussed on joint enterprise cases where evidence of gang association was a feature.

The pilot found ethnic disparities in the caseload, but it was not possible to draw strong conclusions from the analysis due to the relatively small sample size (190 cases involving 680 defendants).

The CPS updated its case management system to commence a full national monitoring scheme in 2024. This monitors all homicide and attempted homicide prosecutions brought on a joint enterprise basis and will report annually. The CPS will publish a report on the monitoring data collected during the 2024/25 financial year in the summer.

Self-identified defendant ethnicity data from the police or other investigative authorities, subject to varying levels of error and omission at local levels, is uploaded to the CPS’ case management system. This can record the ethnicity category “W3 Gypsy and Irish Traveller” in accordance with criminal justice system data standards.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-11)

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Alex Sobel:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if her Department will provide guidance to customer service teams to ensure that written responses are available upon request. \p Andrew Western: Customers can contact DWP by telephone or post, face to face and via digital channels.

DWP continues to develop services that are easy to find and navigate, ensuring that the people feel confident and protected when they are relying on us.

The department is modernising to allow customers to interact with the department across multiple channels and in a way that suits them, enabling customers to self-serve online, while retaining non-digital channels for those that need them, avoiding digital exclusion and ensuring that everyone gets the level of support they need. Of course, if a customer cannot access digital services and specifically requests a written response, the department will provide this.

Developing secure digital channels for both the customer and the department is a key foundation of the work to modernise its services and using email as an outbound channel to communicate with customers is being progressed, the department is developing more secure and effective inbound digital channels for customers to use.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-11)

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Alex Brewer:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that all DWP caseworkers assessing employees in the Access to Work Plus scheme are fully trained on the scheme’s requirements. \p Sir Stephen Timms: Since Access to Work Plus began testing in 2022, Access to Work has a dedicated team of Case Managers who process Access to Work Plus applications. Case Managers underwent training to ensure the policy intent was understood and being applied consistently. There are regular reviews to ensure that DWP Case Managers understand the scheme’s requirements.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-11)

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Alex Brewer:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average waiting time is between submitting an application for Access to Work Plus and (a) an in-person assessment, (b) a funding decision and (c) payment. \p Sir Stephen Timms: Access to Work Plus applications are prioritised and pulled from the standard Access to Work application queue. The average clearance time for Access to Work applications which include Access to Work Plus is 25-days. Once requested an enhanced Access to Work Plus assessment is expected to be returned within 12 days. The Access to Work payment average clearance time is 10-days, this includes Access to Work Plus, providing all the information has been submitted, the same as for standard Access to Work.

Clearance times are currently taking longer due to the increasing demand for Access to Work. We are committed to reducing waiting times for Access to Work and have streamlined delivery practices and increased the number of staff processing applications and claims.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-11)

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Alex Brewer:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to (a) simplify the paperwork and (b) make online submissions possible for Access to Work Plus applications. \p Sir Stephen Timms: Access to Work Policy has worked collaboratively with the Supported Business Steering Group to develop Access to Work Plus. The Access to Work Plus processes are reviewed on a regular basis and work is currently underway to streamline the claims process.

To improve customer service and streamline processes, Access to Work is continuing to develop its digital offer. There is already an Access to Work online application process, which Access to Work Plus customers can use, but as Access to Work Plus is limited to a small number of customers there are no immediate plans to develop a separate online application process.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-11)

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Chi Onwurah:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of working night shifts on the mental health of workers. \p Sir Stephen Timms: Reducing ill health at work is an important area of focus for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), as outlined in their strategic objectives. One of the ways this is achieved is supporting employers to protect their workers’ mental health and keep them in the workforce. Having considered the impact of shift work on health and safety, HSE has published guidance for employers to support them in managing the risk (Managing shift work [HSG 256], published in 2006) which includes many factors that are relevant to mental health.

Under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 all employers have a duty, so far as it is reasonably practicable, to protect the health, safety, and welfare at work of all their employees. Specifically, the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 require employers to assess health and safety risks to employees and to put in place arrangements to control those risks. Therefore, if an employer assesses shift work as a risk to mental health, they should introduce control measures including those outlined in the guidance.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-11)

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Andy McDonald:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made of the aggregate financial value of the proposed changes to Universal Credit Health rates for people in each Parliamentary constituency. \p Sir Stephen Timms: Information on the impacts of the “Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper” will be published in due course, with some information already published alongside the Spring Statement.

However, the OBR does not publish impacts of policies at a more localised level.

A further programme of analysis to support development of the proposals in the Green Paper will be developed and undertaken in the coming months.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-11)

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Perran Moon:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what plans she has for the provision of further information on the additional premium provided to claimants for the planned Universal Credit health element for the most severe, life-long health conditions. \p Sir Stephen Timms: We will ensure that those with the most severe, life-long health conditions, who will never be able to work, will see their incomes protected. We will also ensure this group face no future reassessment. We will set out further information on this in due course.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-11)

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Andy McDonald:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the policy paper entitled Spring Statement 2025 health and disability benefit reforms - Impacts, published in March 2025, what estimate she has made of the number and proportion of additional people there will be in relative poverty in each Parliamentary constituency. \p Sir Stephen Timms: No assessment has yet been made.

Information on the impacts of the Pathways to Work Green Paper will be published in due course, and some information was published alongside the Spring Statement. These publications can be found in ‘Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper’.

A further programme of analysis to support development of the proposals in the Green Paper will be developed and undertaken in the coming months.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-11)

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Andy McDonald:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she had discussions with disabled people's groups on the introduction of the requirement that claimants must score a minimum of four points in at least one daily living activity to be eligible for the daily living component of Personal Independence Payment. \p Sir Stephen Timms: We urgently need reform to stop people from falling into inactivity, restore trust and fairness in the system and promote the interests of disabled people. This means we need to take decisive action to tackle a situation in which PIP claims are set to double from 2 million to over 4.3 million this decade. We are consulting on how best to support those affected by the changes. We will also consider improvements to the PIP assessment. We will launch a wider review of the PIP indicators, which I shall lead, and we will bring together a range of experts, stakeholders and people with lived experience to consider how best to do this. We will provide further details as plans progress.

We will be bringing forward changes in a Bill so Parliament can fully debate and vote on them.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-11)

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Andy McDonald:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made of the aggregate financial value of the loss of entitlement to Carer's Allowance following proposed changes to entitlement to the Personal Independent Payment for people in (a) Middlesbrough and Thornaby East constituency, (b) Middlesbrough Council, (c) Tees Valley Combined Authority area and (d) the North East. \p Sir Stephen Timms: No assessment has yet been made.

Information on the impacts of the Pathways to Work Green Paper will be published in due course, and some information was published alongside the Spring Statement. These publications can be found in ‘Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper’.

A further programme of analysis to support development of the proposals in the Green Paper will be developed and undertaken in the coming months.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-11)

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Andrew Ranger:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she has taken to support people from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds in accessing employment opportunities. \p Alison McGovern: The Get Britain Working White Paper focuses on building a thriving labour market, reducing economic inactivity and increasing the number of people in work, which is central to growing the economy. We will drive forward approaches to tackling economic inactivity, create an inclusive labour market in which everybody can participate and progress in work, and meet the long-term ambition of an 80% employment rate.

We are reforming Jobcentre Plus and creating a new service across Great Britain that will enable everyone to access good, meaningful work, and support them to progress in work, including through an enhanced focus on skills and careers. The new service will be available for anyone who wants to look for work, to increase their earnings or to change their career or retrain. It will be responsive to local employers, inclusive for all customers and will work closely in partnership with local services to tackle the challenges associated with local labour markets.

Additionally, our Youth Guarantee will ensure that all young people aged 18-21 in England can access quality training opportunities, an apprenticeship, or employment support, helping to bridge the gap for those who might otherwise struggle to find employment due to their socio-economic status.

We are committed to breaking down barriers and fostering greater social mobility across the UK, our plans as set out in the Get Britain Working White Paper Get Britain Working White Paper - GOV.UK set us on a path to achieving this.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-11)

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Marsha De Cordova:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing sight loss training for (a) Access to Work advisors and (b) Jobcentre Plus staff. \p Andrew Western: As part of staff on-boarding and induction into DWP, staff complete learning for customers with sight loss. The learning provides the definition of disability under the Equality Act 2010, and an overview of the support available to customers including the challenges that individuals with sight loss may face.

Work coaches in Jobcentres also have a point of needs learning products, allowing them to support blind and visually impaired customers.

Access to Work support workers undergo learning which provides details of the funding that is available to support customers with sight loss. This includes the funding of lenses, colour tests and tinted glasses for health conditions, such as Irlens Syndrome (not for general sight loss) when a prescription is given from an optometrist for corrective vision.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-11)

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Andy McDonald:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made of the aggregate financial value of the proposed reduced entitlements to the Personal Independent Payment for people in (a) Middlesbrough and Thornaby East constituency, (b) Middlesbrough Council, (c) Tees Valley Combined Authority area and (d) the North East. \p Sir Stephen Timms: Information on the impacts of the Pathways to Work Green Paper will be published in due course, and some information was published alongside the Spring Statement. These publications can be found in ‘Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper’.

A further programme of analysis to support development of the proposals in the Green Paper will be developed and undertaken in the coming months.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-11)

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Andy McDonald:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made of the aggregate financial value of the proposed reduced entitlements to the Personal Independent Payment for people in each Parliamentary constituency. \p Sir Stephen Timms: Information on the impacts of the Pathways to Work Green Paper will be published in due course, and some information was published alongside the Spring Statement. These publications can be found in ‘Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper’.

A further programme of analysis to support development of the proposals in the Green Paper will be developed and undertaken in the coming months.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-11)

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Dr Scott Arthur:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of her Department's Green Paper entitled Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working, published on 18 March 2025, on people with Parkinson's Disease. \p Sir Stephen Timms: Information on the impacts of the Pathways to Work Green Paper will be published in due course, and some information was published alongside the Spring Statement. These publications can be found in ‘Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper’.

A further programme of analysis to support development of the proposals in the Green Paper will be developed and undertaken in the coming months.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-11)

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Catherine Fookes:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to her Pathways to work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper, published in March 2025, what steps she is taking to (a) reduce levels of time taken to access Access to Work applications and (b) ensure that those levels of time do not prohibit people from taking up offers of employment. \p Sir Stephen Timms: We are committed to reducing waiting times for Access to Work and are considering the best way to deliver that for customers. We have (a) increased the number of staff processing Access to Work claims and (b) prioritised applications from customers who are about to start a job or who are renewing.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-11)

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Nick Timothy:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many irregular migrants have been given a National Insurance Number in each year since 2020. \p Andrew Western: DWP does not issue National Insurance Numbers to irregular migrants. The department is responsible for the allocation of National Insurance Numbers to adults in the UK, and all applicants are required to provide evidence of their identity and information to prove they have the right to work in the UK. This is the only circumstance in which applicants will be granted a National Insurance number.

The information provided by applicants is corroborated against other Government Department systems before a National Insurance Number is allocated.

We publish quarterly data on the number of adult overseas nationals entering the UK that have received a National Insurance number, please see the link below for more information.

National Insurance number allocations to adult overseas nationals entering the UK - GOV.UK
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-11)

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Ian Byrne:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper, CP 1297, published on 18 March 2025, what estimate her Department has made of the number of people who would lose entitlement to Personal Independence Payments by health (a) condition and (b) impairment. \p Sir Stephen Timms: Information on the impacts of the Pathways to Work Green Paper will be published in due course, and some information was published alongside the Spring Statement. These publications can be found in ‘Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper’.

A further programme of analysis to support development of the proposals in the Green Paper will be developed and undertaken in the coming months.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-11)

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Marsha De Cordova:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of helping blind and partially sighted people by extending the Access to Work scheme to formal volunteering placements. \p Sir Stephen Timms: Access to Work is a demand-led, personalised discretionary grant which supports the recruitment and retention of disabled people in paid employment. We recognise the important role that volunteering, and other programmes can play in securing employment, and DWP provides support for individuals participating in supported internships and applicable apprenticeships and traineeships. There are no plans to extend Access to Work to those on formal volunteering placements.

In March 2025, we published the Pathways to Work Green Paper, to consult on the future of Access to Work. We are considering the role of employers in creating accessible and inclusive workplaces, as well as the future of assistive technology.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-11)

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Perran Moon:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she plans to consult with stakeholders on the potential (a) duration and (b) level of support available in relation to her Department's proposals for unemployment insurance. \p Sir Stephen Timms: We are consulting on plans for a new “Unemployment Insurance” as part of the Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper. As part of this, we are running a number of accessible virtual and face-to-face events on the Green Paper to hear from stakeholders, including disabled people and their representative organisations, directly. More information on these events and registration are available on the official consultation page on GOV.UK.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-11)

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Andy McDonald:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 28 March 2025 to Question 39848 on Universal Credit: Disability, if she will publish the wider review of the PIP assessment before bringing forward legislation. \p Sir Stephen Timms: The review of the PIP assessment will be a major undertaking which will take time and require extensive engagement. To make sure we get this right, we will bring together a range of experts, stakeholders and people with lived experience to consider how best to do this and to start the process as part of preparing for a review. We will provide further details as plans progress.

Any changes to the PIP assessment would only be introduced following the reforms set out in the Green Paper. In the meantime, the changes to PIP eligibility will be introduced via a Bill so that Parliament can fully debate and vote on these changes.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-11)

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Andy McDonald:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 28 March to Question 39845 on Personal Independence Payments: Middlesbrough and Thornaby East, if she will publish that programme of analysis before bringing forward legislation. \p Sir Stephen Timms: Information on the impacts of the Pathways to Work Green Paper will be published in due course, and some information was published alongside the Spring Statement. These publications can be found in ‘Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper’.

A further programme of analysis to support development of the proposals in the Green Paper will be developed and undertaken in the coming months.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-11)

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Andy McDonald:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 28 March 2025 to Question 39851 on Social Security Benefits: Disability, whether the collaboration committees will discuss new PIP qualification criteria. \p Sir Stephen Timms: We will establish ‘collaboration committees’ to further develop our reforms and we are currently working through which areas the committees will discuss. We particularly want to work with disabled people on how our additional investment in employment support, rising to £1 billion per year by 2029-30, should be deployed.

It will not be possible to have a collaboration committee for every work area in the Green Paper due to the nature of policy development. Where this is the case, we will still ensure that we draw on a wide range of evidence, including the experience of people who have used our services as we develop policy.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-11)

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Chris Ward:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact on clinical support staff of referring patients with long covid to ME/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome specialist services. \p Ashley Dalton: While no assessment has been made, NHS England has published commissioning guidance for post-Covid services which sets out the principles of care for people with long COVID.

There is also specific advice for healthcare professionals to manage long COVID. Patients should be managed according to current clinical guidance, such as that published and updated by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network and the Royal College of General Practitioners. Whilst NICE guidelines are not mandatory, the Government does expect clinicians and healthcare commissioners to take them fully into account.

Commissioning, service provision and staffing for both myalgic encephalomyelitis services and long COVID services are the responsibility of local integrated care boards.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-11)

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Josh Babarinde:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help raise awareness of (a) endometriosis and (b) other women's health issues; and what steps he is taking to help (i) reduce waiting times for diagnosis, (ii) increase access to treatment and (iii) improve treatment of chronic symptoms. \p Karin Smyth: The Government is committed to prioritising women’s health and improving the care received by those suffering from gynaecological conditions, including endometriosis.

The Department and the National Health Service created a women’s health area on the NHS website to improve awareness of women’s health and brings together over 100 health topics including endometriosis. In 2024, the Department and national media titles ran an information campaign across England, encouraging women not to suffer in silence with periods or menopause symptoms. The NHS has also published two video series on endometriosis and heavy periods on its YouTube channel, providing evidence-based information for women and girls, as well as some short videos filmed with NHS doctors.

We have taken urgent action to tackle gynaecology waiting lists through the Elective Reform Plan. In gynaecology, the plan supports innovative models offering patients care closer to home, and piloting gynaecology pathways in community diagnostic centres. Women’s health hubs also have a key role in shifting care out of hospitals and reducing gynaecology waiting lists.

Clinical guidelines support healthcare professionals to diagnose and treat conditions. In November 2024, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence published updated recommendations on the diagnosis, management and treatment of endometriosis. This is available at the following link:

https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng73
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-11)

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Esther McVey:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of claims have been submitted to the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme for (a) fatalities and (b) illnesses for Covid 19 vaccines. \p Ashley Dalton: As of 31 March 2025, 19,895 claims had been submitted to the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme relating to COVID-19 vaccination. 18,724, or 94% of these claims, were submitted for illnesses relating to COVID-19 vaccination and 1,171, or 6% of these claims, were submitted for fatalities relating to COVID-19 vaccination.

As of 31 March 2025, 958 claims had been submitted to the Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme relating to vaccinations other than COVID-19 vaccination. 903, or 94% of these claims, were submitted for illnesses relating to vaccinations other than COVID-19 vaccinations and 55, or 6% of these claims, were submitted for fatalities relating to vaccinations other than COVID-19 vaccination.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-11)

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Alex Brewer:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to increase the capacity of spaces in the Overseas Registration Exam for dentists residing in the UK. \p Stephen Kinnock: The Overseas Registration Exam (ORE) exam is operated by the General Dental Council (GDC). The GDC is independent of Government.

It is the role of the GDC to approve eligibility criteria for the ORE. There are no restrictions on accessing the exam based on the residency status of the candidate.

The GDC is working to put new ORE provider contracts in place in 2025 which will increase the flexibility and availability of the exam, further expanding capacity. Officials will continue to discuss the new arrangements with the GDC and monitor their progress. I am due to meet with the GDC after Easter recess.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-11)

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Florence Eshalomi:To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what funding and resources are being allocated to support ongoing clinical trials and research for HIV vaccines within the UK. \p Ashley Dalton: The Department funds research through the National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR funds clinical research into HIV as well as vaccine development, however, it is not currently funding any trials on HIV vaccines. The NIHR welcomes research proposals on candidates that are ready to be trialled in humans.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-11)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-11 conversation_131

Chi Onwurah:o ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on commissioning research into the health and productivity impacts of working night shifts. \p Ashley Dalton: The Department funds research into work and health through the National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR). This includes research into the health and productivity impacts of working night shifts. The Department has recently commissioned research to develop and test an intervention for shift work sleep disorder in National Health Service workers.

To build the evidence base on work and health, last year the NIHR funded the Work and Health Development Awards, leading to four major collaboration awards.

The NIHR launched a second round of Work and Health Awards in November 2024, and will launch a call in Spring 2025 to assess the labour-market outcomes of NIHR-funded health interventions. Alongside these initiatives, the NIHR launched a call in July 2024 to identify the most effective interventions that organisations can adopt to improve the physical and mental health of the United Kingdom’s workforce.

The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care, including the health impacts of working night shifts. Applications are subject to peer review and judged in open competition, with awards being made on the basis of the importance of the topic to patients and health and care services, value for money, and scientific quality. Welcoming applications on work and health to all NIHR programmes enables maximum flexibility both in terms of the amount of research funding a particular area can be awarded, and the type of research which can be funded.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-11)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-11 conversation_132

Pippa Heylings:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he plans to legislate to prevent the Drax power station burning wood from primary forests for producing non-subsidised electricity. \p Michael Shanks: The Government only provides support for biomass sourced from forests which are sustainably managed.

Under the agreed Heads of Terms for short term support from 2027-2031, Drax must source 100% of its biomass from sustainable sources, and must exclude primary forest to receive support. Drax will be supported at a 27% load factor and we do not anticipate they will be incentivised to generate further, without subsidies.

Nevertheless, we are considering further options through the new contract and the consultation on the Common Biomass Sustainability Framework to provide additional protection for primary forests.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-11)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-11 conversation_133

Seamus Logan:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of amending his target for reducing household energy bills in the context of recent increases in energy prices. \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 and have less reliance on volatile international energy markets and help in our commitment to make Britain a clean energy superpower by 2030. This, combined with our Warm Homes Plan to upgrade millions of homes to make them warmer and cheaper to run is how we will drive down energy bills and make cold homes a thing of the past.

We recognise that we need to support households struggling with bills whilst we transition to clean power by 2030. This is why we are delivering the Warm Home Discount to around 3 million eligible low-income households this winter. We have recently consulted on the expansion of the Warm Home Discount, giving more eligible households £150 off their energy bills. These proposals would bring around 2.7 million households into the scheme – pushing the total number of households that would receive the discount next winter up to around 6 million. The Government is considering the responses.

I have been clear with suppliers that they should do all that they can to support their customers – including vulnerable consumers – who may be struggling with their bills. The Government is continuing to work with Ofgem and energy suppliers to ensure energy bills remain fair and affordable while we transition to clean power by 2030.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-11)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-11 conversation_134

Pippa Heylings:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of allowing hon. Members to access (a) the KPMG interim report of December 2022 and (b) the full NESO report on the alternatives to burning 27 million trees a year. \p Michael Shanks: The KPMG report is an internal fact-finding document, commissioned by Drax to review their biomass supply chain against the sustainability requirements of existing arrangements. Whilst DESNZ Officials were granted time limited access to view the report, we do not hold a copy. We therefore have no means or rights to share the report.

NESO published a summary of its advice to DESNZ (here). Given the focus of this analysis is on specific companies, it is commercially sensitive and cannot be shared publicly. This is the right approach to ensure security of our electricity system at a fair price for consumers.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-11)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-11 conversation_135

Charlotte Nichols:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the levelised cost of energy for communicating the true cost of energy production to consumers. \p Michael Shanks: The Levelised Cost of Electricity (LCOE) provides a simple, high-level metric to compare the cost of building and operating different generation technologies. While valuable for comparing the relative cost of technologies to each other, LCOE does not include wider system impacts such as flexibility, integration, or transmission costs which occur within an operational system. To fully capture these factors and assess the true cost to consumers, the Department and the independent National Energy System Operator (NESO) use detailed power sector modelling.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-11)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-11 conversation_136

Charlotte Nichols:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many successful applicants there will be to the Great British Nuclear small modular reactor selection process. \p Michael Shanks: Great British Nuclear is driving forward its SMR competition for UK deployment and, following conclusion of detailed negotiations, has invited the four shortlisted companies to submit final tenders. GBN will evaluate these, with final decisions on technology selection to be taken in the Spring. Further updates will follow in due course.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-11)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-11 conversation_137

Charlotte Nichols:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he plans to build any more gigawatt nuclear plants after Sizewell C. \p Michael Shanks: This Government is committed to nuclear power, which, as set out in the Clean Power 2030 Action Plan, will play an important role in delivering clean power by 2030, and crucially in the period beyond that, providing clean, stable and reliable power. No decision has yet been taken on whether to pursue a future large-scale project beyond Sizewell C.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-11)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-11 conversation_138

Perran Moon:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he plans to use the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund to accelerate the roll out of Ground Source Heat Pumps and Shared Ground loops. \p Miatta Fahnbulleh: The Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund provides grant funding for social housing landlords to improve the energy performance of their properties.

Ground Source Heat Pumps and Shared Ground Loops are both eligible measures under the scheme. They are supported by both the ‘On-Gas-Grid Low Carbon Heating Incentive Offer’ and the ‘Off-Gas-Grid Low Carbon Heating Cost Cap Uplift’, which provide funding to support installations of low carbon heating technologies.

All measures installed under the scheme must be lodged onto the TrustMark Retrofit Portal, adhere to requirements within Publicly Available Specification (PAS) 2035, and be installed by an appropriately certified PAS or Microgeneration Certification Scheme installer which is TrustMark registered.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-11)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-11 conversation_139

Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what the evidential basis is for the solar Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project threshold of 100Mw. \p Michael Shanks: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 28 March to Question UIN 39647. The Government set out the evidence for increasing the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project threshold for solar to 100MW in its response to the consultation on the proposed reforms to the National Planning Policy Framework and other changes to the planning system which can be found here. The Impact Assessment for this provision, which was rated green by the RPC, was published here.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-11)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-11 conversation_140

Anna Sabine:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to ensure adequate funding for the Great British Energy Community Fund to support all projects currently approved as of 3 April 2025. \p Michael Shanks: The Government recognises the role community groups play in our efforts to tackle climate change and our mission to make the UK a clean energy superpower.

In 2025/26 Community Energy Groups will be able to access a share of £5 million in grant funding through the Great British Energy Community Fund to help communities develop their own clean energy projects. This will continue the work of the Community Energy Fund, which enabled both rural and urban communities across England to access grant funding to develop local renewable energy projects for investment. Once GBE is fully operational it will develop its longer-term support offer for Community Energy Groups as well as for Local and Mayoral Strategic Authorities.

The community energy sector can access further funding support through Ofgem’s Just Transition Fund, which is open to applications from community groups.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-11)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-11 conversation_141

Chi Onwurah:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether GB Energy has a role in the decarbonising of pre-existing housing stock. \p Michael Shanks: Great British Energy will develop, invest in, build, and operate clean energy projects across the UK. The Government is supporting decarbonisation of housing stock through other initiatives.

We have committed £3.4 billion over the next 3 years to the Warm Homes Plan, and across 2025 to 2026, we will oversee approximately £3.2 billion of investment in warmer homes.

This will include around £1 billion as part of our Warm Homes Plan, and other funding from social housing providers and obligations from suppliers. This could facilitate up to 300,000 homes to benefit from upgrades next year, helping reduce energy bills and deliver warmer homes that are cleaner to heat.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-11)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-11 conversation_142

Pippa Heylings:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when he plans to stop unabated burning of wood at Drax power station. \p Michael Shanks: The Government has agreed Heads of Terms with Drax for time-limited support from 2027 to 2031. The National Energy System Operator advised that without Drax we would face increased security of supply risks from 2027 to 2031. No decisions have been made on Drax’s future after 2031.

Over the next decade, more and more of our ageing gas and nuclear assets will retire. Government is bringing forward options for low carbon dispatchable power such as hydrogen and gas with carbon capture. But energy security is essential and we will retain existing assets where it is in the country’s interest to do so.