theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-06)

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Munira Wilson:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of proposals in the Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper on young people. \p Sir Stephen Timms: The Pathways to Work Green Paper set out a range of proposals and plans to reform health and disability benefits and employment support. Some information on the impacts of the reforms has been published in the evidence pack, impacts analysis and equality analysis at:[https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/pathways-to-work-reforming-benefits-and-support-to-get-britain-working-green-paper].

The equality analysis examines a range of protected characteristics, including age. A further programme of analysis to support development of the proposals in the Green Paper will be developed and undertaken in the coming months.

The reforms announced in the Green Paper, including our new employment support package, will help to provide the support that young people need to succeed. There are nearly one million young people (16-24) not in Education Employment and Training, and the number is rising. Our future depends on young people being able to achieve their full potential. The period when young people transition from full-time education to building their careers is critical in shaping their professional future. We know that disengaging from employment and learning during early adulthood can have a lasting and detrimental impact on both career prospects and health and well-being.

The Government is launching the Youth Guarantee to ensure that all young people aged 18-21 in England can access quality training opportunities, an apprenticeship or help to find work. In the Pathways to Work Green Paper, we are consulting on raising the age someone can access the Universal Credit Health Element to 22, which would remove a potential disincentive to work during this time. It would also be on the basis that resources may be better spent on improving the quality and range of opportunities available to young people through the guarantee, so they can move towards a life of learning, training or work rather than a life on benefits.
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Chris Law:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether it is her Department's policy that existing PIP claimants of pension age who request a change of circumstances review from November 2026 are required to score at least four points in one daily living activity in order to (a) maintain and (b) increase their award. \p Sir Stephen Timms: In keeping with existing policy, people on state pension age are not routinely fully reviewed and will not be affected by these changes. We are considering further how the 4-point minimum requirement will affect claimants over state pension age who report a change of circumstances, and we will provide further information in due course.
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Connor Naismith:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will take steps to ensure that full-time carers are paid the national minimum wage. \p Sir Stephen Timms: The Department for Business and Trade is responsible for the enforcement of the National Minimum Wage. The Department of Health and Social Care has an interest in the terms and conditions of those working in the paid care sector in England.

DWP provides support for unpaid carers on low incomes, including through Universal Credit, Pension Credit and housing benefits. These are income-related benefits and are paid at higher rates for full-time carers than for those without full-time caring responsibilities. In England and Wales, DWP also provides support for unpaid carers through Carer’s Allowance, which can be paid alongside the income-related benefits.
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Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has had recent discussions with (a) Capita and (b) other relevant organisations on ensuring that Personal Independence Payment assessors have specialist knowledge in (i) multiple sclerosis, (ii) Crohn's and (iii) other non-visible disabilities. \p Sir Stephen Timms: The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) recognises the importance of ensuring that health professionals (HPs) conducting assessments possess the necessary experience, skills, and training. To uphold this standard, DWP has established clear competency requirements, outlined in both guidance and regulations. Assessment suppliers (AS) must demonstrate that their HPs meet these standards before they are authorised to carry out assessments on behalf of the department.

DWP does not require HPs to be specialists in the specific medical conditions or impairments of the individuals they assess. Instead, the emphasis is on ensuring HPs are experts in disability analysis, focusing on how a person’s condition affects their daily life and functional abilities.

All HPs receive thorough training in disability analysis, which includes evaluating the impact of a wide range of health conditions on everyday activities. To support this, DWP provides AS with core training materials and guidance on conditions such as Multiple Sclerosis, Ulcerative Colitis, and other non-visible disabilities. These contain clinical and functional information relevant to the conditions and is quality assured to ensure its accuracy from both a clinical and policy perspective.
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Rachael Maskell:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to help tackle poverty among parents who are carers of disabled children. \p Sir Stephen Timms: Tackling child poverty is an urgent priority for this Government. The Child Poverty Taskforce’s publication of 23 October ‘Tackling Child Poverty: Developing our Strategy’ sets out how we are developing the Strategy, exploring all available levers to drive forward short and long-term actions across government to reduce child poverty. The Strategy will look at levers across four key themes of increasing incomes, reducing essential costs, increasing financial resilience; and better local support especially in the early years. Parental employment is a key part of the work we are doing. This will build on the reform plans underway across government and work underway in Devolved Governments. The Child Poverty Taskforce is progressing work to publish the Child Poverty Strategy as soon as possible.

This is a cross-government effort. The Department for Education is working to provide the best start in life through high-quality early education and childcare to raise standards and help parents to work, for example through the new breakfast club programme, and expanding wraparound childcare for primary school children across England by increasing the number of places available, to support working families. We have jointly announced with DfE that we are expanding free school meals to all children in households on Universal Credit.

The Department for Business and Trade has responsibility for policy on flexible working and carer’s leave, which is another key element.

And the benefit system, in addition, makes provision for disabled children through Disability Living Allowance (DLA), and for their parents through the carer element and the disabled child addition within Universal Credit (UC).

Support is also available through Carer’s Allowance (CA). Where carers are able to work, the weekly CA earnings limit for those in receipt of CA is now pegged at 16 hours work at National Living Wage (NLW) levels, and in future it will increase when the NLW increases. The earnings limit increased to £196 a week, on 7 April 2025, compared to £151 in 24/25. This is the largest ever increase in the earnings limit since Carer’s Allowance was introduced in 1976 and the highest percentage increase since 2001.

As a result, unpaid carers will be able to increase their income, and many will now have more certainty that if they are receiving the NLW (and have not done overtime or received a bonus) they will be able to work for 16 hours a week and still receive Carer’s Allowance.
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Rachael Maskell:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make it her policy to set up a task group on tackling the impact of poverty on disabled people. \p Sir Stephen Timms: This government is putting disabled people’s views and voices at the heart of everything we do. That is why we have brought forward the Pathways to Work Green Paper and opened a public consultation. This consultation welcomes all views, and we hope that a wide range of voices will respond before it closes on the 30 June 2025.

In addition to the consultation itself, we are establishing ‘collaboration committees’ that bring groups of people together for specific work areas and our wider review of the PIP assessment will bring together a range of experts, stakeholders and people with lived experience. We are also in the process of establishing the Disability Advisory Panel, which was announced in the Get Britain Working White Paper. It will be a strategic advisory panel consisting of up to 12 disabled people and individuals with long-term health conditions.

We are listening carefully to the voices of children and families living in poverty, including children with disabilities and special educational needs (SEND). Examples of the engagement we’ve undertaken are events with: Contact, a charity for families with disabled children; ALLFIE, a campaign group focused on including disabled learners in mainstream education; and the Challenging Behaviour Foundation that aims to improve the life opportunities for young people with severe learning disabilities and their families. In April, the Taskforce met with external experts, including disability charities and organisations, to discuss the experiences of disabled children living in poverty.

In December 2024, a Lead Minister for Disability was appointed in every government department, to represent the interests of disabled people and champion disability inclusion and accessibility across their department, as they drive forward progress on the government’s manifesto commitments and 5 missions. I am proud to serve as the chair of this group and we meet regularly throughout the year to break down barriers to opportunity for disabled people right across the government’s long-term missions; and fulfil the manifesto commitment to ensure their departments put the views and voices of disabled people at the heart of everything they do.

Alongside delivering on our Get Britain Working plan to support people into good jobs and make everyone better off, which is the fastest route out of poverty, we’re increasing the Living Wage, uprating benefits (including the first sustained, above inflation increase to the UC standard allowance) and supporting 700,000 of the poorest families with children by introducing a Fair Repayment Rate on Universal Credit deductions to help low-income households. We have also extended free school meals provision to all children in households on Universal Credit.
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Tom Morrison:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many compensation payments the Child Maintenance Service has made to parents following complaints from (a) parents and (b) MPs in relation to the service received by those parents in each of the last 5 years. \p Andrew Western: The information requested is not readily available and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
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Helen Whately:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the oral contribution of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on 29 April 2025, Official Report, col 236, how many sickfluencers have been prosecuted under the (a) Fraud Act 2006 and (b) Serious Crime Act 2007. \p Andrew Western: I refer the honourable member to the answer given to PQ 50195 on 12 May 2025.
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James Naish:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of enabling people to verify their (a) income and (b) identity online through secure access to their benefit data. \p Sir Stephen Timms: All claimants must answer security questions to confirm they are who they say they are, to protect their information and prevent fraud. When a claimant creates a UC account, they must complete security questions. When a claimant signs into their account, they will need to complete their security questions, answering exactly as they initially entered them.

If the claimant phones us, we will ask them their security questions.

The UC application process is different for each claimant, including those from remote and island communities. When applying for UC, a claimant must confirm their identity by using the on-line service, as part of the claim process. Where a claimant has not attempted online verification, or has attempted and failed, then they will be asked to attend a face-to-face interview (F2F). This is to ensure the claimant is who they say they are, and to prevent fraud.

If a claimant is having a problem verifying their identity online and has not been able to do this, the Jobcentre will call and book an appointment to verify the claimant’s identity. Appointments may be by phone, or face-to-face in our Jobcentres.

Further information about verifying identify can be found on Understanding Universal Credit - How to claim.
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Victoria Collins:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to ensure that people claiming Personal Independence Payments with chronic health conditions are not subject to reviews unless there is evidence of significant change in their circumstances. \p Sir Stephen Timms: Reviews are an important feature of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) ensuring the  support continues to meet the individual’s needs, as circumstances can change over time, and to make sure the correct level of support is being provided.

People who receive the highest level of PIP and whose needs will not improve receive an ongoing PIP award with a light touch review at the 10-year point. The light touch review is  intended to maintain a minimal level of contact with claimants to ensure nothing has changed and that we hold up to date information such as contact details.   In the Pathways to Work Green Paper published on 18 March, we announced that we are considering ways to improve communication with people receiving these ongoing awards in PIP to ensure they provide the right reassurance for people whose conditions are unlikely to change and who are likely to remain on disability benefits for life that they will not be required to undergo regular award reviews.

We have also launched a review of the PIP assessment, which I am leading. During this first phase of the review, I am speaking to stakeholders to gather views on how best to approach the review. We will then publish the Terms of Reference in due course.
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James Naish:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential (a) economic and (b) social impact of enabling Universal Credit recipients to share their benefit data with consent with regulated third parties. \p Sir Stephen Timms: Customers can choose to share their information with third parties, including Universal Credit statements.

As a modern digital service Universal Credit is iterated all the time. We are always looking to make improvements to the design and build. Universal Credit undertake user research with customers and stakeholders to gain feedback on their experiences and suggestions for improvements. We always take into consideration the users of the service, including individual impacts as well as any wider implications which involve customers and their data.
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Munira Wilson:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate she has made of the cost to the NHS as a result of the changes to PIP in the Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper. \p Sir Stephen Timms: No formal assessment has been made.

We are consulting on how best to support those who are affected by the new eligibility changes, including how to make sure health and care needs are met, and we are working closely with the Department for Health and Social Care on this.

At the heart of our reforms is a drive to protect the most vulnerable while ensuring disabled people and people with health conditions are given equal chances and choices to get jobs and stay in work. Through these reforms, we will be investing an extra £1bn a year in employment support by the end of the decade, in addition to work we have already begun. We know from evaluations and analysis that the department has published that good work is good for people’s mental and physical health, and that giving people support to get jobs provides an overall saving to the Exchequer and to society, including by reducing the costs and pressures on the NHS.
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Neil Duncan-Jordan:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of employment support programmes in getting long-term unemployed disabled people back into work. \p Alison McGovern: The Pathways to Work Green Paper announced our plans to invest £1 billion a year by the end of the decade in new employment, health and skills support – one of the largest ever packages of specialist employment support. This investment will provide services based on this evidence of what works.

This is on top of other support we are already providing, including:

We provide a range of employment support for disabled people and people with health conditions, and we have a strong commitment to evaluating these programmes.

We know that being in good work is good for peoples mental and physical health and wellbeing, and is the best route out of poverty. Recent evidence shows that support can make a real difference in the number of people getting and keeping work.

The recent evaluation of the Work Choice programme, a voluntary programme for disabled people that gave them skills, advice and ongoing support, that we published Work Choice impact evaluation - GOV.UK showed that eight years after referral, participants had a payrolled employment rate of 11 percentage points higher than the comparison group and the programme was estimated to return £1.67 back to the Exchequer for every £1 spent.

We also recently published an evaluation of Additional Work Coach Time Support, which offers voluntary appointments with tailored support. This showed positive outcomes on peoples’ mental health and improvements in confidence and motivation to find work. The impact analysis showed that 12 months after the intervention, 11% of participants were in work compared to 8% of the comparison group – a 3 percentage point employment impact. The support also had a positive and statistically significant impact on earnings in each year, 2 to 3 years later.

The European Social Fund, a voluntary programme available from 2015-2023, increased the amount of time spent in employment and reduced the amount of time spent on inactive benefits. On average, in the three years after using the programme, people spent 39.7 more days in employment. The ESF made a societal return of £1.50 for every £1 spent.
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Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has considered sourcing energy from the Falkland Islands. \p Michael Shanks: I have made no such consideration. The UK sources the oil and gas we use from domestic onshore and offshore fields and on the international market. The UK also trades electricity with several nearby countries, as well as the Isle of Man. This is all done by the commercial sector, not by the Government.
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Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of making the power grid net zero by 2030 on jobs. \p Michael Shanks: The Government’s initial assessment of the challenges of building the skilled workforce to deliver the Clean Energy Superpower Mission has been outlined in the Clean Power Action Plan. The Plan includes an Evidence Annex which provides a basis for government to better understand the 2030 workforce requirements and support targeted skills planning. DESNZ will publish our Clean Energy Workforce Strategy this summer. It will set out how we intend to grow and support the talent pipeline for Clean Power 2030 and net zero by 2050.

The wider transition to net zero is expected to support hundreds of thousands of jobs, with Clean Power 2030 playing a key part in stimulating a wealth of new jobs and economic opportunities across the country.
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John Whitby:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that people in rural areas retain access to functioning energy meters following the Radio Teleswitch Service switch-off. \p Miatta Fahnbulleh: Customers will not unexpectedly lose access to their heating and hot water after 30th June, and we will not allow widespread disconnection.

Suppliers must fulfil all of their legal obligations to their customers, and that any future, localised phase-out of RTS meters after 30th Junemust be controlled, planned, and communicated properly to all customers in order to proceed.

The government will do everything it can to ensure that all customers are protected, and will work with Ofgem to hold suppliers to account if required. We expect energy suppliers to be taking measures, such as deploying roaming teams of installers including in rural areas, to ensure consumers receive replacement meters in a timely manner.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 7 May 2025 to Question 48449 on Financial Services: Environment Protection, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of investing in municipal green investment (a) bonds and (b) loans being offered by local authorities on customers. \p Kerry McCarthy: The Government recognises the significant progress made through the use of local municipal green bonds. So far fourteen councils have launched these bonds, mobilising over £11.5 million and giving thousands of investors the opportunity to invest in improvements to their local communities.

We acknowledge that local authorities are free to determine their own investment strategies. In doing so they must, however, have regard to statutory guidance that sets out best practice to ensure decisions are prudent, affordable and sustainable, and comply with their Best Value Duty. Investments should represent value for money and not place tax payers’ money at excessive risk.
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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to the press release entitled Warm homes and cheaper bills as government accelerates Plan for Change, published on 7 February 2025, what estimate he has made of the number and proportion of remaining properties not at energy performance certificate level C that will not be able to be upgraded to that level owing to the nature of the property. \p Miatta Fahnbulleh: As outlined in the consultation-stage Options Assessment (DESNZ001(OA)-25-NZBI), there are 5.1 million privately rented properties in England and Wales, with 55% below the current EPC C. Under the preferred option, 2.8 million properties could reach the proposed new EPC C standard by 2030. Some properties may remain below standard as the consultation proposed a range of exemptions for those unable to reach EPC C. Government is currently analysing responses to decide on a final policy outcome and will publish a government response and further impact assessment in due course.
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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to the press release entitled Warm homes and cheaper bills as government accelerates Plan for Change, published on 7 February 2025, what assessment he has made of the feasibility of upgrading the 52% of rented homes in England that are not already at Energy Performance Certificate C level. \p Miatta Fahnbulleh: The recently closed consultation proposed new minimum energy efficiency standards for private rented homes and was accompanied by an options assessment. We have engaged widely with stakeholders during the consultation process and will use this feedback to inform the Government’s response to the consultation, which will be published in due course with a further impact assessment.
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Dr Luke Evans:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what discussions he is having with retailers on fuel prices for drivers, the context of progress on (a) implementing Fuel Finder and (b) the Competition and Markets Authority's monitoring of that market. \p Miatta Fahnbulleh: The Government aims to implement Fuel Finder by the end of 2025, subject to passage of the Data (Use and Access) Bill, which will provide the legislative basis to set up the scheme. Fuel Finder will increase price transparency and drive down prices by encouraging greater retailer competition.

Following an in-depth procurement process, we have appointed VE3 Global as the aggregator of Fuel Finder. Appointing the aggregator is an important milestone to launching by the end of 2025, and we will work closely with VE3 as it engages with retailers throughout Fuel Finder’s development.

The CMA continues to monitor and scrutinise fuel prices using the statutory information gathering powers it received on 1 January 2025 through the Digital Markets, Competition & Consumer Act 2024.
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Lewis Cocking:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment has he made of the potential financial impact of net zero policies on people in poverty. \p Kerry McCarthy: The net zero transition will not only be the economic opportunity of the century, but it will also support the creation of hundreds of thousands of good jobs across the UK, protect our economy from future price shocks that reliance on fossil fuels create, while delivering a range of social and health benefits. The Warm Homes Plan, for example, will transform homes across the country, from installing new insulation to rolling out solar and heat pumps, helping households make their homes cleaner and cheaper to run.

As the OBR has noted [July 2021 Fiscal Risks Report], the costs of failing to get climate change under control would be much larger than those of bringing emissions down to net zero.
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Adam Jogee:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how nuclear energy can support the decarbonisation of energy-intensive industries. \p Sarah Jones: Nuclear can support the decarbonisation of energy-intensive industries by providing a source of reliable, low carbon energy. Nuclear will play an important role in helping the UK achieve a secure, resilient Clean Power system, in turn enabling large industrial consumers of electricity to decarbonise their operations. There are further opportunities for nuclear to support industrial decarbonisation by supplying electricity and/or heat directly to industrial sites. Government recognises the potential for nuclear to play a wider role in the UK energy system, including the decarbonisation of energy-intensive industries, and is exploring ways to unlock this opportunity.
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Adam Jogee:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how (a) Small Modular Reactors and (b) Advanced Modular Reactors can support energy-intensive industries. \p Michael Shanks: Small and Advanced Modular Reactors (SMRs and AMRs) can support energy-intensive industries by providing scalable, low-carbon energy with the ability to co-locate at industrial sites. These reactors are well-suited for hard-to-decarbonise sectors and emerging demands such as AI data centres, which require reliable, continuous electricity and options for co-generation. The Government recognises the potential of advanced nuclear to power such facilities and is exploring ways to unlock this opportunity.
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Adam Jogee:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of new nuclear development on local communities. \p Michael Shanks: Public consultation and community engagement is an essential part of the planning process.

We are in the process of designating a new National Policy Statement for nuclear energy generation, called EN-7, which we consulted on earlier this year. EN-7 makes clear that as part of the planning process the applicant must assess the socioeconomic the impact of the construction, operation and decommissioning of the proposed nuclear infrastructure. This assessment should demonstrate that the applicant has taken account of, amongst other things, potential pressures on local and regional resources, population density and economic benefits.

New nuclear projects provide considerable benefits to the communities that host them. For example, EDF report that £5.3 billion has already been invested into the South West regional economy because of Hinkley Point C development.
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John Whitby:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 28 April 2025 to Question 44820 on Electricity Generation, what progress the industry working group has made on evaluating the P441 modification to the Balancing and Settlement Code. \p Michael Shanks: Ofgem next convenes a working group on 11 June where Elexon will present cost and benefit analysis of the proposed solution. Subsequent timelines depend on whether any Alternative Modifications (solutions) are raised by industry, before a Final Modification Report (FMR) is submitted for Ofgem’s consideration and decision. Ofgem expects to receive the FMR by end of Q3 2025.

The Department is continuing to examine how to remove barriers for community and local energy project’s route to market. This includes working with Ofgem, GBE and relevant stakeholders to find solutions that work in the best interests of local generators and consumers.
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Rachel Gilmour:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if his Department will make an assessment of the viability of tidal range power projects in the Severn Estuary. \p Michael Shanks: The National Energy System Operator (NESO) has launched a research innovation project to model the impacts and value of tidal range, we are expecting the report from this work soon and will consider its findings alongside the recently published Severn Estuary Commission report.
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David Chadwick:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of placing cables for national energy infrastructure associated with energy parks underground. \p Michael Shanks: The Government’s overarching position on undergrounding is set out in the National Policy Statement for Electricity Networks Infrastructure (NPS EN-5). It states that overhead lines should be the strong starting presumption except in nationally designated landscapes where undergrounding is the starting presumption.

Developers are responsible for designing electricity network infrastructure, ensuring compliance with relevant legislation, planning policy and regulatory requirements, and assessing the merits of undergrounding cables on a project-by-project basis.

The Government does not make assessments for specific projects unless they come to the Secretary of State for a final planning decision.
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David Chadwick:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of energy parks on communities. \p Michael Shanks: Energy National Policy Statements state that impacts of Nationally Significant (energy) Infrastructure Projects on local communities should be kept to a minimum, and at a level that is acceptable. Developers are required to undertake an assessment of likely significant environmental impacts and to describe how the mitigation hierarchy (avoid, reduce, mitigate, compensate) has been applied to address possible impacts, including cumulative, on the wider environment. In addition, through the Clean Power Action Plan, we have made clear that where communities host clean energy infrastructure, we will ensure they benefit from it. On 21st May we published our working paper setting out proposals for mandatory community benefits for low carbon infrastructure and seeking views on shared ownership.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-06)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-06 conversation_108

Layla Moran:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that new green businesses receive required utility connections in a timely manner. \p Michael Shanks: The Government recognises the need for timely connections to the electricity network. The Government has worked at pace with the National Energy System Operator (NESO) and the energy regulator, Ofgem, to develop a new connections process where strategically important demand projects will receive the strongest possible non-financial government support to facilitate timely connections. Stalled projects will be removed from the queue to prioritise projects which are vital for economic growth and the acceleration of transmission infrastructure.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-06)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-06 conversation_109

Layla Moran:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he is taking steps with the Secretary of State for Transport to ensure green energy projects have access to CO2 storage. \p Sarah Jones: The recent final investment decisions with the East Coast Cluster and Liverpool Bay CCS are the first steps in unlocking necessary CO2 storage requirements needed to deliver our carbon budgets.

The Department continues to work with key regulatory and industry partners so that the capacity needed to store CO2 is accessible to green energy projects, such as cement decarbonisation or sustainable aviation fuels.

The Government also recognises that non-pipeline methods of CO2 transportation (for example, road, rail, barge and ship) will be required where it is not feasible to connect to a store via pipeline.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-06)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-06 conversation_110

Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent estimate he has made of the potential impact of making the power grid net zero by 2030 on energy bills. \p Michael Shanks: Our clean power target means transitioning to an electricity system that produces at least 95% of Great Britain’s generation from clean sources.

NESO's analysis confirmed delivering clean power by 2030 is deliverable, more secure, and could see a lower cost of electricity, and lower bills. The Department accepts NESO's modelling that clean power by 2030 can be delivered without increasing costs to consumers, with scope for lower bills.

Over this Parliament the government will be working relentlessly to translate the much cheaper wholesale costs of clean power into lower bills for consumers.
wrans/answers2025-06-06 conversation_111
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-06)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-06 conversation_111

Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to ensure the resilience of the electricity grid, in the context of fluctuating levels of power within the grid. \p Michael Shanks: Great Britain has a highly resilient energy network with diverse sources of supply and maintaining the security of electricity supply is a key priority for Government.

We are working with the energy industry, regulators and other stakeholders to continually improve and maintain the resilience and security of energy infrastructure. We work to reduce the vulnerability of networks and assets, taking into account a range of threats and future system changes.

The National Energy System Operator has well-established tools to balance the system in a wide range of scenarios, including in the event of voltage and frequency fluctuations.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-06)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-06 conversation_112

Satvir Kaur:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his department has made of the potential merits of (a) promoting and (b) mandating the installation of solar panels on new large industrial developments. \p Michael Shanks: Accelerating the deployment of solar on commercial rooftops is at the heart of our clean energy mission.

The Government promotes commercial solar by various means, including permitted development rights and fiscal incentives.

Future Buildings Standards will be introduced later this year to ensure that all newly built commercial buildings are fit for a net zero future. We expect these standards to encourage the installation of solar panels.
wrans/answers2025-06-06 conversation_113
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-06)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-06 conversation_113

Satvir Kaur:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of installing solar panels in the unused space between train tracks. \p Michael Shanks: Installing solar between train tracks could be a feasible solution, particularly in urban areas where the track is electrified, as there will likely already be an adequately sized grid connection. However, there are some obstacles that may inhibit the deployment of this technology, such as the challenge of grid connections in rural areas, obstruction of track maintenance, and the cost of additional transformers required to convert electricity from solar to useable high voltage DC or AC electricity for trains. Decisions on specific locations of solar deployment ultimately rest with developers.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-06)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-06 conversation_114

Liam Conlon:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of extending the Warm Homes Discount to households in receipt of means-tested benefits on people receiving those benefits. \p Miatta Fahnbulleh: We have recently consulted on the expansion of the Warm Home Discount, giving more eligible households £150 off their energy bills. These proposals would end the use of the property high cost to heat threshold, making all energy billpayers who are on a qualifying means tested benefit eligible for the Discount. This would bring around 2.7 million households on a qualifying means-tested benefit into the scheme – pushing the total number of households that would receive the discount next winter up to around 6 million. The consultation closed on 24 March, DESNZ has considered the responses and a Government response will be published in due course.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-06)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-06 conversation_115

David Chadwick:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what discussions he has had with the Welsh Government on placing cables underground for national energy infrastructure associated with energy parks in areas (a) of high outstanding natural beauty and (b) designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest. \p Michael Shanks: Details of Ministers’ meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK.

The Government’s policy on undergrounding is set out in the energy National Policy Statement for electricity networks (EN-5), which sets a strong starting presumption of overhead lines, except in nationally designated landscapes - such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Sites of Special Scientific Interest - where undergrounding is the starting presumption.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-06)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-06 conversation_116

Mike Wood:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 15 May 2025 to Question 51165 on Government Departments: Flags, who provided the Pride flag; and whether that flag was a Progress flag. \p Georgia Gould: The flag was sourced via the Government Property Agency contract and manufactured by the Hampshire Flag Company (HFC).

The flag is a 6 stripe rainbow flag.
wrans/answers2025-06-06 conversation_117
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-06)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-06 conversation_117

Mike Wood:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 15 May 2025 to Question 46749 on Cabinet Office: Zero Hours Contracts, which business units the 423 staff work for. \p Georgia Gould: The Cabinet Office uses zero hours contracts to selectively manage temporary demand. The Cabinet Office Pillars that the 423 contingent labour workers who can be classed as having zero hours contracts are as follows:

National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA) – formerly known as the Infrastructure and Projects Authority – 255. Following a recent Machinery of Government change, NISTA is now part of HM Treasury, and these workers will be transferred over to HM Treasury over the summer of 2025. Workers are engaged in this area to assist with external Gateway Reviews, where expert advice is required to review programmes and projects. These external gateway reviewers are only engaged under these contracts when there is no availability within the pool of civil servant gateway reviewers.

Productive and Agile State – 155. Workers are engaged in this area to bring in commercial expertise to help run the GCF Assessment Development Centres, to assess Civil Servants’ commercial abilities for both contract management and wider commercial skills.

Propriety and Constitution – 13. Workers engaged under this Pillar are for the Covid-19 Inquiry, which engages expert witnesses whose services are only required on an ad hoc basis.

Contingent labour contracts should only be used in government where better value alternatives are not available. The Government is continuing to take steps to reduce the use of contingent labour.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-06)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-06 conversation_118

Sir Julian Smith:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of making a renewed Government commitment to resolving disputes across Departments through mediation. \p Georgia Gould: It is a long-standing convention that we do not disclose publicly specific details on the processes of Cabinet collective decision-making, to protect the safe space for collective decisions. This Government is taking a missions-led approach to governing, bringing departments together to deliver the Plan for Change.

In the case of individual employees the Government is committed to offering mediation as a form of dispute resolution. This is already widely offered to Civil Servants by Departments across the Civil Service as a means to resolve workplace conflict promptly and effectively.

Departments have their own policies and guidance on handling disputes in line with the ACAS Code of Practice on disciplinary and grievance procedures. Mediation is a recommended method of dispute resolution within the ACAS guidance.