Mike Reader MP: written questions
32 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Heating: Carbon EmissionsDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 1 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 64371More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department plans to take to support the expansion of consumer options for low-carbon heating systems for households that are unable to install a heat pump.
Answer: The Warm Homes Plan will help households take up measures like solar panels, heat pumps, batteries and insulation, helping them save money on their bills and benefit from cleaner, cheaper heating. The government expect most properties will switch to heat ...
Answered 9 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordHousing: ConstructionMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 1 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 64369More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department plans to update the guidance for Approved Document F of the Building Regulations to recognise smart ventilation systems as a compliant option for homes.
Answer: Revisions to Approved Document F of the Building Regulations were proposed as part of the Future Homes and Buildings Standards: 2023 consultation. Proposed updates to the minimum ventilation standards for homes were described in section 6.2 and proposed u...
Answered 8 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordElectricity: DistributionDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 30 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 63804More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will hold discussions with Ofgem on reducing the time taken to implement reforms to the electricity distribution network.
Answer: The National Infrastructure Commission published recommendations on 21 February on making the electricity distribution network fit for net zero. The Government published a formal response on 7th July, which agrees with the study’s view that investment in ...
Answered 8 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordFood: WasteDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 26 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 63218More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of mandatory food waste reporting on the economy.
Answer: The potential impacts of mandatory food waste reporting were assessed as part of the consultation process in 2022. As with all policies, if the policy were to be taken forward, a further assessment of costs and benefits would be published as part of the l...
Answered 2 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordRetail Trade: Crimes of ViolenceHome OfficeTabled 26 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 63217More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to bring forward legislative proposals to extend the proposed standalone offence for assaulting a retail worker under the Crime and Policing Bill to include retail delivery drivers.
Answer: This Government is committed to tackling retail crime. Through our Crime and Policing Bill, we have introduced a standalone offence of assaulting a retail worker to protect the hardworking and dedicated staff that work in stores.Assaults against delivery ...
Answered 4 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordLarge Goods Vehicles: ConcreteDepartment for TransportTabled 26 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 63216More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of reducing permitted weights for Volumetric Concrete Mobile Plants from 2028 on the manufacturing sector.
Answer: The Department ran a call for evidence from October to December 2023 seeking views on three potential options on weight limits for Volumetric Concrete Mixers (VCMs). The outcome of this review was published on 18 March 2025 at the following link: www.gov....
Answered 4 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordFood: Manufacturing IndustriesDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 25 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 62921More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the Advanced Manufacturing sector plan on food and drink manufacturers.
Answer: The Government recognises the importance of the food and drink sector as the largest manufacturing industry in the UK. The Industrial Strategy will support the whole economy, including businesses outside the eight growth-driving sectors, through an improv...
Answered 4 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordElectricity: ConsumersDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 25 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 62912More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent discussions his Department has had with industry representatives on the development of consumer-led flexibility in electricity markets.
Answer: Ministers' and Permanent Secretaries' meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK.
Answered 4 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordCombined Authorities: FinanceMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 25 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 62867More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, which government funding streams have been available exclusively to Mayoral Combined Authorities since January 2024; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of th
Answer: Most government funding streams delivered by Mayoral Combined (and Combined County) Authorities (MC(C)As) in England are devolved from national government. In areas where there is not yet a Combined Authority in place, national government continues to ove...
Answered 4 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordSingle Sex Education: AdmissionsDepartment for EducationTabled 2 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 56660More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of implementing the Equality and Human Rights Commission's revised code of practice for services, public functions and associations on single-sex scho
Answer: I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for Northampton South to the answer of 09 June 2025 to Question 55359.
Answered 10 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordLocal Government: Equality and Human RightsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 2 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 56659More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent estimate she has made of the cost to local authorities of implementing the Equality and Human Rights Commission's revised code of practice for services, public functi
Answer: We have not yet made an assessment of the cost and impact on local authorities of implementing the proposed updates to the Equality and Human Rights Commission Code of Practice for services, public functions and associations, which is still open for consu...
Answered 10 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordBusiness: CompetitionDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 4 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 28708More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to help support businesses to compete with direct-to-consumer online retailers that are based offshore.
Answer: We intend to introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties, including those on the high street, from 2026-27. This tax cut must be sustainably funded, and so we intend to apply a higher rate from 2026-27 on th...
Answered 12 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordSocial Security Benefits: Young PeopleDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 20 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 25112More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Get Britain Working White Paper, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of young people in supported housing becoming worse off when entering i
Answer: The income taper in Housing Benefit ensures people in work are better off than someone wholly reliant on benefits. In addition to any financial advantage, there are important non-financial benefits of working. These benefits include learning new skills, i...
Answered 27 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordTransport: Carbon EmissionsDepartment for TransportTabled 18 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 21179More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of including in the integrated national transport strategy measures to (a) help increase efficiency and (b) support decarbonisation in the logistics sector
Answer: The Strategy will set the high-level direction for how transport should change to better serve people and is currently in early development. Government recognises the importance of the logistics sector in delivering its missions and transport priorities, ...
Answered 8 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordFreight: InfrastructureDepartment for TransportTabled 18 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 21178More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an asssessment of the potential merits of identifying a National Freight Network.
Answer: The UK has a complex national freight system handling millions of transactions every day. The merits of increasing our understanding of this system to inform policy making, regulation and investment interventions are well understood, and this Government i...
Answered 9 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordDelivery Services: RobotsDepartment for TransportTabled 11 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 19574More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to support the use of autonomous last-mile delivery robots on pavements.
Answer: The Government has no current plans to legislate in this space. However, we are determined to seize the opportunities of emerging micromobility and tackle any negative impacts which may arise. We are actively monitoring the industry, new vehicle types, an...
Answered 16 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordDriverless VehiclesDepartment for TransportTabled 9 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 18828More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of including the regulation of self-driving delivery robots alongside other forms of micro mobility.
Answer: This government is determined to seize the opportunities of emerging micromobility and tackle any negative impacts which may arise. We actively monitor the industry and the new vehicle types and business models being developed while carefully considering ...
Answered 17 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordRegional Planning and Development: Higher EducationMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 9 Dec 2024AnsweredUIN 18827More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she has had made an assessment of the potential role of universities (a) within and (b) outside mayoral combined authorities in local growth programmes.
Answer: Local leadership is at the heart of our mission to deliver growth. Universities have an important role in driving growth across the country, working in partnership with other local stakeholders to deliver improved outcomes for their communities. In mayora...
Answered 17 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordHousing: Carbon EmissionsTreasuryTabled 21 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10325More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of extending VAT relief to (a) heat batteries and (b) other new energy saving technologies that can help decarbonise homes when a heat pump cannot be installed.
Answer: The installation of qualifying energy-saving materials in residential accommodation and buildings used solely for a relevant charitable purpose benefits from a temporary VAT zero rate until March 2027. Last year, a Call for Evidence (CfE) seeking views on...
Answered 29 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordHousing Benefit: Supported HousingDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 21 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10324More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the financial impact of reducing the housing benefit taper rate for people in supported housing.
Answer: The income taper in Housing Benefit ensures people in work are better off than someone wholly reliant on benefits. In addition to any financial advantage, there are important non-financial benefits of working. These benefits include learning new skills, i...
Answered 28 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordOffensive WeaponsHome OfficeTabled 15 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 900761More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress she has made on banning zombie-style knives and ninja swords.
Answer: We have implemented the ban on zombie-style knives and zombie-style machetes approved by Parliament earlier this year. The ban came into force on 24th September.We will also be pressing ahead as soon as possible with a ban on Ninja swords, following the t...
Answered 21 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordImport ControlsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 15 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 9319More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to publish the timetable for scaling up physical checks under the Border Target Operating Model to the full regime.
Answer: Our checks are intelligence-led and based on biosecurity risk. To protect the integrity of this approach, we cannot share operational details, including the exact timelines for scaling up checks. Traders should continue to follow the published guidance wh...
Answered 22 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordImport ControlsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 15 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 9318More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the efficiency of the operation of the Border Target Operating Model since it was introduced.
Answer: The first milestone - health certificates - happened on 31 January 2024. Physical and documentary checks began on April 30th. Medium and high-risk goods posing the greatest biosecurity risk are being prioritised as check levels are scaled up in a sensible...
Answered 22 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordUK Trade with EU: Import ControlsHome OfficeTabled 15 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 9317More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the EU Entry Exit System on (a) goods trade across the short straits, (b) goods availability in the UK and (c) prices of goods in the UK.
Answer: The implementation of the EU Entry Exit System (EES) has been postponed by the European Commission while they review their plans, with an updated roadmap to be announced in due course. We are continuing to work with the EU and its member states, as well a...
Answered 23 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordUK Trade with EU: Import ControlsHome OfficeTabled 15 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 9316More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the EU Entry and Exit System on (a) freight traffic across the Short Straits and (b) GB-EU trade at peak passenger periods.
Answer: The implementation of the EU Entry Exit System (EES) has been postponed by the European Commission while they review their plans, with an updated roadmap to be announced in due course. We are continuing to work with the EU and its member states, as well a...
Answered 23 Oct 2024
Original Parliament record
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