Simon Opher MP: written questions
340 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Devon & Severn Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority: FinanceDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 4 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 28655More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress he has made on the review of the Devon and Severn Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority funding formula; and if he will set a timeline for completion.
Answer: Defra is aware of the complex funding challenges in Devon and Severn IFCA and is working with all local authorities within its membership to review the funding formula and how the IFCA can operate on a more sustainable basis. Engagement with local authori...
Answered 14 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordForests: Inheritance TaxTreasuryTabled 4 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 28654More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether woodlands qualify for inheritance tax relief.
Answer: Woodlands can qualify for relief from inheritance tax. That relief may be Agricultural Property Relief (APR) if the woodlands were occupied and used with agricultural land, such as a shelter belt. Alternatively, Business Property Relief (BPR) may be avail...
Answered 10 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordAgriculture: Inheritance TaxTreasuryTabled 4 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 28653More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether land farmed under the Environmental Land Management Scheme will be exempt from new inheritance tax rules for farms.
Answer: The environmental value of land farmed or managed under the Environmental Land Management Scheme (ELMS) will be eligible for Agricultural Property Relief (APR) of up to 100% from 6th April 2025. From 6th April 2026, the 100% rate of relief will continue f...
Answered 10 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordCancer: ChildrenDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 28636More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has plans to increase the funding available for research into children cancers.
Answer: Research is crucial in tackling cancer, which is why the Department invests over £1.5 billion per year in research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). NIHR research expenditure for all cancers was £133 million in 2023/24. C...
Answered 14 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordCancer: Young PeopleDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 4 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 28635More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to increase the availability of hospital beds for teenagers and young adults undergoing cancer treatment.
Answer: Cancer treatment for teenagers and young adults is complex and intensive, with many patients requiring a high level of support. As a result, and as set out in NHS England's service specifications, hospitals providing specialist cancer services for teenage...
Answered 17 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordDepartment of Health and Social Care: Gender Based ViolenceDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 3 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 28101More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department plans to take to contribute to the target of halving violence against women and girls in ten years.
Answer: The Government is committed to halving violence against women and girls in a decade. My Department is working closely with NHS England, the Home Office, and others on a coordinated approach to achieve this goal and improve the health response to victims a...
Answered 7 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordCommunity EnergyDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 3 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 28042More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make it his policy to enable community-owned small-scale energy generators to sell electricity directly to local consumers.
Answer: The Government recognises the role that access to local energy will play in achieving net zero. The Government’s licence exemption regimes already allow small scale suppliers, including many community energy groups, to come to market to supply local custo...
Answered 6 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordUSA: Foreign AidForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 3 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 28041More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the reported decision by the US government to pause foreign aid.
Answer: This is a matter for the US. Progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals requires collective action, and the UK will continue to work with all international partners toward that vision. The UK's commitment to supporting both humanitarian aid and dev...
Answered 10 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordCommunity EnergyDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 3 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 28039More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of enabling community-owned small-scale energy generators to sell electricity directly to local consumers on (a) energy prices,
Answer: Small-scale generation sites, including many community energy groups, can benefit from an exemption, which means that they do not require a licence from Ofgem to generate electricity or to supply to local customers.Local energy is unlikely to impact natio...
Answered 6 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordHoliday Accommodation: RegistrationDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 31 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27938More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what progress she has made on delivering a mandatory short term let registration scheme.
Answer: The Government is keen to introduce the registration scheme for short-term lets in England as soon as possible; the initial phase of digital development is now complete, and public testing is planned to start in the next 12 months. During the next phase o...
Answered 5 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordPlastics: TreatiesDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 29 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27465More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department has received representations from fossil fuel companies on the Global Plastics Treaty.
Answer: Details of Ministers’ and Permanent Secretaries' meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK. Published declarations include the purpose of the meeting and the names of any additional external organisa...
Answered 3 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordPlastics: TreatiesDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 29 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27464More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make it his policy to support the introduction of a binding global target to cut all forms of primary plastic polymer production.
Answer: The UK supports a global target on the sustainable production of primary plastic polymers. Last year, at the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on a treaty to end plastic pollution, the UK endorsed a statement calling for all cou...
Answered 5 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordPlastics: TreatiesDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 29 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27463More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether (a) he and (b) officials in his Department have had discussions with the fossil fuel and petrochemical industries on the UN Global Plastics Treaty.
Answer: The UK Government, at all stages of the INC process, has made it a priority to engage with a broad range of stakeholders across the plastics value chain, including trade associations representing fossil fuel and petrochemical industries. We partnered with...
Answered 5 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordPlastics: TreatiesDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 29 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 27458More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs on the negotiations for a global plastics treaty.
Answer: The Secretary of State has regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues on a range of issues, and Cabinet discussions are considered confidential.
Answered 5 Feb 2025
Original Parliament recordHealth Mission BoardDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 20 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24968More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what the (a) structure and (b) scope is of the cross-Government Health Mission Board.
Answer: My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care chairs a cross-Government Health Mission Board to oversee and drive delivery of the Health Mission to build a health and social care system fit for the future. Mission Boards are Cabinet...
Answered 23 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordHealth: DisadvantagedDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 20 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24967More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to deliver a fully funded cross-government strategy to reduce health inequalities which (a) takes into account the wider determinants of health and (b) includes measurable goa
Answer: Our Health Mission in England focuses on addressing the social determinants of health, with the goal of halving the gap in healthy life expectancy between the richest and poorest regions.We will work across Government and with a wide range of healthcare s...
Answered 23 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordHealth: DisadvantagedDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 20 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24966More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to engage with (a) parliamentarians and (b) healthcare stakeholders on steps to improve health inequalities.
Answer: Our Health Mission in England focuses on addressing the social determinants of health, with the goal of halving the gap in healthy life expectancy between the richest and poorest regions.We will work across Government and with a wide range of healthcare s...
Answered 23 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordActive Travel EnglandDepartment for TransportTabled 17 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24715More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what criteria is used to determine funding allocations from Active Travel England to local authorities.
Answer: Active Travel England sets out allocations based on population level and capability level, with funding weighted to areas with higher levels of capability to maximise delivery. Local authorities with lower ratings receive support to increase their capabil...
Answered 22 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordSecondary EducationDepartment for EducationTabled 16 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24521More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of 14-16 year old provision in further education colleges.
Answer: Further education (FE) and sixth form colleges are able to enrol students aged 14 to 16 on a full time study programme and receive funding from the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA). If they wish to do so, colleges need to meet specific criteria,...
Answered 31 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordSecondary Education: FinanceDepartment for EducationTabled 16 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 24520More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential implications for her policies of differences in levels of funding between 14-16-year-old students who undertake their Key Stage 4 education at a (a) main
Answer: Further education (FE) and sixth form colleges are able to enrol students aged 14 to 16 on a full time study programme and receive funding from the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA). If they wish to do so, colleges need to meet specific criteria,...
Answered 31 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordAffordable Housing: Rural AreasMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 14 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 23935More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to launch a further consultation on changes to the National Planning Policy Framework to reduce the cost and complexity for community-led housing providers aimi
Answer: The government recognises that community-led housing delivers a wide range of benefits, including additional housing supply, empowering communities, achieving high quality design and strengthening the co-operative economy. We are committed to making it ea...
Answered 30 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordHomes England: FinanceMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 14 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 23934More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to include a specific requirement to support community-led housing in commissioning the next phases of funds for Homes England.
Answer: The government will set out details of new investment to succeed the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme at the Spending Review.
Answered 27 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordHomes England: FinanceMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 14 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 23933More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to include a specific requirement to provide rural affordable housing in commissioning the next phases of funds for Homes England.
Answer: The government will set out details of new investment to succeed the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme at the Spending Review.
Answered 27 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordEnergy Performance Certificates: Rented HousingDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 13 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 23503More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department plans to introduce (a) exemptions and (b) alternative pathways for landlords unable to meet the EPC C rating requirement due to structural limitation.
Answer: Government will consult shortly on increasing minimum energy efficiency standards in the domestic private rented sector. The consultation will include proposals for rented homes to achieve Energy Performance Certificate C or equivalent by 2030. In this co...
Answered 16 Jan 2025
Original Parliament recordEnergy Performance CertificatesMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 13 Jan 2025AnsweredUIN 23502More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the consistency in EPC ratings provided by different assessors; and whether she plans to improve that consistency through changes to (a
Answer: The Energy Performance of Buildings Regulations 2012 place a duty on accreditation schemes to ensure that Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) are produced in a consistent and accurate manner and the energy assessors are suitably qualified and experienc...
Answered 16 Jan 2025
Original Parliament record
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