Wera Hobhouse MP: written questions
214 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Social Services and Health Services: Employers' ContributionsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 18 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 14688More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of changes to National Insurance contributions in the Autumn Budget 2024 on (a) social care and (b) NHS services.
Answer: We have taken tough decisions to fix the foundations in the public finances at the Autumn Budget. This enabled the Spending Review settlement of a £22.6 billion increase in resource spending for the Department from 2023/24 outturn to 2025/26. The employer...
Answered 3 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordSizewell C Power Station: FinanceDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 18 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 14687More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what proportion of funding from the public purse for Sizewell C has been (a) spent on and (b) committed to companies with headquarters in (i) the UK and (ii) what foreign countries.
Answer: The details of contracts agreed by Sizewell C with its suppliers are commercially sensitive. The project has made a commitment to spend 70 per cent of the construction value in the UK.
Answered 25 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordRespiratory DiseasesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 13 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 901293More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether respiratory health conditions will be prioritised in the new NHS 10-year plan.
Answer: Respiratory health conditions make up some of the biggest killers in our country and are a clinical priority, and I look forward to meeting with the Respiratory Health APPG soon. This government is committed to fixing our broken NHS in order to deliver be...
Answered 25 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordBiofuels: Carbon Capture and StorageDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 13 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 14102More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an assessment of the (a) potential implications for his policies and (b) the Government's net zero strategy of discussions by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change on
Answer: An assessment is made on the potential implications of any policy by the civil service and is provided to ministers to allow an informed decision to be made. The 2006 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) Guidelines for National Greenhouse Ga...
Answered 22 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordBiofuels: Carbon Capture and StorageDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 13 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 14101More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what his Department's timetable is for making a decision on how much funding the Government will make available for bioenergy carbon capture and storage technology.
Answer: Following the announcement in October 2024 of funding for the initial Track 1 cluster configurations, further funding decisions for continued CCUS deployment will be taken as part of the Spending Review concluding in late Spring 2025.
Answered 22 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordPlastics: WasteDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 30 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 11916More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to help ensure the enforcement of the single-use plastics ban.
Answer: The Government recognises farmers’ concerns about imports produced using methods not permitted in the UK. We have been clear that we will use our Trade Strategy to promote the highest food production standards.
Answered 8 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordGreat British Nuclear: RecruitmentDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 28 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 11298More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 18 September 2024 to Question 5089 on Great British Nuclear: Recruitment, for what reason his Department is unable to provide a list of (a) the 16 organisations from
Answer: The Department is unable to share information potentially sensitive to individuals working within GBN. GBN has grown rapidly as an organisation with permanent recruitment underway.
Answered 5 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordCarbon EmissionsDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 24 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 11027More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of recognising book and claim as a form of corporate emissions reporting.
Answer: Large or listed UK companies are required to disclose specified emissions under the regulations which underpin Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting. Currently, Government is considering the International Sustainability Standards Board reporting require...
Answered 1 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordWines: Excise DutiesTreasuryTabled 24 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 11026More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the withdrawal of the temporary easement for wine on SMEs in the wine industry.
Answer: In August 2023 the Government introduced reforms to alcohol duty so that products are taxed in proportion to their alcoholic strength, not volume.To help the wine industry adapt to the new duty system, the current, temporary duty easement was introduced a...
Answered 31 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordWines: Excise DutiesTreasuryTabled 24 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 11025More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the withdrawal of the temporary easement for wine on the supply chain for UK-based importers.
Answer: In August 2023 the Government introduced reforms to alcohol duty so that products are taxed in proportion to their alcoholic strength, not volume.To help the wine industry adapt to the new duty system, the current, temporary duty easement was introduced a...
Answered 31 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordEnergy: North SeaScotland OfficeTabled 22 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 900914More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what steps his Department is taking to help support a just energy transition in the North Sea.
Answer: The UK Government is committed to making Britain a clean energy superpower by 2030.As we make the carefully phased transition to clean energy, we will build alternative opportunities for oil and gas workers - to which we’ve already committed £22bn of inve...
Answered 30 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordBiofuels: Sustainable DevelopmentDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 22 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 10458More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make it his policy to strengthen the biomass sustainability auditing regime before any new Contracts for Difference are awarded.
Answer: The 2023 Biomass Strategy contained a commitment to consult on developing and implementing a cross-sector sustainability framework to enable greater consistency across sectors. Next steps on this will be announced in due course.
Answered 30 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordHeating: HousingDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 16 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 9524More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he plans to take steps to provide financial support to the homes that his Department considers to be too expensive or difficult to install a heat pump into.
Answer: The Government recognises that heat pumps may not be feasible in a small number of properties, and these homes will require alternative low-carbon heating solutions to help them decarbonise. The Government is committed to incentivising properties to trans...
Answered 24 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordHeat BatteriesTreasuryTabled 16 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 9523More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if her Department will add heat batteries for a central heating system to the list of energy saving materials that are zero-rated.
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 25 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordSizewell C Power Station: FinanceDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 16 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 9522More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 14 October 2024 to Question 6413 on Sizewell C Power Station: Finance, for what reason disclosure of the proportions of capital allocated by Sizewell C Ltd is consid
Answer: Sizewell C’s spending plans are agreed by shareholders, including Government. The public disclosure of detailed spending plans whilst the project is engaged in live commercial negotiations could have a negative impact on the project’s negotiating position...
Answered 25 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordEducational Institutions: Sexual OffencesDepartment for EducationTabled 16 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 9521More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to Ofsted's report entitled Review of sexual abuse in schools and colleges, published on 10 June 2021, what discussions her Department has had with Ofsted on the extent to which it has implemente
Answer: The department has regular discussions with Ofsted on a wide range of aspects, including its approaches to inspection and the safeguarding of children and young people. On the specific matter of Ofsted’s implementation of the actions set out in its report...
Answered 23 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordGreat British Nuclear: Recruitment and SecondmentDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 15 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 9196More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 2 September 2024 to Question 2122 and of 10 September 2024 to Question 5089 on Great British Nuclear: Recruitment, from what organisations how many personnel have be
Answer: GBN has grown rapidly as an organisation to deliver on its mission and now has over 100 personnel working for it, including 51 staff seconded from 16 organisations. GBN has permanent recruitment underway, and all roles are advertised, with applications we...
Answered 23 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordHousing: Carbon EmissionsMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 10 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 8459More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of amending the Building Regulations Act 2010 to introduce mandatory reporting on embodied carbon emissions for
Answer: Reducing embodied carbon emissions from the built environment is a key part of meeting the country’s net zero targets. These emissions predominantly come from the supply chains leading to new buildings, and there is work across government to decarbonise t...
Answered 18 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordFossil Fuels: ProductionDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 8 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 7834More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will take legislative steps to ban the routine (a) flaring and (b) venting of oil and gas by 2030.
Answer: The UK has committed to the World Bank’s ‘Zero Routine Flaring by 2030’ Initiative, and has additionally committed to end routine venting by 2030. In the North Sea Transition Deal the UK industry committed to accelerate compliance ahead of 2030. With supp...
Answered 16 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordRenewable Energy: LandfillDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 8 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 7833More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he plans to extend support for landfill gas to energy operators beyond 2027.
Answer: Government is aware that support under the Renewables Obligation Scheme, including some that landfill gas generators hold, concludes from 2027 onwards. We are speaking with a variety of generators to understand the impact that the conclusion of support wi...
Answered 16 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordPlastic Packaging Tax: Public ConsultationDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 7 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 7520More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department have had discussions with His Majesty's Treasury on the Government's response to the consultation on Plastic Packaging Tax - c
Answer: Yes. Officials in Defra work closely with HM Treasury colleagues. We are aware that the Treasury has committed to publishing a response to the consultation before the end of this year.
Answered 15 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordPlastic Packaging TaxTreasuryTabled 7 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 7519More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will include in the forthcoming Budget proposals relating to the plastic packaging tax - chemical recycling and adoption of a mass balance approach consultation, published on 18 July 2023.
Answer: The government has confirmed its intent to publish a response to this consultation by the end of the year. Further details of the government’s response will be set out in due course.
Answered 15 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordFurniture and Furnishings (Fire Safety) RegulationsDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 7 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 7518More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the paragraph 52 of the Second Special Report of the Environmental Audit Committee of Session 2019 on Toxic Chemicals in Everyday Life: Government Response to the Committee’s Twentiet
Answer: Following the formation of the Government in July, the Department for Business and Trade is considering next steps for this important issue, including reviewing the evidence gathered from the 2023 consultation, Smarter Regulation: Fire safety of domestic ...
Answered 14 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordSizewell C Power Station: FinanceDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 4 Oct 2024AnsweredUIN 6413More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how much and what proportion of the funding that his Department has allocated to the proposed new nuclear plant at Sizewell C has been allocated for (a) land clearance, (b) other site prepara
Answer: Specific details of the project’s spending plans are commercially sensitive – and budget allocations for different elements of work are set by the company, Sizewell C Limited. As majority shareholders in the project, government has previously committed to...
Answered 14 Oct 2024
Original Parliament recordEnergy: ConsumersDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 12 Sept 2024AnsweredUIN 5820More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Net Zero, what assessment he has made with Cabinet colleagues of the potential impact of flexible energy systems on consumers.
Answer: The transition to a smarter energy system can bring benefits for many consumers. This was a key factor in a call for evidence carried out earlier this year on the future of default tariffs in a more flexible market https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-...
Answered 11 Oct 2024
Original Parliament record
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