Asked by: Lord Mackinlay of Richborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the tonnage of (1) steel, (2) copper, and (3) cement, that will be required to decarbonise the supply of electricity by 2030.
Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. I will correspond directly with the noble Lord.
Asked by: Lord Mackinlay of Richborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the amount that will be spent on Chinese products to decarbonise the supply of electricity by 2030.
Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. I will correspond directly with the noble Lord.
Asked by: Lord Mackinlay of Richborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have made an estimate of the number of engineers required to decarbonise the supply of electricity by 2030.
Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. I will correspond directly with the noble Lord.
Asked by: Lord Mackinlay of Richborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the proposed UK–EU reset and reduction of barriers to trade on continuing the ban on exports of livestock for slaughter and fattening.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government is currently negotiating a Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Agreement to make agrifood trade with our biggest market cheaper and easier, cutting costs and regulatory barriers for British producers and retailers. These negotiations are ongoing, and the Government will not be providing a running commentary. Details of the Agreement are subject to negotiation, but the Government has been clear about the importance of being able to set high animal welfare standards.
Asked by: Lord Mackinlay of Richborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to (1) keep, (2) amend, or (3) repeal the Animal Welfare (Livestock Exports) Act 2024 as part of the proposed UK–EU reset and reduction of trade barriers.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government is currently negotiating a Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Agreement to make agrifood trade with our biggest market cheaper and easier, cutting costs and regulatory barriers for British producers and retailers. These negotiations are ongoing, and the Government will not be providing a running commentary. Details of the Agreement are subject to negotiation, but the Government has been clear about the importance of being able to set high animal welfare standards.
Asked by: Lord Mackinlay of Richborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the cost of the standard rate of Insurance Premium Tax to (1) listed property homeowners, and (2) the homeowners of properties that are not listed; and what plans they have to (a) exempt, or (b) lower, the rate of Insurance Premium Tax on listed building insurance premiums.
Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
Insurance Premium Tax (IPT) receipts are not broken down by type of insurance; therefore it is not possible to assess the IPT paid by owners of listed and non-listed properties. Insurance pricing is affected by a wide range of factors, and the taxes that insurers pay are just one part of this.
IPT is a broad-based tax which raises important revenue to fund essential public services. The rate of IPT has been unchanged since 2017. The Government keeps all taxes under review and the Chancellor makes decisions at Budgets in the context of the overall public finances.
Asked by: Lord Mackinlay of Richborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Baroness Sherlock on 6 February (HL14003 and HL14004), what plans they have to invite to the Operational Stakeholder Engagement Forum a civilian charity that assists amputees.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
As part of the Operational Stakeholder Engagement Forum (OSEF), the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) maintains a diverse membership that includes organisations supporting people with a range of disabilities, including amputees. We continually review representation to identify and address any gaps and welcome approaches from organisations that align with our Terms of Reference. We also engage a broader range of stakeholders beyond the OSEF portfolio through insight workshops and one-to-one sessions to support the development of DWP services.
Asked by: Lord Mackinlay of Richborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of Making Tax Digital, if any, on the tax gap attributable to intentional tax evasion; and what plans they have to implement such a scheme directly to address that issue.
Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax helps taxpayers pay the right amount of tax. It is expected to generate almost £1 billion in additional tax revenue in 2030–31 by encouraging timely and accurate record keeping and reducing that part of the tax gap caused by taxpayer errors and failure to take reasonable care.
HMRC is committed to closing the tax gap further and tackling other types of non-compliance such as tax evasion, tax avoidance, criminal attacks, hidden economy activity, legal interpretation issues, and non-payment.
Asked by: Lord Mackinlay of Richborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government when they plan to open the public consultation on the proposed High Value Council Tax Surcharge.
Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government will consult on the High Value Council Tax Surcharge in due course.
Asked by: Lord Mackinlay of Richborough (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to exempt listed properties from their proposals for rented homes to achieve a minimum Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of C or equivalent by 2030.
Answered by Lord Whitehead - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Currently, listed buildings are generally able to register exemptions from energy efficiency requirements where compliance would unacceptably alter the character or appearance of the existing building. The aim should be to improve energy efficiency as far as reasonably practicable without prejudicing the character of the host building or risking the long-term deterioration of the fabric or fittings. Government recognises there is no “one-size-fits-all” approach to tackling the UK’s diverse building stock, and we will continue to engage with various stakeholders including those from the historic and listed buildings sector.