Lord Haworth

Following constructive commercial negotiations, CGN decided to exit the project as part of the Government investment in Sizewell C. The agreement to secure their exit covered value of their shareholding, their contribution to the project’s development and a commercial return reflecting their work to date. The details of this arrangement are commercially confidential.

The Government will make an announcement on the set up of GBN early in the new year. The Government will provide funding for GBN to help projects get investment ready and support them through the construction phase.

The Department is working with the steel sector, via the Steel Council, to explore how to create a competitive, sustainable, and low carbon future for the sector. Hydrogen-based steelmaking is one of the technological approaches being examined as part of this process.

The UK steel sector can bid into industrial fuel switching innovation programmes under the Net Zero Innovation Portfolio (NZIP), which is intended to promote switching away from more carbon-intensive fuel sources.

The Government has also set up the Industrial Decarbonisation and Hydrogen Revenue Support scheme to fund new hydrogen and industrial carbon capture business models. The scheme will be open to businesses across industry, including steel companies.

As set out in my Written Ministerial Statement made on 2^nd November 2021, the Government remains committed to establishing a new beneficial ownership register of overseas entities that own UK property. This register will help combat money laundering and achieve greater transparency in the UK property market. We will legislate when parliamentary time allows.

My rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy has stated his intention to publish the energy white paper in the summer. We will provide more details in due course.

The Wylfa and Moorside projects were not due to be operational until the late 2020s, and there are a range of options for replacing this capacity over that time-frame. National Grid have said that there will be no issue with future security of supply as a result of these announcements, and that there is time for the market to react. Last year we procured over 3GW of offshore wind in a single Contract for Difference auction – at a price of £57.50 per megawatt hour. Both Wylfa and Moorside remain potential sites for nuclear new build under the current National Policy Statement, and myself and BEIS officials remain willing to meet with any viable proponents wishing to develop these sites. My rt. hon. Friend the Secretary of State will set out a new approach to financing new nuclear in the planned energy White Paper in the summer.

The number and location of looked after children in England who were permanently placed outside the UK in the last 5 years is not collected centrally by the department.

A child arrangement order, special guardianship or adoption order could be used by local authorities in England to place looked-after children in countries outside the UK when that is in the best interest of the child.

The Department does not collect information for children looked after by Welsh local authorities. This is the responsibility of the devolved administration.

The number and location of looked after children in England who were permanently placed outside the UK in the last 5 years is not collected centrally by the department.

A child arrangement order, special guardianship or adoption order could be used by local authorities in England to place looked-after children in countries outside the UK when that is in the best interest of the child.

The Department does not collect information for children looked after by Welsh local authorities. This is the responsibility of the devolved administration.

The number and location of looked after children in England who were permanently placed outside the UK in the last 5 years is not collected centrally by the department.

A child arrangement order, special guardianship or adoption order could be used by local authorities in England to place looked-after children in countries outside the UK when that is in the best interest of the child.

The Department does not collect information for children looked after by Welsh local authorities. This is the responsibility of the devolved administration.

We are working closely with the Great British Railways Transition Team and the sector to tackle the challenges facing the railways. We are considering the best way to take forward reform, listening to a range of views, and will set out next steps in due course.

Further to a public consultation earlier this year, we have introduced legislation which would expand support under the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) to renewable hydrogen used in fuel cell rail and non-road transports, and in maritime vessels. To further stimulate investment in renewable hydrogen production, we also proposed in the consultation to reward renewable hydrogen more flexibly under the RTFO. A Government Response on proposals to improve flexibility will be published very soon. The Department has no current plans to extend the RTFO scheme to cover hydrogen produced from nuclear energy.

Further to a public consultation earlier this year, we have introduced legislation which would expand support under the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) to renewable hydrogen used in fuel cell rail and non-road transports, and in maritime vessels. To further stimulate investment in renewable hydrogen production, we also proposed in the consultation to reward renewable hydrogen more flexibly under the RTFO. A Government Response on proposals to improve flexibility will be published very soon. The Department has no current plans to extend the RTFO scheme to cover hydrogen produced from nuclear energy.

​The South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands sustainable-use Marine Protected Area (MPA) underwent its first 5-yearly review during 2018. The MPA review panel published its report on 7 November, concluding that the current MPA is achieving its objectives, whilst also making a series of recommendations to further strengthen protection of the Territory's waters. The Commissioner for South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands announced, on 12 December, a suite of environmental enhancements to the MPA. These include extending the MPA across the entire maritime area; protecting 23 per cent of the MPA to all commercial fishing activities; and prohibiting mining, hydrocarbon extraction and carriage of heavy fuel oil. The majority of these measures have put in place; the remaining measures are in the process of being implemented by the Government of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.

The Foreign Secretary met with the Environment Secretary, scientists and representatives of environmental non-governmental organisations on 29 January to discuss options for future protective measures around South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. No final decision has been made whilst consideration is given to the consequences of the options available. An announcement will be made in due course.

As of 1 June 2022, there are 60 protected sites designated under section 128 of the Serious and Organised Crime and Police Act 2005. A list of these sites are publicly available on gov.uk.

On 15 October 2015, the Government published the National Risk Assessment on money laundering and terrorist financing. The Government has committed to publishing an Action Plan, which will set out the work that we will undertake to improve the UK response to these crimes, and to fill the gaps identified in that Assessment. The Plan will include consideration of new powers to address the proceeds of grand corruption and other forms of illicit enrichment.

Following decontamination, Gruinard Island was declared safe by an independent advisory group prior to public confirmation in 1990. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) subsequently sold the island back to the estate of the original owner following the island being declared safe by an Advisory group established by the then MOD Chief Scientific Advisor.