Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has plans to introduce minimum community compensation funding for communities impacted by (a) Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project solar developments and (b) solar developments assessed through the local planning system.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Through the Clean Power Action Plan, we have made clear that where communities host clean energy infrastructure, we will ensure they benefit from it. There are many options in this area, and we are exploring all options to ensure communities can benefit from our clean power mission.

In the meantime, Solar Energy UK, the main trade body for the solar sector, will publish later this year a voluntary community benefits protocol and guidance for solar.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department plans to introduce community benefit measures for solar developments as part of the Plan for Change.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Through the Clean Power Action Plan, we have made clear that where communities host clean energy infrastructure, we will ensure they benefit from it. There are many options in this area, and we are exploring all options to ensure communities can benefit from our clean power mission.

In the meantime, Solar Energy UK, the main trade body for the solar sector, will publish later this year a voluntary community benefits protocol and guidance for solar.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of changing the eligibility criteria for the Orchestral Tax Relief to include standalone choirs without the accompanying orchestra.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government supports the creative industries, including orchestras, through funding and through the tax system. Orchestra Tax Relief (OTR) provides tax relief on productions costs and provided £33 million of support in 2022-23.

To qualify for OTR, a concert must be performed by a group of at least 12 instrumentalists. The voice is not considered to be an instrument. However, orchestra concerts with a vocal element are eligible for the relief providing that the orchestra also contains at least 12 instrumentalists, not including the voice, and the instrumentalists are the primary focus. These rules help ensure OTR fulfils its objective of supporting and incentivising orchestra concerts specifically.

Whilst the Government has no plans to extend OTR to choirs, all taxes are kept under review. The Chancellor makes announcements on tax at fiscal events in the context of the overall public finances.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to protect the UK's aviation industry from intellectual property theft by Chinese companies.

Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The government takes the issue of global intellectual property crime and infringement seriously and engages with other governments, industry and law enforcement partners to tackle this issue. We also work with businesses to help them safeguard their innovations across international markets.

The UK aviation market operates predominantly in the private sector; therefore, it is ultimately the responsibility of the industry to determine appropriate protections of intellectual property.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what plans she has to (a) reform and (b) enhance the (i) powers, (ii) financial responsibility and (iii) wider responsibilities of parish councils through the process of local government reform.

Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The English Devolution White Paper is clear that the government wants to create new opportunities for communities to have a say in the future of their area and play a part in improving it. Ensuring that parish councils are effective and representative of their communities will contribute to this goal.

The government has consulted on necessary reforms to the local government standards regime, including in parish councils. The consultation closed on 26 February 2025 and government will respond in due course. We have also consulted on aims to enable stronger financial oversight of parish councils following the publication of our ‘Strategy for Overhauling Local Audit in England.’ The consultation closed on 29 January 2025 and we will respond in due course.

We want to see stronger community arrangements when reorganisation happens in the way councils engage at a neighbourhood or area level. Proposals will need to explain plans to make sure that communities are engaged. Where there are already arrangements in place it should be explained how these will enable strong community engagement. Town and parish councils can work with other tiers of local government to determine how they can best serve their communities.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has met with Britten-Norman to discuss the Chinese Company Yitong UAV Systme Co's newly designed model based on the British Islander design.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Secretary of State for Business and Trade has not met with Britten-Norman.

Details of Ministerial meetings with external organisations are published routinely on Gov.uk as part of the Government’s transparency agenda. The latest returns can be found here for Ministers: DBT: ministerial gifts, hospitality, travel and meetings, July to September 2024 - GOV.UK

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what plans her Department has to review the use of automatism as a legal defence.

Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

There are no current plans for the Government to review the defence of automatism.

Found: Conservative; North Dorset) Leigh Ingham (Labour; Stafford) Adam Jogee (Labour; Newcastle-under-Lyme) Alicia Kearns

Found: _50 Matt Vickers Alicia Kearns Harriet Cross .

Found: _37 Matt Vickers Alicia Kearns Harriet Cross Katie Lam .

Found: Negatived on division_33 Matt Vickers Alicia Kearns Harriet Cross Katie Lam .

Found: _49 Matt Vickers Harriet Cross Alicia Kearns ★.

Found: _43 Matt Vickers Alicia Kearns Harriet Cross .

Found: _43 Matt Vickers Alicia Kearns Harriet Cross ★.

Found: _36 Matt Vickers Alicia Kearns Harriet Cross Katie Lam .

Found: Negatived on division_33 Matt Vickers Alicia Kearns Harriet Cross Katie Lam .

Found: _36 Matt Vickers Alicia Kearns Harriet Cross Katie Lam .

Found: Negatived on division_33 Matt Vickers Alicia Kearns Harriet Cross Katie Lam .

Found: _37 Matt Vickers Alicia Kearns Harriet Cross Katie Lam .

Found: _37 Matt Vickers Alicia Kearns Harriet Cross Katie Lam .

Found: _33 Matt Vickers Alicia Kearns Harriet Cross Katie Lam .

Found: _33 Matt Vickers Alicia Kearns Harriet Cross Katie Lam .

Found: Negatived on division_33 Matt Vickers Alicia Kearns Harriet Cross Katie Lam .

Found: _31 Matt Vickers Alicia Kearns Harriet Cross Katie Lam .

Found: _33 Matt Vickers Alicia Kearns Harriet Cross Katie Lam ★.

Found: Not called_234 Tom Gordon Siân Berry Alicia Kearns Anna Sabine Rachel Hopkins Neil Duncan-Jordan