Asked by: Andrew Lewer (Conservative - Northampton South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress his Department has made on identifying a National Freight Network.
Answered by Guy Opperman
We are making good progress. The Government's current focus is on building stronger data and analysis of freight as a multi-modal system. We will be engaging with the freight and logistics sector as the work to identify a National Freight Network develops.
Asked by: Andrew Lewer (Conservative - Northampton South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the (a) cost of energy asset extensions for the logistics sector and (b) time taken to deliver energy asset extensions on the introduction of logistics fleet depot charging.
Answered by Guy Opperman
The Department for Transport (DfT) has established the Freight Energy Forum to address the challenges and provide solutions for the provision of zero carbon energy infrastructure for the freight and logistics sector.
Through the Forum, this government is working with industry to take a holistic approach to understand the future energy demand required for the freight and logistics sector to decarbonise, as this is an essential component in order to determine the energy asset extensions it will need.
As such, an assessment of the cost and potential impact of energy asset extensions or the time it will take to deliver them has not been undertaken. However, we are in regular contact with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) where discussions include the energy infrastructure needs of the freight and logistics sector.
Asked by: Andrew Lewer (Conservative - Northampton South)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, what (a) policy and (b) regulatory steps his Department is taking to enable greater competition amongst utility providers to ensure the speedy delivery of green homes.
Answered by Lee Rowley
The department is working towards delivering the greener homes of the future and in doing so the department will collaborate with key partners across government. I would be happy to meet my Hon Friend to discuss further, should that be helpful.
Asked by: Andrew Lewer (Conservative - Northampton South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will make an assessment of the implications for her policies of the outcomes of the Tenth session of the Conference of the Parties to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control; and if she will have discussions with the Leader of the House on making parliamentary time available for scrutiny of those outcomes.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom
Smoking is the number one entirely preventable cause of ill-health, disability, and death in this country. It is responsible for 80,000 deaths in the United Kingdom a year, and one in four of all UK cancer deaths. It costs our country £17 billion a year, £14 billion of which is through lost productivity alone. It puts huge pressure on the National Health Service and social care, costing over £3 billion a year. This is why the Government is committed to creating the first smokefree generation, ensuring no child born after 1 January 2009 will ever legally be sold tobacco.
The tenth Conference of Parties (COP10) to the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco control was an opportunity for the UK to showcase our international leadership on tobacco control. No decisions from COP10 will impact our plans to create the first smokefree generation, or our policies on vaping. I will update the House shortly on the outcomes from COP10.
Asked by: Andrew Lewer (Conservative - Northampton South)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether his Department has made an assessment of the effectiveness of water efficiency technologies for developments with (a) water scarcity and (b) nutrient concerns.
Answered by Lee Rowley
The department does not assess individual technologies, but the Government recognises the role water efficiency technologies can play in our efforts to address water scarcity and in supporting the delivery of homes affected by nutrient neutrality.
As set out in the Secretary of State’s written Ministerial Statement of 19 December 2023 (HCWS161), the Government is committed to reviewing building regulations to allow local planning authorities to introduce tighter water efficiency standards in new homes.
Asked by: Andrew Lewer (Conservative - Northampton South)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that its approach to procurement helps to retain the (a) skills and (b) workforce needed to support exports of military space technology.
Answered by James Cartlidge - Shadow Secretary of State for Defence
The space industry is an important part of the UK economy and is vital to delivering government's ambitions for space. We are working closely with Departments across government and with the UK space industry to develop and retain the skills and workforce they need. This is set out in the National Space Strategy (2021) and Defence Space Strategy (2022) which place a priority on the space sector having the right skills and expertise for both civil and military purposes.
Through the Ministry of Defences's (MOD) investment in space capabilities, we are providing jobs and skills in the UK. The Skynet programme, worth circa £5 billion over ten years, is procuring satellites that are largely designed and manufactured in the UK. This investment promotes the technologies and skills which make UK industry competitive. We have also invested a further £1.4 billion in space over ten years to develop new capabilities that will position the UK as a world leader on space technology.
Through the Skynet secure satellite communications programme, we are using social value requirements in our major contracts to secure industrial sponsorships of educational schemes and through-life skills development. In addition, UK Space Command is developing the UK Space Academy, a Centre of Excellence for space training for the benefit of both government and industry.
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, in close consultation with MOD, will publish a plan for the space industry in the coming months, which will increase growth and resilience for this vital part of the economy.
Asked by: Andrew Lewer (Conservative - Northampton South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the recent guidance issued by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists on not reporting alleged illegal abortions to the police.
Answered by Maria Caulfield
No assessment has been made of the implications for the Department’s policies following the recent Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists guidance for healthcare staff on involvement of the police and external agencies following abortion, pregnancy loss and unexpected delivery. Clinicians and health care providers have existing duties to handle patient information sensitively. The Department’s focus is on ensuring all women have access to safe and legal abortions on the National Health Service. Decisions to prosecute in England and Wales are for the Crown Prosecution Service.
Asked by: Andrew Lewer (Conservative - Northampton South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to (a) reduce and (b) end the use of cash retentions.
Answered by Damian Hinds - Shadow Secretary of State for Education
In procuring construction works, the department takes account of relevant legislation, best practice and government guidelines. In deciding whether cash retentions are appropriate for procurements, the department balances managing public money considerations, the suitability of alternative approaches, and the need to ensure and enforce quality standards against the department’s desire to improve payment practices and cashflow through the supply-chain. The department regularly reviews its approach to payment and security in relation to construction procurements. In considering the use of cash retentions on future procurements, including in its construction frameworks, the department will continue to consult with contractors and other stakeholders to ensure that an appropriate position is reached and, where possible, that the use of cash retentions is reduced or eliminated.
Asked by: Andrew Lewer (Conservative - Northampton South)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps he is taking to help ensure that the guidance on the implementation of Section 9 of the Public Order Act 2023 is applied consistently in relation to activities permitted within safe access zones.
Answered by Chris Philp - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
Section 9 of the Public Order Act 2023 sets out that it is an offence for anyone within a Safe Access Zone to intentionally or recklessly influence any person’s decision to access, provide or facilitate the provision of abortion services; obstruct or impede any person accessing, providing, or facilitating the provision of abortion services at an abortion clinic; or cause harassment, alarm or distress to any person in connection with a decision to access, provide or facilitate the provision of abortion services.
The Government has recently consulted publicly on the guidance, which is designed to ensure that abortion service providers and everyone within Safe Access Zones are clear as to what is expected under the new law and that law enforcement agencies have a clear and consistent understanding around the enforcement of Safe Access Zones. We are currently analysing all responses to the consultation and will publish revised guidance in due course.
Asked by: Andrew Lewer (Conservative - Northampton South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, what assessment he has made of the accuracy of reports that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has provided (a) support and (b) funding to (i) Hamas, (ii) Hezbollah and (iii) the Houthis in the last 12 months.
Answered by Leo Docherty
We continue to condemn Iran's political, financial, and military support to several militant and proscribed groups, including Hamas, Hizballah and the Houthis. Such activity compromises the region's security and further escalates tensions. The Foreign Secretary raised Iran's ongoing support to its destabilising proxies and partners directly with the Iranian Foreign Minister on 31 December and 17 January. The UK's new sanctions regime designed to target Iran and its proxies' hostile activity came into force on 14 December and was immediately used to sanction individuals and one entity linked to Iran's support to Hamas.