First elected: 4th July 2024
Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.
e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.
If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.
If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).
Make all forms of 'geo-engineering' affecting the environment illegal
Gov Responded - 21 May 2025 Debated on - 23 Jun 2025 View Angus MacDonald's petition debate contributionsWe want all forms of geo-engineering to be illegal in the UK. We do not want any use of technologies to intervene in the Earth's natural systems.
Call a General Election
Gov Responded - 6 Dec 2024 Debated on - 6 Jan 2025 View Angus MacDonald's petition debate contributionsI would like there to be another General Election.
I believe the current Labour Government have gone back on the promises they laid out in the lead up to the last election.
These initiatives were driven by Angus MacDonald, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.
MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.
Angus MacDonald has not been granted any Urgent Questions
Angus MacDonald has not been granted any Adjournment Debates
Angus MacDonald has not introduced any legislation before Parliament
Angus MacDonald has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting
The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) regulates equality law across England, Wales and Scotland.
The EHRC is independent of the government and makes its own enforcement and regulation decisions. The Government regularly engages with EHRC on a range of areas covered in their remit.
The government is clear that regulated firms should be aware of their responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010 both when providing services and as employers. It is a matter for individual regulators as to whether they actively encourage compliance by firms within their supervision, but there is guidance and codes of practice to assist firms in being compliant and we regularly discuss and review these with the Equality and Human Rights Commission.
Prosecutions relating to Palestine Action arrests are currently ongoing and at different stages of progression.
As such, no Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) costs assessments have been made at this stage, but the CPS continues to keep resourcing under review.
We have reset our relations with European partners. The Government is now focused on using our strengthened relations to deliver a new strategic partnership with the EU to grow the economy, boost living standards, protect our borders and keep the UK safe.
The UK-EU Summit on 19 May 2025 will provide an opportunity to make further progress on areas which will deliver tangible benefits for the people of the UK and the EU.
The Department has been engaging with Acas on developing their guidance in the context of both Make Work Pay and wider public policy developments. This has included recent discussions around developing Acas’ guidance on internal disciplinary and grievance (D&G) procedures.
Women returning from maternity, adoption, or six continuous weeks of shared parental or neonatal leave are entitled to enhanced redundancy protection. However, the government is strengthening legal protections, as we know this group continues to face a particular risk to their job security.
We'll make it unlawful to dismiss pregnant women, mothers on maternity leave, and mothers returning to work for a six-month period - except in specific circumstances. This starts with the Employment Rights Bill, with protections in force from 2027. From April 2026, the Fair Work Agency will strengthen the enforcement of rights, with women expected to particularly benefit.
The Department for Business and Trade regularly engages with representatives from the hospitality sector, including through the hospitality sector council to understand the challenges they face, including the impact of VAT on small businesses.
VAT is a broad-based tax on consumption and the 20 per cent standard rate applies to most goods and services. Whilst there are no current plans to reduce VAT, HM Treasury keep all taxes under review.
To support businesses, we are reforming the business rates system and plan to introduce permanently lower business rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure properties with a rateable value under £500,000.
The government is committed to a sustainable universal postal service for users throughout the UK, including maintaining the one-price-goes anywhere principle including for those in remote and rural areas.
It is for Ofcom, as the independent regulator of postal services, to set and monitor Royal Mail’s service standards and decide how to use its powers to investigate and take enforcement action should Royal Mail fail to achieve its obligations without good justification.
The UK’s Trade Envoys play a crucial role in supporting HMG’s growth priorities, through helping deliver the industrial and trade strategies and attracting foreign direct investment to the UK. Lord Austin, in his capacity as Trade Envoy, visited Israel to continue to support these key UK businesses.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 17th September 2024 to question 4955.
Seasonal businesses in Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire can benefit from a range of British Business Bank programmes for example, through the Start Up Loans programme, in addition, the Investment Fund for Scotland also provides debt and equity funding to businesses across Scotland to help them grow and invest.
The BBB's website hosts a 3-step Finance Finder that can help businesses understand the options available to them, while Help to Grow: Management provides practical training to enhance small business productivity and growth.
This government regularly engages with stakeholders including the Federation of Small Businesses to discuss the potential impacts of relevant policies.
In taking difficult decisions to address issues with public finances, the Government increased employer National Insurance Contributions (NICs) while lowering the per-employee threshold. Government has protected small businesses by raising the Employment Allowance from £5,000 to £10,500. Consequently, 865,000 employers will pay no NICs this year, and over half will gain or see no change. While addressing fiscal challenges, the measure will help to alleviate the burden on the smaller businesses.
The UK continues to support the protection of human rights in Colombia, including by improving access to justice, protecting human rights defenders and promoting media freedom.
The UK-Colombia Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) includes binding investment protection provisions which protect both UK and Colombian investors against unfair and discriminatory treatment, and expropriation without adequate compensation. These commitments do not remove a government’s right to regulate in the public interest, nor its obligations to comply with other commitments, including with respect to human rights.
Products containing ethylene glycol can only be placed on the market if they are safe. This includes meeting any legal requirements on the concentration within that product so that it is at a level that is safe for both humans and the environment. I have not held, and do not plan to hold, specific discussions with manufacturers at this time.
The Government funds the Citizens Advice Consumer Service in England and Wales, providing impartial advice on a range of consumer issues, including buying online. In Scotland, where consumer advice and advocacy are devolved, a similar service is provided by Advice Direct Scotland, funded by the Scottish Government.
We thank the Climate Change Committee for their report which highlights the significant progress this Government has made to reduce emissions over the past year. We are now considering their recommendations and will respond by October.
The transition to net zero is the economic and industrial opportunity of the century. The government's approach is built on fairness and it is committed to ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to access the benefits. The upcoming publication of the Carbon Budget and Growth Delivery Plan and the Clean Energy Workforce Strategy will outline this approach further. This includes ongoing work supporting both rural and urban communities and working with Devolved Governments to ensure a prosperous and fair transition for all.
In particular, the Clean Energy Workforce Strategy which will set out our approach to upskilling and reskilling the workforce into clean energy roles through initiatives including the Energy Skills Passport, in collaboration with industry. The skills system is delivering training for existing workers looking to retrain or upskill into clean energy.
The transition to net zero is the economic and industrial opportunity of the century. The government's approach is built on fairness and it is committed to ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to access the benefits. The upcoming publication of the Carbon Budget and Growth Delivery Plan and the Clean Energy Workforce Strategy will outline this approach further. This includes ongoing work supporting both rural and urban communities and working with Devolved Governments to ensure a prosperous and fair transition for all.
In particular, the Clean Energy Workforce Strategy which will set out our approach to upskilling and reskilling the workforce into clean energy roles through initiatives including the Energy Skills Passport, in collaboration with industry. The skills system is delivering training for existing workers looking to retrain or upskill into clean energy.
My Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero engages regularly with his international counterparts on a range of departmental priorities and interests, including on COP30. During London Climate Action Week, for example, he met with counterparts from a range of countries, and he will meet others in the coming weeks.
The Department does not hold data on the value of community benefits payments made by onshore and offshore renewables across Great Britain. Community benefit schemes are administered by the projects themselves and provided voluntarily. We have however, recently publishing a Working Paper on mandatory community benefits and responses to this will help inform our evidence base.
The Scottish Government maintains a public register of projects that includes detailed information on community benefit schemes operating across Scotland.
Any measures fitted under government schemes must be fitted to the highest standards with issues promptly and properly rectified. Consumers are entitled to repair work by the original installer or, failing that, they can use their guarantee provided on installation. TrustMark can support them through this process.
The Government recognises that the consumer protection system that we inherited needs reform, we will press ahead with a sweeping overhaul through the Warm Homes Plan.
The Department and Ofgem agree that seven-port meters can be an adequate replacement option for households with more complex metering arrangements, such as Total Heating Total Control.
The DCC is obligated under the conditions of its licence to provide Wide Area Network (WAN) coverage to at least 99.25% of premises across Great Britain, and to assess opportunities to increase the overall level of coverage. The Government is working closely with the DCC on its network communications strategy, and solutions for properties currently without WAN are becoming available.
Energy suppliers are now able to install smart meters in the ‘North’ region which communicate using the 4G cellular mobile network. Additionally, a new solution that would involve harnessing, with the consumer’s consent, their broadband connections to carry smart metering communications will be piloted early next year, with a wider rollout expected later in 2026.
The Department does not collect data on Wide Area Network (WAN) availability at constituency level.
The DCC is obligated under the conditions of its licence to provide Wide Area Network (WAN) coverage to at least 99.5% of premises in the ‘North’ region, which includes Scotland, and to assess opportunities to increase the overall level of coverage.
The Government does not hold this information centrally.
As tariffs are a commercial matter for suppliers, the Government is unable to comment on individual tariffs offered by energy suppliers.
Energy suppliers are best placed to advise on suitable tariffs for their customers, and to ensure that they inform affected customers of any changes to the cost of their energy. The Department and Ofgem have been clear with suppliers that we expect consumers to be switched to a similar or equivalent tariff and should not face detriment due to switching from an RTS meter.
Ofgem has consulted on plans to ensure that suppliers must take all reasonable steps to provide a similar energy tariff to their customers once their RTS meter is replaced. Ofgem will make further announcements on this in due course.
Energy suppliers are best placed to advise on suitable tariffs for their customers, and to ensure that they inform affected customers of any changes to the cost of their energy. The Department and Ofgem have been clear with suppliers that we expect consumers to be switched to a similar or equivalent tariff and should not face detriment due to switching from an RTS meter.
Ofgem has consulted on plans to ensure that suppliers must take all reasonable steps to provide a similar energy tariff to their customers once their RTS meter is replaced. Ofgem will make further announcements on this in due course.
The Government published an impact assessment in early 2024 as part of the consultation on proposed support options for large scale biomass generators, including Drax.
This assessment was consistent with the views of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which recognise that bioenergy can play a significant role in decarbonising economies, provided that policies are in place to mitigate the use of unsustainable biomass.
The Government only provides support for biomass sourced from sustainably managed forests, and biomass generators must comply with local air quality requirements as part of their environmental permits.
On 21 May, the government published a working paper on community benefits and shared ownership of low carbon energy infrastructure. The government recognises that community benefit funding from renewable energy infrastructure creates opportunities for long term investment into host communities, and the government believes that funding packages will have the most impact if they can be tailored to the community’s preferences and priorities. The working paper intends to gather insight on how prescriptive the government should be on how funds can be used, and any other factors that should be considered in order to maximise their impact.
At present, the provision of community benefits in Great Britain is voluntary . In Scotland, developers are strongly encouraged to provide community benefits in line with the Scottish Government’s Good Practice Principles.
The government is, currently exploring mandating community benefits as we believe that where communities host this low carbon infrastructure they should benefit and the proposals were set out in the working paper the government published on 21 May.
Under voluntary or mandatory schemes, the process should be community led and the fund tailored to local priorities so that the impact can be maximized.
Communities close to clean energy infrastructure should benefit from it. Offshore wind developers have established community benefit packages, and via the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, the Government has published guidance on community funds and direct benefits in the form of bill discounts.
The Government has recently asked for views on the proposed introduction of a mandatory community benefit scheme in Great Britain and will respond in due course.
The government believes community fund packages will have the most impact if they can be tailored to the community’s preferences and priorities. The process should be community led and decisions on how community benefit funds are spent should rest with the community. This may include, for example, new school clubs, new bus routes, investment in biodiversity or local insulation.
In developing the government’s policy on community benefits, we have undertaken a review of international best practices to ensure our approach is effective and well-informed. This has included consideration of the Offshore Renewable Energy Support Scheme/Renewable Electricity Support Scheme in Ireland and other international examples.
Details of Ministers' and Permanent Secretaries' meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK
The Department does not hold data on the value of community benefits payments made by onshore and offshore renewables across Great Britain. Community benefit schemes are administered by the projects themselves and provided voluntarily. We have however, recently publishing a Working Paper on mandatory community benefits and responses to this will help inform our evidence base.
On 21 May, the government published a working paper on community benefits and shared ownership of low carbon energy infrastructure. The paper seeks views on the proposed introduction of a mandatory community benefit scheme in Great Britain, which would require developers to contribute a set amount to a community fund. The working paper intends to gather insight into what level of benefit is appropriate and how best this is calculated. The government will need to consider the impact on operational costs for developers of infrastructure, impacts on bills, and meaningful level of benefit for communities.
The government maintains regular engagement with key industry and community stakeholders across the country, which continues to inform policy development.
On 21 May, the government published a working paper on community benefits and shared ownership of low carbon energy infrastructure. The paper seeks views on the proposed introduction of a mandatory community benefit scheme in Great Britain, which would require developers to contribute a set amount to a community fund. The working paper intends to gather insight into what level of benefit is appropriate and how best this is calculated. The government will need to consider the impact on operational costs for developers of infrastructure, impacts on bills, and meaningful level of benefit for communities.
The government maintains regular engagement with key industry and community stakeholders across the country, which continues to inform policy development.
On 21 May, the government published a working paper on community benefits and shared ownership of low carbon energy infrastructure. The paper seeks views on the proposed introduction of a mandatory community benefit scheme in Great Britain, which would require developers to contribute a set amount to a community fund. The working paper intends to gather insight into what level of benefit is appropriate and how best this is calculated. The government will need to consider the impact on operational costs for developers of infrastructure, impacts on bills, and meaningful level of benefit for communities.
The government maintains regular engagement with key industry and community stakeholders across the country, which continues to inform policy development.
On 21 May, the government published a working paper on community benefits and shared ownership of low carbon energy infrastructure. The paper seeks views on the proposed introduction of a mandatory community benefit scheme in Great Britain, which would require developers to contribute a set amount to a community fund. The working paper intends to gather insight into what level of benefit is appropriate and how best this is calculated. The government will need to consider the impact on operational costs for developers of infrastructure, impacts on bills, and meaningful level of benefit for communities.
The government maintains regular engagement with key industry and community stakeholders across the country, which continues to inform policy development.
The Government’s 'minded to' position of bill discounts of up to £2,500 over 10 years for those living up to 500m from new and significantly upgraded electricity transmission infrastructure aims to ensure communities are recognised for living within proximity of new infrastructure.
Heat policy is devolved to Scotland, the Warm Homes Plan will help people find ways to save money on energy bills and transform our ageing building stock into comfortable, low-carbon homes that are fit for the future. We will partner with devolved governments to roll out this plan.
Further support for energy efficiency measures and clean heating systems, including heat pumps, in Scotland is available on the Home Energy Scotland webpage [https://www.homeenergyscotland.org/].
DESNZ has stepped in to ensure there will be a managed and more controlled start of the Radio Teleswitch Service (RTS) phase out from 30 June. People with an RTS meter will not face any unexpected disruption to their heating or hot water at the end of the month.
We urge any customers yet to arrange a replacement for their RTS meter to get in touch with their supplier as soon as possible.
The Department and Ofgem have been clear that they expect energy suppliers to promptly arrange suitable replacement metering solutions for their remaining RTS customers.
Suppliers should sufficiently resource themselves to ensure they have installer workforce capacity to replace RTS meters in rural and remote areas including Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire. This could involve measures such as deploying roaming teams of installers in areas with low installer capacity.
Ofgem has consulted on plans to ensure that suppliers must take all reasonable steps to provide an energy tariff that leaves all their customers ‘no worse off’ than before once their RTS meter is replaced.
Ofgem and the Department have been clear that they expect suppliers to arrange a suitable replacement metering solution for their RTS customers in a timely manner ahead of the switch off.
In the few circumstances where a Wide Area Network (WAN) connection cannot currently be established, pre-configured smart meters can be installed in households with RTS meters. A pre-configured smart meter operates in a similar way to an analogue meter, recording energy usage accurately, and can provide a similar service to what former RTS customers are used to, including delivering electricity tariffs such as Economy 7 or Economy 10.
The Department and Ofgem have been clear that they expect energy suppliers to promptly arrange suitable replacement metering solutions for their remaining RTS customers.
The Data Communications Company (DCC) is examining options for premises not currently able to get smart metering network coverage as part of its Future Connectivity strategy, which includes a range of technical solutions.
Where an RTS household does not currently receive coverage, energy suppliers can provide pre-configured smart meters, which operate like analogue meters, until a WAN connection can be established.
The Department and Ofgem have been clear that they expect energy suppliers to promptly arrange suitable replacement metering solutions for their remaining RTS customers.
Suppliers should sufficiently resource themselves to ensure they have installer workforce capacity to replace RTS meters in rural and remote areas. This could involve measures such as deploying roaming teams of installers in areas with low installer capacity.
Ofgem has consulted on new licence conditions which will seek to ensure consumers are treated fairly and have an alternative metering arrangement following the cessation of RTS.
The Department attends the Industry Taskforce on the Radio Teleswitch Service, which was convened by Ofgem last year and is led by Energy UK. The Taskforce’s Call to Action in October 2024 highlighted that energy suppliers should fast-track meter upgrades to RTS customers, particularly prioritising vulnerable customers, ahead of the switch-off.
Ofgem has also consulted on plans to introduce new RTS specific licence conditions for energy suppliers. These propose that suppliers must take all reasonable steps to provide an energy tariff that leaves all their customers ‘no worse off’ than before once their RTS meter is replaced.
The Government is determined to cut bills as far and as fast as we can.
In October 2023, independent experts modelled the effect of a clean power system on electricity bills. Based on the latest renewable generation costs available at the time, they found electricity bills could be up to £300 cheaper by 2030 when compared with the cost of electricity in July-September 2023, which was higher than today’s levels.
The independent NESO set out pathways to a clean power system in 2030, and confirmed it was deliverable, more secure, and could see a lower cost of electricity, and lower bills.