Asked by: Bernard Jenkin (Conservative - Harwich and North Essex)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment has been made by her Department of the statistical reliability of the OBR's claim that the UK economy is growing more slowly than if the UK had remained in the EU after 2021; and if she will set out the analysis, facts and arguments behind the assessment.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) is the Government’s independent official forecaster and is responsible for producing economic and fiscal forecasts.
The OBR has included assessments of the economic impacts of leaving the EU in its forecasts since 2016. In March 2020 the OBR estimated that GDP will be 4% lower in the long run than it would have been had the UK not withdrawn from the EU. As of the Spring Forecast 2026, the OBR’s assumptions were unchanged from its previous assessment.
The OBR is required to produce a Forecast Evaluation Report (FER) each year under the Budget Responsibility and National Audit Act (2011). The OBR is required to explain the reasons for divergence between its forecasts and subsequent outturns, to support future forecast improvements. The OBR’s latest FER was published in June 2026 and can be found on its website.
Asked by: Bernard Jenkin (Conservative - Harwich and North Essex)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of measures proposed in the EU reset on economic growth, taking account costs on business and the taxpayer of, inter allia, i) new regulations and directives brought into force by the EU since the UK left the EU and to be imposed on the UK; ii) payments which will be required to be paid to the EU by the UK.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
At a time of great global uncertainty, we must deepen our relationships with allies whose values we share and whose interests are tied to our own. This is why we will pursue a closer relationship with the EU where it is in our national interest to do so.
The Government is committed to providing appropriate analysis of any agreement that ius made with the EU. The Government estimates that the Sanitary and Phytosanitary Agreement (SPS) and Emissions Trade Scheme Linking (ETS) will add up to £9 billion to the UK economy by 2040.
The 2025 UK-EU Common Understanding sets out that the SPS, ETS and electricity agreements will include appropriate financial contributions.
Asked by: Bernard Jenkin (Conservative - Harwich and North Essex)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the impact of leaving the EU on the underlying growth rate of the UK economy; and what recent analysis her Department has undertaken on that issue.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) is the government’s official forecaster. The OBR has included assessments of the economic impacts of leaving the EU in its forecasts since 2016. In March 2020 the OBR estimated that, as a result of the deal negotiated by the then government, GDP will be 4% lower in the long run than it would have been had the UK not withdrawn from the EU. As of the Spring Forecast 2026, these assumptions are unchanged from its previous assessment.
Asked by: Bernard Jenkin (Conservative - Harwich and North Essex)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many times the assessments made by UKSV arising from the developed vetting of individuals proposed for public appointments since the enactment of the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010 come into force.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
UKSV does not centrally categorise individuals by their specific terms of appointment, such as whether they are a public appointee.
In line with the practice followed by successive administrations, the Government does not otherwise comment on security matters, including providing granular data on the volumes of specific clearance types.
Asked by: Bernard Jenkin (Conservative - Harwich and North Essex)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate he has made of the proportion of UK electricity that will pass through the Bramford substation (a) in an average year and (b) at periods of highest demand through Bramford after the Norwich to Tilbury proposals have been commissioned.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
This information is not held centrally.
Asked by: Bernard Jenkin (Conservative - Harwich and North Essex)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when she will give a substantive reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Harwich and North Essex dated 18 November 2025 on the road/rail crossing at Manningtree.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
A response was sent on 12th March.
Asked by: Bernard Jenkin (Conservative - Harwich and North Essex)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to his decision for postpone the Mayoral election in Essex, if he will make an estimate of the cost to local authorities of the preparations for that election, including the (a) the actual disbursement of local authorities which cannot be reclaimed and (b) value of the time worked on preparations for those elections by local authority officers and employees.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh
No assessment has been made by central government. Spend on these elections is a matter for the relevant local authorities.
Asked by: Bernard Jenkin (Conservative - Harwich and North Essex)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, which Ministers are responsible for overseeing the implementation of the recommendations of the Nuclear Regulatory Review 2025; and if he will set out the timeline for their implementation.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The recommendations of the Taskforce will radically move the dial on the regulatory regime for civil and defence nuclear in this country, and ministers from a number of government departments will have a role in overseeing the implementation of the recommendations of the Taskforce.
As the Chancellor set out at Budget, we will present a full government response to the review within three months, taking account of our international obligations, national security considerations, and planning, environmental and court processes.
The government will complete implementation within two years, subject to legislative timelines on elements requiring primary legislation.
Asked by: Bernard Jenkin (Conservative - Harwich and North Essex)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent progress he has made with Cabinet colleagues on allocating funding for the proposed A1331 link road.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
£100m from the Housing Infrastructure Fund has been provided to Essex County Council to deliver Phase 1 of the A1331 Link Road, which is under construction. We have been working closely with the council and are expecting them to submit a formal request to Homes England for additional funding to deliver Phase 2 shortly. This request will be considered under the standard Housing Infrastructure Fund processes, and a decision will be made in due course.
Asked by: Bernard Jenkin (Conservative - Harwich and North Essex)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if the Government will investigate the source of internal Government briefings on the future of the Cabinet Secretary and Head of the Civil Service; and if the Prime Minister will make a statement.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Cabinet Secretary continues to have the support of the Prime Minister. They are working closely together to deliver on the priorities of the British public.