Asked by: Chris Bloore (Labour - Redditch)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to establish a battery state-of-health certification framework for heavy goods vehicles.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
My Department has worked with the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) to develop a Global Technical Regulation on battery durability for electrified heavy-duty vehicles (GTR 25), including heavy goods vehicles. If implemented, the regulation would set standards for the lifespan of a battery and its minimum durability. It would also ensure that battery state of health information is easily accessible, accurate and comparable.
The Government recently published its response to the consultation on updating the minimum emission standard for new road vehicles. The response committed to a further consultation on the implementation of battery state of health measures for heavy-duty vehicles in due course.
Asked by: Chris Bloore (Labour - Redditch)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment her Department has made of the viability of extending the Depot Charging Scheme eligibility criteria to include battery energy storage systems.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Battery energy storage systems are eligible for support under the Depot Charging Scheme.
Asked by: Chris Bloore (Labour - Redditch)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking through the Leasehold and Freehold Reform framework to streamline community asset transfer rights for commercial properties.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Leasehold and Freehold Reform framework applies to homeowners, and cannot be used to apply community asset transfers for commercial properties.
However, the government is bringing forward new Community Right to Buy Powers to allow communities to take ownership of valued assets, which could include commercial premises providing they have a community use; for instance, pubs, clubs and sporting assets.
Asked by: Chris Bloore (Labour - Redditch)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, what guidance the Crown Prosecution Service provides to prosecutors on the pre-trial briefing of civilian witnesses.
Answered by Andy Slaughter - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
The Crown Prosecution Service provides detailed guidance to prosecutors on speaking to civilian witnesses before they give evidence. The guidance requires prosecutors to help civilian witnesses understand the court process, including what to expect when giving evidence, check that appropriate support is in place, and ensure they feel informed and prepared to give their best evidence. For vulnerable or intimidated witnesses, prosecutors should take account of their individual support needs and ensure that any special measures arrangements are understood and appropriate.
The guidance is published on the Crown Prosecution Service website: Speaking to Witnesses at Court | The Crown Prosecution Service
Asked by: Chris Bloore (Labour - Redditch)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Attorney General, what guidance the Crown Prosecution Service issues to prosecutors regarding the joinder of charges on a single indictment involving different complainants.
Answered by Andy Slaughter - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
The Crown Prosecution Service provides prosecutors with published guidance on the drafting of indictments. This explains that charges may be joined on a single indictment where they are founded on the same facts, or form or are part of a series of offences of the same or similar character. Where charges relate to different complainants, prosecutors must consider whether there is sufficient similarity or connection between the offences for them properly to form part of a series.
The full CPS guidance for drafting an indictment can be viewed here.
Asked by: Chris Bloore (Labour - Redditch)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will allocate additional funding to support an increase in the maximum apprenticeship funding band in England to £35,000.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
We recognise the importance of ensuring employers and training providers have the support they need to deliver high-quality apprenticeships. However, this must be balanced within a finite growth and skills budget. Over the last four years, we have spent around 98% of the apprenticeship budget, with the budget fully utilised in the most recent year.
There are currently no plans to increase the £27,000 funding band limit, however we recognise the concerns that have been raised and will keep funding arrangements under review to ensure the programme remains sustainable while continuing to meet the needs of learners and employers.
Asked by: Chris Bloore (Labour - Redditch)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what progress has been made in negotiations with the European Union on removing trade barriers for UK steel exports.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
We engaged closely with the EU before their Steel Regulation came into effect on 1 July and agreed an approach that reflects the UK and EU’s highly interconnected supply chains. We continue to work with the EU to strengthen UK-EU steel trade over the longer term, while also cooperating with the EU and other international partners to tackle global steel overcapacity.
Asked by: Chris Bloore (Labour - Redditch)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps her Department is taking to monitor public sector compliance with strategic supply chain criteria under the Procurement Act.
Answered by Mark Ferguson - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
Contracting authorities must have regard to the National Procurement Policy Statement (NPPS) which was published in February 2025. This sets out the strategic priorities for public procurement and how contracting authorities can support their delivery. This can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-procurement-policy-statement.
The NPPS includes a priority that “Contracting authorities should drive economic growth and strengthen supply chains by giving SMEs and VCSEs a fair chance at public contracts, creating high quality jobs and championing innovation.”
In March 2026, Government departments published 3-year direct spending targets for small and medium-sized enterprises, projected to deliver over £7.4 billion a year to small businesses by 2028. Departments are required to publish progress against targets annually.
Asked by: Chris Bloore (Labour - Redditch)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment has he made of the potential impact of maintaining the employer National Insurance threshold at its current level on employment and investment in manufacturing.
Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General
Employers pay secondary Class 1 National Insurance contributions on an employee’s earnings above the Secondary Threshold, which is currently £5,000 a year. The Secondary Threshold applies separately to each employment, meaning employers benefit from a £5,000 threshold for every employee they employ.
The Government is committed to supporting the manufacturing sector. Through the 10-year Advanced Manufacturing sector plan, the Government aims to nearly double annual business investment in the advanced manufacturing sector to £39 billion by 2035
The Government is backing the Advanced Manufacturing sector with up to £4.3 billion in funding out to 2030, including up to £2.8 billion in R&D. Alongside this, a further £2 billion of R&D and capital funding is available for the automotive sector from 2030 to 2035 and up to £2.3 billion is available for the UK’s aerospace industry over the 10 year period up to 2035.
Asked by: Chris Bloore (Labour - Redditch)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Autumn Budget on business rates costs for manufacturing businesses; and whether he plans to introduce targeted business rates relief for manufacturers.
Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General
Manufacturing businesses will continue to benefit from the £4.3 billion support package announced at Autumn Budget 2025 to protect ratepayers from large bill increases following the 2026 revaluation. This includes a redesigned transitional relief scheme, funded until the 2029 revaluation, which provides more generous support for properties paying the high-value multiplier, including key Industrial Strategy properties.
The Chancellor makes decisions on tax policy at fiscal events, and does not routinely comment on proposals.