Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to ensure the effectiveness of the Small Producer Exemption under the Extended Producer Responsibility scheme.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

To ensure the effectiveness of the small producer exemption under the Extended Producer Responsibility Scheme, we will keep these thresholds under review, noting that any changes, such as raising the exemption threshold, would impact on disposal fees and recycling obligations for those producers who remain obligated. We will conduct a proactive review of this after two years, allowing time to assess the impact of the scheme and ensure that it remains fair, proportionate, and effective in driving environmental outcomes without placing undue burden on small businesses.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to extend the list of accepted occupations for counter signatories of passports.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The current list of recognised professions is set out in guidance here: Confirming ID: referees (accessible) - GOV.UK. The guidance explains that these are examples of accepted professions rather than a definitive list. Similar professions will be considered.

Customers can call the Passport Adviceline if they have questions about a passport application.

Question to the Wales Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, for what reason the value of the Local Growth Fund being provided to Wales was listed as £547 million on 10 October 2025 and as £633 million on 16 June 2025.

Answered by Jo Stevens - Secretary of State for Wales

The Local Growth Fund will invest £547 million in Wales over the next three years, more than half a billion pounds of much needed investment in Wales. This funding will drive economic growth, create jobs and raise living standards as part of the UK Government’s mission to kickstart economic growth and break down barriers to opportunity.

The Local Growth Fund at £547 million is just one element of our wider package of targeted, long-term local growth funding referred to in June, which also includes the new Pride in Place initiative. Communities across Wales will benefit from the Pride in Place Programme and Pride in Place Impact Fund, supporting projects that will build stronger communities, create thriving places, and empower local people.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department plans to raise any concerns about the text of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons with the Treaty secretariat.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 18 December 2024 to Question 18645.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department has undertaken a detailed examination of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 18 December 2024 to Question 18645.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when his Department plans to publish a plan for improving the Access to Work Scheme.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

Following the close of the Pathways to Work Green Paper consultation,we are considering responses to the consultation and continuing to work closely with stakeholders, and in particular disabled people and their representatives.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that housing repairs work is integrated into the upgrades that are required as part of the Warm Homes Plan.

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

Consumers considering home retrofit work are encouraged to engage with installers who take a ‘whole house’ approach considering the needs of the individual property, including where repairs may need to be made.

The Government’s Warm Homes Plan will outline the policy proposals it will bring forward to improve up to 5 million homes. We will publish more details soon.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make it her policy to introduce fiscal measures to support the long-term competitiveness of the UK steel industry in the Autumn Budget 2025.

Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

This Government remains committed to supporting the UK steel industry.

The Government will also set out a long-term vision for a revitalised and sustainable sector in a Steel Strategy to be published by the end of the year.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when the Government plans to release the £2.5 billion of funding to support investment in UK steel decarbonisation and productivity improvements.

Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

This Government remains committed to supporting the UK steel industry.

The Government will also set out a long-term vision for a revitalised and sustainable sector in a Steel Strategy to be published by the end of the year.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when his Department expects the Crown Estate and developers participating in the Celtic Sea Floating Offshore Wind Leasing Round 5 to announce the locations for turbine manufacturing, assembly and maintenance facilities; and if he will publish details of the bidding or selection process for those supply-chain contracts.

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

The Crown Estate has announced that Equinor and Gwynt Glas have now entered into agreements for lease to develop two new 1.5GW floating offshore wind projects in the Celtic Sea, which could be operational by the mid-2030s.

The Crown Estate has estimated that full delivery of the Round could support over 5,000 new jobs and deliver a £1.4bn boost to the UK economy.

While timing and allocation of contracts for manufacturing, construction and maintenance of the windfarms are commercial decisions for the companies involved, the Government is engaging with ports and public finance institutions to support development of supply chain and infrastructure needed for these projects and future floating wind development.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what information his Department holds on the planned timeline for (a) the first turbines to become operational and (b) other aspects of the projects awarded leases under the Crown Estate’s Celtic Sea Floating Offshore Wind Leasing Round Five.

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

The Crown Estate has announced that Equinor and Gwynt Glas have now entered into agreements for lease to develop two new 1.5GW floating offshore wind projects in the Celtic Sea, which could be operational by the mid-2030s.

The Crown Estate has estimated that full delivery of the Round could support over 5,000 new jobs and deliver a £1.4bn boost to the UK economy.

While timing and allocation of contracts for manufacturing, construction and maintenance of the windfarms are commercial decisions for the companies involved, the Government is engaging with ports and public finance institutions to support development of supply chain and infrastructure needed for these projects and future floating wind development.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Government plans to disapply the Procurement Act 2023 to UK-produced steel used in public infrastructure projects under Section 25 of that Act.

Answered by Chris Ward - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Government is committed to supporting the steel sector, and is considering a range of options to ensure that public procurement supports UK jobs and industry, including steel.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make a comparative assessment of industrial electricity prices in (a) the UK, (b) France and (c) Germany.

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

The wholesale price of electricity in power markets is set by the last (i.e. most expensive) technology needed to meet overall demand – known as the marginal plant. In the UK, the marginal plant is currently gas power stations. Gas is an internationally traded commodity, and the UK is a large importer of gas, so electricity prices in Britain are much more exposed to changes in the international gas market.

This exposure strengthens the Government’s belief that the only way to guarantee our energy security and protect billpayers permanently is to speed up the transition away from fossil fuels and towards homegrown clean energy.

From 19 December 2024 Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) with fewer than 50 employees can now access free support to resolve issues with their energy supplier through the Energy Ombudsman. This means that 99% of British businesses can now access this service with outcomes ranging up to £20,000 in financial awards. We also understand that some UK industries are struggling with the cost of energy. As such, as part of our Clean Energy Industries Plan, we have announced that from 2027 a new Industrial Strategy Energy Support Scheme will reduce electricity costs by £35-40/MWh up to 2030. Over 8,000 businesses will see their electricity costs drop by around 20-25% under a new exemption scheme, bringing their costs more closely in line with European competitors.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the Government plans to reinvest a share of Crown Estate income from the Celtic Sea Floating Offshore Wind Leasing Round 5 into local economic development in Neath Port Talbot.

Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

The Crown Estate pays its entire net profits into the Consolidated Fund each year, contributing to the funding of public services across the UK, including in Wales.

The Crown Estate is taking steps to ensure that Wales benefits from offshore wind development. It has launched a £50 million Supply Chain Accelerator, with four Welsh-based projects successful in the first funding round, to support early-stage supply-chain proposals. Alongside the Supply Chain Investment Programme, this aims to unlock capacity constraints, accelerate project delivery and create local economic opportunities, including jobs and skills development in Wales.

The Crown Estate’s Round 5 Agreements for Lease also include contractually enforceable social value and economic commitments. These obligations are designed to translate leasing agreements into tangible outcomes for communities .

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what proportion of revenues from the Crown Estate’s Celtic Sea Floating Offshore Wind Leasing Round 5 will be allocated to investment in port and supply-chain infrastructure in Wales.

Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

The Crown Estate pays its entire net profits into the Consolidated Fund each year, contributing to the funding of public services across the UK, including in Wales.

The Crown Estate is taking steps to ensure that Wales benefits from offshore wind development. It has launched a £50 million Supply Chain Accelerator, with four Welsh-based projects successful in the first funding round, to support early-stage supply-chain proposals. Alongside the Supply Chain Investment Programme, this aims to unlock capacity constraints, accelerate project delivery and create local economic opportunities, including jobs and skills development in Wales.

The Crown Estate’s Round 5 Agreements for Lease also include contractually enforceable social value and economic commitments. These obligations are designed to translate leasing agreements into tangible outcomes for communities .

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that hospice contracts reflect the (a) costs of provision and (b) needs of local populations.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for the commissioning of palliative care and end of life care services, to meet the needs of their local populations. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and service specifications. NHS England has also developed a palliative care and end of life care dashboard, which brings together all relevant local data in one place. The dashboard helps commissioners understand the palliative care and end of life care needs of their local population.

Whilst the majority of palliative care and end of life care is provided by National Health Service staff and services, we recognise the vital part that voluntary sector organisations, including hospices, also play in providing support to people at the end of life and their loved ones.

Most hospices are charitable, independent organisations which receive some statutory funding for providing NHS services. The amount of funding each charitable hospice receives varies both within and between ICB areas. This will vary depending on demand in that ICB area but will also be dependent on the totality and type of palliative and end of life care provision from both NHS and non-NHS services, including charitable hospices, within each ICB area.

The Government and the NHS will closely monitor the shift towards the strategic commissioning of palliative care and end of life care services to ensure that services reduce variation in access and quality, although some variation may be appropriate to reflect both innovation and the needs of local populations.

The Department and NHS England are currently looking at how to improve the access, quality, and sustainability of all-age palliative care and end of life care in line with the 10-Year Health Plan.

Additionally, we are supporting the hospice sector with a £100 million capital funding boost for eligible adult and children’s hospices in England to ensure they have the best physical environment for care.

We are also providing £26 million in revenue funding to support children and young people’s hospices for 2025/26.  I can also now confirm the continuation of this vital funding for the three years of the next Spending Review period, from 2026/27 to 2028/29 inclusive. This funding will see approximately £26 million, adjusted for inflation, allocated to children and young people’s hospices in England each year, via their local ICBs on behalf of NHS England, as happened in 2024/25 and 2025/26.  This amounts to approximately £80 million over the next three years.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to ensure that hospices receive the necessary funding to increase staff pay in line with nationally agreed NHS pay scales.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

We are immensely grateful for the critical role healthcare workers, including hospice staff, play in our health service and the high-quality, compassionate care they deliver.

The impact that National Health Service pay uplifts will have on the hospice sector will depend on the structure of the charity, including the number of employees and salary levels.

Independent organisations, such as charities and social enterprises, are free to develop and adapt their own terms and conditions of employment, including pay scales. It is for them to determine what is affordable within the financial model they operate, and how to recoup any additional costs they face if they choose to utilise the terms and conditions of NHS staff on the Agenda for Change contract.

NHS England has issued guidance on the implementation of the 2024/25 pay awards. Providers of NHS-commissioned services should direct questions to their commissioners, from either the local integrated care board or NHS England regional team, on the application to their specific contract arrangements.

Additionally, we are supporting the hospice sector with a £100 million capital funding boost for eligible adult and children’s hospices in England to ensure they have the best physical environment for care.

We are also providing £26 million in revenue funding to support children and young people’s hospices for 2025/26.  I can also now confirm the continuation of this vital funding for the three years of the next Spending Review period, from 2026/27 to 2028/29 inclusive. This funding will see approximately £26 million, adjusted for inflation, allocated to children and young people’s hospices in England each year, via their local integrated care board on behalf of NHS England, as happened in 2024/25 and 2025/26.  This amounts to approximately £80 million over the next three years.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will take steps to ensure that people living in each region have equal levels of access to palliative care.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Palliative care services are included in the list of services an integrated care board (ICB) must commission. ICBs are responsible for the commissioning of palliative care and end of life care services, to meet the needs of their local populations. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and service specifications.

NHS England has also developed a palliative care and end of life care dashboard, which brings together all relevant local data in one place. The dashboard helps commissioners understand the palliative care and end of life care needs of their local population, enabling ICBs to put plans in place to address and track the improvement of health inequalities, and ensure that funding is distributed fairly, based on prevalence.

The Department and NHS England are currently looking at how to improve the access, quality, and sustainability of all-age palliative care and end of life care in line with the 10-Year Health Plan.

We will closely monitor the shift towards the strategic commissioning of palliative care and end of life care services to ensure that services reduce variation in access and quality, although some variation may be appropriate to reflect both innovation and the needs of local populations.

Additionally, through the National Institute for Health and Care Research, the Department is investing £3 million in a new Policy Research Unit in Palliative and End of Life Care. This unit launched in January 2024 and is building the evidence base on palliative care and end of life care, with a specific focus on inequalities.

On ICB accountability, NHS England has a legal duty to annually assess the performance of each ICB in respect of each financial year and to publish a summary of its findings. This assessment must assess how well the ICB has discharged its functions.

Whilst the majority of palliative care and end of life care is provided by National Health Service staff and services, we recognise the vital part that charitable hospices play as well, which is why we are supporting the hospice sector with a £100 million capital funding boost for eligible adult and children’s hospices in England to ensure they have the best physical environment for care.

We are also providing £26 million in revenue funding to support children and young people’s hospices for 2025/26.  I can also now confirm the continuation of this vital funding for the three years of the next Spending Review period, from 2026/27 to 2028/29 inclusive. This funding will see approximately £26 million, adjusted for inflation, allocated to children and young people’s hospices in England each year, via their local ICBs and on behalf of NHS England, as happened in 2024/25 and 2025/26. This amounts to approximately £80 million over the next three years.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of fully funding specialist palliative (a) care, (b) advice and (c) assessments provided by hospices.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Whilst the majority of palliative care and end of life care is provided by National Health Service staff and services, we recognise the vital part that voluntary sector organisations, including hospices, also play in providing support to people at the end of life, as well as their loved ones.

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for the commissioning of palliative care and end of life care services, to meet the needs of their local populations. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and service specifications.

The amount of funding charitable hospices receive varies by ICB area, and will, in part, be dependent on the breadth of palliative care, including specialist palliative care, and end of life care provision within each ICB catchment area. It is important to note that hospices, like the NHS, provide both specialist and generalist palliative care and end of life care. Not all patients will require specialist palliative care.

We are supporting the hospice sector with a £100 million capital funding boost for eligible adult and children’s hospices in England to ensure they have the best physical environment for care.

We are also providing £26 million in revenue funding to support children and young people’s hospices for 2025/26.  I can also now confirm the continuation of this vital funding for the three years of the next Spending Review period, from 2026/27 to 2028/29 inclusive. This funding will see approximately £26 million, adjusted for inflation, allocated to children and young people’s hospices in England each year, via their local ICBs and on behalf of NHS England, as happened in 2024/25 and 2025/26.  This amounts to approximately £80 million over the next three years.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of support offered by the Access to Work Scheme for people that wish to be self-employed.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

Access to Work (AtW) is a personalised grant which supports the recruitment and retention of disabled people in employment including providing support for people who are self-employed. In 2024/5 Access to Work supported 7,080 self-employed customers.

We will be reviewing all aspects of the Scheme now that the consultation has closed. We are continuing to work closely with stakeholders, and in particular disabled people and their representatives, on all aspects of our proposals.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent discussions her Department has had with the European Commission on the timetable for implementing its proposals to replace the EU steel safeguard system; and whether the Government has sought transitional arrangements for UK-based producers.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

We are in active dialogue with the European Commission on this issue. The Secretary of State spoke about it with Maroš Šefčovič, European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, on 20 October.

We reserve the right to take any action in response to any changes to our trading relationships to protect steel jobs and defend our steel industry.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the European Commission’s proposal to reduce tariff-free steel import quotas and increase out-of-quota tariffs to 50% on UK steel exports; and what steps she is taking to negotiate UK-specific quotas for steel products.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Government is actively assessing the potential impact of this proposal and we are in active dialogue with the European Commission on the details of their proposal and next steps.

We reserve the right to take any action in response to any changes to our trading relationships to protect steel jobs and defend our steel industry.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department has held discussions with (a) Ofcom and (b) industry stakeholders on the potential impact of current Passive Infrastructure Access charges on investor confidence in rural broadband networks.

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

As the independent regulator for telecommunications, Ofcom is responsible for making regulatory decisions in the fixed telecoms sector, including on the Physical Infrastructure Access (PIA) product. The Department regularly engages with Ofcom and industry stakeholders on these and related issues.

We provide steers to Ofcom through our Statement of Strategic Priorities (SSP) for telecommunications, the management of radio spectrum, and postal services. Ofcom must have regard to this when making regulatory decisions, including in the context of the Telecoms Access Review.

In July, we published a consultation on a draft updated SSP that sets out the Government’s view on infrastructure sharing and the key role of competition to promote investment and the fibre roll-out. We are currently reviewing responses to the consultation and will publish our response in due course.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he plans to make representations to Ofcom during the Telecoms Access Review to ensure that PIA pricing supports the roll-out of full-fibre broadband in rural areas.

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

As the independent regulator for telecommunications, Ofcom is responsible for making regulatory decisions in the fixed telecoms sector, including on the Physical Infrastructure Access (PIA) product. The Department regularly engages with Ofcom and industry stakeholders on these and related issues.

We provide steers to Ofcom through our Statement of Strategic Priorities (SSP) for telecommunications, the management of radio spectrum, and postal services. Ofcom must have regard to this when making regulatory decisions, including in the context of the Telecoms Access Review.

In July, we published a consultation on a draft updated SSP that sets out the Government’s view on infrastructure sharing and the key role of competition to promote investment and the fibre roll-out. We are currently reviewing responses to the consultation and will publish our response in due course.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a rural Passive Infrastructure Access pricing model aligned with Ofcom’s existing per-customer wholesale pricing framework for national internet service providers.

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

As the independent regulator for telecommunications, Ofcom is responsible for making regulatory decisions in the fixed telecoms sector, including on the Physical Infrastructure Access (PIA) product.

For this reason, while we are engaging with Ofcom on this issue, the Department has not made any formal assessment of the impact of the current PIA pricing structure on the economic viability of rural operators. We have also not made any formal assessment of the merits of a distinct rural pricing model for the PIA product nor have made any assessment of changes to PIA pricing on Project Gigabit.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department made of the potential impact of changes to the Passive Infrastructure Access pricing on the (a) efficiency and (b) reach of public investment under Project Gigabit.

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

As the independent regulator for telecommunications, Ofcom is responsible for making regulatory decisions in the fixed telecoms sector, including on the Physical Infrastructure Access (PIA) product.

For this reason, while we are engaging with Ofcom on this issue, the Department has not made any formal assessment of the impact of the current PIA pricing structure on the economic viability of rural operators. We have also not made any formal assessment of the merits of a distinct rural pricing model for the PIA product nor have made any assessment of changes to PIA pricing on Project Gigabit.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of the French model for broadband infrastructure pricing.

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

The Department has not made any assessment of the effectiveness of the French model for broadband infrastructure pricing.

As the independent regulator for telecommunications, Ofcom is responsible for making regulatory decisions in the fixed telecoms sector, including on the Physical Infrastructure Access (PIA) product. We expect the regulator to assess other countries’ regulatory regime as necessary to inform its thinking.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that Ofcom’s regulatory framework for Passive Infrastructure Access promotes fair competition between Openreach and alternative network providers in rural areas.

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

As the independent regulator for telecommunications, Ofcom is responsible for making regulatory decisions in the fixed telecoms sector, including on the Physical Infrastructure Access (PIA) product. The Department regularly engages with Ofcom and industry stakeholders on these and related issues.

We provide steers to Ofcom through our Statement of Strategic Priorities (SSP) for telecommunications, the management of radio spectrum, and postal services. Ofcom must have regard to this when making regulatory decisions, including in the context of the Telecoms Access Review.

In July, we published a consultation on a draft updated SSP that sets out the Government’s view on infrastructure sharing and the key role of competition to promote investment and the fibre roll-out. We are currently reviewing responses to the consultation and will publish our response in due course.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of current Ofcom Passive Infrastructure Access pricing on the economic viability of rural broadband deployment by alternative network providers.

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

As the independent regulator for telecommunications, Ofcom is responsible for making regulatory decisions in the fixed telecoms sector, including on the Physical Infrastructure Access (PIA) product.

For this reason, while we are engaging with Ofcom on this issue, the Department has not made any formal assessment of the impact of the current PIA pricing structure on the economic viability of rural operators. We have also not made any formal assessment of the merits of a distinct rural pricing model for the PIA product nor have made any assessment of changes to PIA pricing on Project Gigabit.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the temporary shutdown at Port Talbot steelworks on local supply-chain businesses.

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

Tata Steel UK has made an operational decision to extend existing Christmas maintenance periods at three of their sites, Port Talbot Hot Rolled Products, Trostre, and Llanwern Pickle line. We know this will be a worrying time for Tata’s staff and for their local supply-chain businesses and we remain in close contact with Tata to monitor the situation and assess any potential impacts.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether her Department plans to introduce new UK steel import safeguards to replace the current regime when it expires in 2026.

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

Steel is a top priority for this Government and we recognise the continuing challenges facing the UK steel industry – driven by persistent global overcapacity and with a changing landscape on international trade.

We will ensure there is a plan in place for the UK steel industry in light of the expiry of the global safeguard measure on certain steel imports next year. That is why we launched a Call for Evidence on Steel Trade Measures on the 26^th of June to inform the design of any potential trade measures, including appropriate tariff rates and quota levels.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department is taking steps to encourage the USA and Russia to enter discussions on a new nuclear weapon treaty to replace the NEW START Treaty.

Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The New START Treaty is a bilateral agreement between the United States and Russian Federation; any replacement treaty is a matter for the US and Russia. The UK regularly raises issues related to strategic risk reduction, including arms control with the USA and Russia through the expert-level P5 process. Genuine and verifiable strategic arms control among the largest Nuclear Weapons States can be a positive step for global security. However, following Russia's decision to suspend participation in New START verification measures in 2023, future approaches need to be based on concrete, and verifiable actions.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to extend eligibility for the National and International Capital City Grant to more cities.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The National and International Capital City (NICC) grant is paid to the Metropolitan Police and City of London Police to reflect the unique demands of policing in London, a major international capital city.

Decisions on the allocation of NICC funding are taken at the time of the Police Settlement. The NICC is partially funded from a reallocation of the core funding for all police forces and as such, decisions on the level of the funding must consider its impact on wider policing.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which cities are receiving funding through the National and International Capital City Grant.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The National and International Capital City (NICC) grant is paid to the Metropolitan Police and City of London Police to reflect the unique demands of policing in London, a major international capital city.

Decisions on the allocation of NICC funding are taken at the time of the Police Settlement. The NICC is partially funded from a reallocation of the core funding for all police forces and as such, decisions on the level of the funding must consider its impact on wider policing.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of ensuring the continuation of domestic steel manufacturing on the UK’s (a) critical national infrastructure resilience and (b) emergency response capability.

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

We recognise the strategic importance of a secure and resilient steel supply, and the domestic steel sector has an important role to play in supporting our national infrastructure, defence capability and broader national resilience.

This government will continue to support security of supply that protects our national resilience. These factors, among many others, will inform part of our wider approach to the sector ahead of the publication of the steel strategy later this year, and, as announced in the industrial strategy, steel will be a component of ongoing analysis conducted by the new Supply Chain Centre.

Question to the Wales Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Celtic Sea Floating Offshore Wind Leasing Round 5 on economic regeneration in Neath Port Talbot.

Answered by Jo Stevens - Secretary of State for Wales

The UK Government recognises the major opportunities floating offshore wind presents for Wales and I am determined to ensure that we take full advantage of them.

Gwynt Glas (a joint venture between EDF Renewables and ESB) and Equinor have now entered into Agreements for Lease with The Crown Estate to develop two 1.5GW Floating Offshore Wind farms in the Celtic Sea through the Leasing Round 5 process, in addition to the five floating wind Test and Demonstration projects (totalling 432MW of capacity) already in development in the region. The Crown Estate has confirmed that work is underway on options to deliver a third 1.5GW lease area.

These new windfarms will be among the largest of their kind in the world and have the capacity to deliver enough power for more than four million homes. It is estimated this new industry will support over 5,000 new jobs and deliver a £1.4 billion-pound boost to the UK economy, it will also help deliver transformational change to places like Port Talbot. As part of the Comprehensive Spending Review, the UK Government has reconfirmed up to £80 million for port infrastructure investment in Port Talbot to supporting floating offshore wind and green growth in Wales.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent discussions he has had with representatives of UK Steel on aligning the UK's industrial power prices with those of competitor economies.

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

Details of Ministers' meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK.

The Government believes that our mission to deliver clean power by 2030 is the best way to break our dependence on global fossil fuel markets and protect billpayers permanently. The creation of Great British Energy will help us to harness clean energy with less reliance on volatile international energy markets and help in our commitment to make Britain a clean energy superpower by 2030.

As part of our Clean Energy Industries Plan, we have announced that from 2027 a new British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme will reduce electricity costs by £35-40/MWh up to 2030. Thousands of businesses will see their electricity costs drop by around 20-25% under a new exemption scheme, bringing their costs more closely in line with European competitors.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department has had recent discussions with (a) the Crown Estate and (b) Equinor and Gwynt Glas on the use of Port Talbot for turbine (i) assembly and (ii) maintenance under the Celtic Sea Floating Offshore Wind Leasing Round Five.

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

Floating Offshore Wind presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity for Wales and is a major economic opportunity for the Neath Port Talbot area. It will create high-quality jobs to support the local economy.

We are in ongoing discussion with relevant parties in relation to the Port Talbot project.

Gwynt Glas and Equinor have now entered into Agreements for Lease with The Crown Estate to develop two 1.5GW Floating Offshore Wind farms in the Celtic Sea through the Leasing Round 5 process. Both projects have stated publicly that the Port Talbot is their preferred port for integration and assembly activities.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of Celtic Sea Floating Offshore Wind Leasing Round 5 on employment opportunities in Neath Port Talbot.

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

Floating Offshore Wind presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity for Wales and is a major economic opportunity for the Neath Port Talbot area. It will create high-quality jobs to support the local economy.

We are in ongoing discussion with relevant parties in relation to the Port Talbot project.

Gwynt Glas and Equinor have now entered into Agreements for Lease with The Crown Estate to develop two 1.5GW Floating Offshore Wind farms in the Celtic Sea through the Leasing Round 5 process. Both projects have stated publicly that the Port Talbot is their preferred port for integration and assembly activities.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what plans she has to (a) abolish the Carbon Price Support mechanism and (b) introduce further measures to reduce electricity costs for energy-intensive industries.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The government’s Industrial Strategy published in June 2025 announced that from 2027, a new British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme will reduce electricity costs by c.£35-40/MWh and support thousands of businesses. The scheme will benefit manufacturing electricity intensive frontier industries in the Industrial Strategy and foundational manufacturing industries in their supply chains. Eligible businesses will be exempt from paying the costs of the Renewables Obligation, Feed-in Tariffs and the Capacity Market. The scheme will bring GB electricity costs more in line with other major economies in Europe, and level the playing field for GB businesses.

The government will also continue support for the Energy-Intensive Industries Compensation Scheme to support energy efficiency, decarbonisation, and technical innovation.

The government keeps all taxes under review and will continue to review Carbon Price Support beyond the announced rates as part of the policy making process.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans to retain the lower rate of landfill tax for (a) industrial by-products and (b) other steel-making residues.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government recently consulted on proposals to reform Landfill Tax to ensure the regime remains effective in encouraging waste to be diverted away from landfill. The proposals aimed to support the Government’s circular economy objectives to facilitate economic growth by stimulating investment in technologies, sectors and infrastructure that keep resources in circulation for longer. As part of the consultation, the Government has received a wide range of views from stakeholders, including representatives from manufacturing sectors, such as steelmaking. The consultation closed on 28 July, and the Government is considering responses and will set out next steps in due course.

Local government and social care

Ukrainian Permission Extension Scheme

Affordable rail travel for over-30s

Conduct of Samir Zitouni and Stephen Crean on the 18.25 Doncaster to Kings Cross train on 1 November 2025

Government proposals for mandatory digital ID

Impact of extreme weather on farming

Llynclys Crossroads

Fossil fuel company profits

The Lakes School

National Cancer Plan

Water bills

Conduct of the hon. Member for Runcorn and Helsby

Warm Homes Plan

Farmgate milk price reduction

National inquiry into child sexual exploitation

40th anniversary of Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Future of BBC Radio 4 Longwave

Life and work of Dr Jane Goodall

Great Western Railway train cancellations

Contribution of legal immigrants

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Ruth Jones (Chair); David Chadwick; Ann Davies; Gill German; Claire