Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps he is taking to support the resumption of inquests that were discontinued by previous legislation.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Troubles Bill will restore the small number of Troubles-related inquests that were already in progress but then halted by the previous government’s Legacy Act.
Inquests that had not started will be subject to an assessment by the Solicitor General to independently consider whether each case is most appropriately dealt with by the reformed Legacy Commission or the coronial system.
Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans she has for the National Inclusion Standards to include (a) speech and language therapists, (b) any other experts on speech, language and communication challenges.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
New National Inclusion Standards will set out evidence-based tools, strategies and approaches for educators to draw on to identify and support children and young people with additional needs. This will include evidence for targeted support to address barriers to learning and participation related to specific areas of development. One of these proposed areas of development is Speech, Language, and Communication.
We will establish an independent, expert panel to develop National Inclusion Standards. The panel will be composed of a range of experts across both research and practice in supporting children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities. They will also engage wider experts to test the development of the Standards. This will include, for example, ensuring expertise from speech and language therapists and other relevant experts is incorporated.
Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans she has for SEND practitioners to be provided with training on how to support children with speech, language and communication challenges.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
The department recently announced an investment of £15 million to establish new speech and language therapist (SaLT) advanced practitioners in every integrated care board geographical area, to get more SaLTs working in educational settings. These advanced practitioners will be qualified speech and language therapists.
The government is also investing £200 million to give all staff in schools, colleges and early years settings the training they need to better support pupils with special educational needs and disabilities, including those with speech, language and communication needs in mainstream settings.
This is in addition to £3.4 million being invested this year in the Early Language Support for Every Child programme, helping to identify and respond to speech and language needs, continued investment in the Nuffield Early Language Intervention, which has demonstrated significant impact on speech and language skills particularly for disadvantaged pupils, and an expansion of English Hubs programme from the 2026/27 academic year to include intensive language and literacy support.
Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of the potential impact of the exclusion of refined products from the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism from January 2028; and what estimate she has made of the potential impact on the UK economy were refined products to be included in the mechanism.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The government recognises the role that refineries play in energy security and the UK’s industrial base. The Government published a call for evidence (https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/future-of-the-uk-downstream-oil-sector/future-of-the-uk-downstream-oil-sector-call-for-evidence) on the future of the fuel sector on 23rd February 2026 in order to help understand the current state of the refining sector.
Following a strategic and technical assessment by HMG, it has been decided not to expand the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) to refined oil products in January 2028. Assessing the case for and feasibility of including refined oil products within the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism at a later date is a priority. We are continuing to work with the sector to assess the options.
Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans to include refined products in the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism at a future date; and if she will take measures to support the fuels sector whilst it is excluded from a Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The government recognises the role that refineries play in energy security and the UK’s industrial base. The Government published a call for evidence (https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/future-of-the-uk-downstream-oil-sector/future-of-the-uk-downstream-oil-sector-call-for-evidence) on the future of the fuel sector on 23rd February 2026 in order to help understand the current state of the refining sector.
Following a strategic and technical assessment by HMG, it has been decided not to expand the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) to refined oil products in January 2028. Assessing the case for and feasibility of including refined oil products within the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism at a later date is a priority. We are continuing to work with the sector to assess the options.
Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has made representations to the Government of China on the potential merits of the release of Pastor Ezra Jim Mingri.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given to question 75048 on 16 September.
Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the potential impact of the proposed application of electric vehicle pay-per-mile taxation on people living in rural communities in Scotland.
Answered by Kirsty McNeill - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Scotland Office)
At the Budget, the Chancellor confirmed the introduction of Electric Vehicle Excise Duty from April 2028 - recognising that electric vehicles contribute to congestion and wear-and-tear on our roads but pay no equivalent to fuel duty.
While those living in rural areas tend to drive more than those living in urban areas, they are also more likely to have a dedicated home charger for their electric vehicle - with the lowest charging costs.
Our electric vehicles consultation provides further detail on how the duty will work and seeks views on its implementation from stakeholders across the UK.
Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will amend the electricity fixed-cost banding rule to permit evidence-based band migration based on actual usage and capacity within the permitted band limits.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
By law, network charging is a matter for Ofgem, the independent regulator.
Fixed charge banding rules, including migration, are set out in the DCUSA industry code (Schedule 32). They limit migration to exceptional circumstances, including significant change in capacity or consumption. There are some proposals to change banding rules (DCPs 412, 420, 454, and 466), which will be subject to final Ofgem approval. The DCUSA Secretariat can provide information about these rules/ proposals.
Ofgem has launched the Cost Allocation and Recovery Review (CARR), which is assessing whether there are more efficient and fairer ways to allocate and recover system costs.
Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)
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 UK carbon pricing on the refinery sector; and whether her has made an assessment of the potential merits of carbon price linkage to the EU.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The UK’s refining capacity is very important to our energy security, resilience, as an industrial base to the continued growth of our regions. This government recognises the wider challenges facing the sector and know that tackling these together is vitally important.
Under the UK Emissions Trading Scheme, free allocations are provided to the refining sector to mitigate the risk of carbon leakage and reduce exposure to the carbon price.
Linking the UK ETS and EU ETS is expected to bring significant economic benefits to the UK, including a cheaper path towards decarbonisation by providing businesses with access to a larger, stable carbon market and creating the conditions for mutual CBAM exemptions, removing a major barrier to trade and lowering costs for UK firms.
Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will grant EII status to the Horticulture Sector in the Energy Intensive Industries exemption scheme.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Currently, the Controlled Environment Horticulture (CEH) sector is ineligible for the British Industry Supercharger, which the Energy Intensive Industry (EII) Exemption Scheme is a part of. The CEH sector does not meet the necessary thresholds of electricity and trade intensity, nor does it have an eligible Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code to be classed as an EII. The Department for Business and Trade intends to review and publicly consult on the sector eligibility for the British Industry Supercharger in 2026. I encourage the CEH sector to engage with this consultation when the opportunity arises.