Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
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 it his policy review the minimum export value for rooftop solar electricity to support investment.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) is a market-led mechanism in which energy suppliers, not government, set both tariff levels and structure. This is designed to encourage innovation and competition in the sector and minimise costs to consumers.
The Government monitors the SEG to ensure it continues to support the Clean Energy Mission. Any introduction of a minimum export price would need to be carefully balanced against potential costs to consumers.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of introducing digital ID on (a) older and (b) digitally excluded people in West Dorset constituency.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government will deliver a comprehensive inclusion programme to help ensure everyone eligible is able to access the new digital ID. This will include targeted support for those who may struggle to access or engage with digital services or devices. This will be a big opportunity to improve digital inclusion.
The Government will launch a public consultation on the new digital ID by the end of the year, setting out the proposed approach in more detail and seeking views on this. This will include the proposed approach to inclusion.
The Government will work closely with expert stakeholders to make the programme as effective and inclusive as possible.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she plans to exempt digitally excluded people from mandatory digital ID requirements.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government will deliver a comprehensive inclusion programme to help ensure everyone eligible is able to access the new digital ID. This will include targeted support for those who may struggle to access or engage with digital services or devices. This will be a big opportunity to improve digital inclusion.
The Government will launch a public consultation on the new digital ID by the end of the year, setting out the proposed approach in more detail and seeking views on this. This will include the proposed approach to inclusion.
The Government will work closely with expert stakeholders to make the programme as effective and inclusive as possible.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of (a) benefits and (b) conditions for general practice nursing staff.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
As self-employed contractors to the National Health Service, it is up to general practices (GPs) how they distribute pay and benefits to their staff. GP contractual arrangements do not place any specific obligations on practices with regard to GP nurse terms and conditions. Employers have the flexibility to set terms and conditions, for example to aid recruitment and retention, and we anticipate that good employers would set wage rates that reflect the skills and experience of their staff.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to introduce a minimum service guarantee for people funding their own care through their pensions.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Under the Care Act 2014, local authorities are tasked with the duty to shape their care markets to meet the diverse needs of all local people. This includes commissioning a diverse range of care and support services that enable people to access quality care, including those funding their own care.
We are progressing towards a National Care Service based on higher standards, more choice and control, and better joined up services, which will improve the quality of services for people. To build consensus on plans for a National Care Service, Baroness Casey is chairing an independent commission to shape the medium- and longer-term reforms needed.
The independent commission has launched a new portal on their website and invited members of the public, people drawing on care and support, and organisations to submit evidence and to share their stories and ideas for improving the adult social care system.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of preventing the NHS Business Services Authority from withholding funding for staff payments where a community pharmacy owes significant money.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Pharmacies are private businesses. The National Health Service Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) pays all pharmacy contractors as set out in the Drug Tariff and based on the activity they declare which is then reconciled at a later stage to ensure that the total payment accurately reflects the prescriptions dispensed and the work done.
The NHSBSA does not normally withhold funding from pharmacies unless there are good reasons to do so. If pharmacies do not give an accurate declaration of their activity, this can result in an overpayment which the NHSBSA recovers from future payments in line with the Managing Public Money guidance. This reduces the risk of financial loss to the NHS.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make it her policy to allocate funding for rainwater management strategies in the Autumn Budget 2025.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The Chancellor will set out any new policy at the Autumn Budget in the usual way.
The Government is already investing a record £10.5bn to build new flood defences and repair existing defences. This is the largest flood programme in history and will protect nearly 900,000 properties from the devastation of flooding.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make it her policy to introduce a Dorset Railcard.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
There are many local concessionary passes that are valid on National Rail, such as the Cornwall and Devon Railcard, which have been introduced by local authorities and train operators. Any discussions for a Dorset based railcard would be subject to engagement between the local area and South Western Railway as the relevant train operator.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the policy objective is of advising police forces to release (a) ethnicity and (b) other details of suspects before trial.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Home Office does not direct operational policing decisions, including those related to the disclosure of information about a person suspected or charged with committing an offence. These matters rightly fall under the purview of Chief Constables.
The NPCC and the College of Policing issued interim guidance to police forces in August, which aims to support forces in managing sensitive investigations and mitigating risks associated with them.
The interim guidance encourages police forces to confirm a suspect’s ethnicity and nationality (where known or recorded) in certain high-profile or sensitive investigations where they determine it is necessary to maintain public safety and reassure the public.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has made a recent assessment of the adequacy of the current police funding formula in meeting the needs of (a) rural areas and (b) West Dorset.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The funding formula used for distributing Home Office Police Main Grant to police forces in England and Wales as part of the annual police settlement divides funds between different activities that the police undertake. A portion of total funding is also distributed according to population sparsity, to address the specific needs of rural forces.
This Government is committed to ensuring that policing has the resources it needs. Dorset Police will receive up to £194.8 million in 2025-26, an increase of up to £14.7 million when compared to 2024-25.
The Chancellor has announced a real terms increase in police spending power over the next three years. The allocation of funding to police forces remains an important consideration and as with previous years more details on force funding allocation for 2026-27 will be made via the provisional police funding settlement later in the year.