Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 18 March 2025 to Question 38091 on UK Emissions Trading Scheme: Ceramics, which recommendations he supports for the decarbonisation of the ceramics sector; and what is the nature of that support.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

I refer my hon Friend to the answer given in the House on 1 May which focussed on the ceramics sector. The Government recognises that we need to support a range of energy intensive industries, including ceramics, that are essential to our economy and our missions. For example, to build the 1.5 million homes and the clean energy infrastructure projects that this Government is already investing in.

The Ceramics UK report mentioned describes a role for: energy efficiency improvements; addressing grid decarbonisation and self -generation; fuel switching to electrification, hydrogen and biomass; product and material adaptation; and addressing process emissions through a combination of Carbon Capture, Usage and Storage (CCUS) and addressing residual emissions. While the exact balance will vary between firms and between subsectors of industry, we expect a role for each of these measures, and are taking action to support and provide signals to the market on each of these. Government will bring forward a renewed industrial decarbonisation strategy in due course to address energy and decarbonisation issues across industries in a holistic way, and is committed to working closely with the ceramics sector as we develop that approach.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when a person who reached state pension age before 2016 would become entitled to their basic state pension.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The basic State Pension was available for those who reached State Pension age before 6 April 2016.

Men were eligible for basic State Pension at age 65. Women born prior to 6 April 1950 were eligible for the basic State Pension at age 60.

Following changes to the State Pension age due to the Pensions Act 1995, women born from 6 April 1950 to 5 April 1953 were eligible for the basic State Pension on a phased basis between 6 May 2010 and 6 March 2016. They had a State Pension age of between 60 years and one day and 63 years.

Details can be found in Table 1 here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7f02e640f0b62305b84929/spa-timetable.pdf

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of PIP claimants currently have more than four points in any one category.

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

The information you requested can be found in Table 2.27 in the Pathways to Work: Evidence Pack: Chapter 2.

The assessment of the Office for Budget Responsibility, published at the Spring Statement, is that most of the current claimants of PIP Daily Living who did not score four points in any of the activities at their last assessment will, nevertheless, because of behaviour changes, be awarded PIP Daily Living again after the proposed eligibility changes take effect.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of changes to levy funding for level 7 apprenticeships on the educational opportunities available in Stoke-on-Trent.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for Stoke-on-Trent Central to the answer of 9 April 2025 to Question 43275.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many organisations were consulted on the decision to cut funding for specialist software from the Disabled Student's Allowance.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The department engaged with disability experts who support disabled students to gather their feedback and insights on the decision to remove non-specialist spelling and grammar software from Disabled Students’ Allowance funding. These persons contributed in a personal capacity.

The department does not expect that students will be negatively impacted by the changes, because specific technology packages will no longer be funded where free-to-access versions, with the required functionality, are available to meet students’ disability-related support needs.

Found: Democrat; Witney) Andrew Pakes (Labour; Peterborough) David Pinto-Duschinsky (Labour; Hendon) Gareth Snell

Found: Professor Michael Maguire; Mehmuda Mian; Dr Rose Marie Parr; Anna Sabine; Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst; Gareth Snell

Found: Democrat; Witney) Andrew Pakes (Labour; Peterborough) David Pinto-Duschinsky (Labour; Hendon) Gareth Snell

Found: (added 28 Oct 2024) 3 of 9 (33.3%) Victoria Smith (added 22 Jun 2022) 8 of 9 (88.9%) Gareth Snell

Found: Habgood; Professor Michael Maguire; Dr Rose Marie Parr; Anna Sabine; Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst; Gareth Snell

Found: Democrat; Witney) Andrew Pakes (Labour; Peterborough) David Pinto-Duschinsky (Labour; Hendon) Gareth Snell

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when his Department plans to publish the findings of his Department's consultation entitled Consultation on fairer food labelling, which closed on 7 May 2024; and what his planned timetable is for introducing mandatory labelling to support (a) informed consumer choice and (b) higher animal welfare standards.

Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent Central, Gareth Snell on 23 December 2024, PQ UIN 20692.

Found: New Amendments: 25 to 33 and NC14 to NC17 _NC1 Gareth Snell Leigh Ingham Adam Jogee Jacob Collier

Found: Sarah Edwards Sadik Al-Hassan Dan Aldridge Alison Bennett Lee Barron Paul Davies Cat Smith Gareth Snell

Found: New Amendments: 8 to 18, 21 to 24 and NC13 _NC1 Gareth Snell Leigh Ingham Adam Jogee Jacob Collier

Found: Sarah Edwards Sadik Al-Hassan Dan Aldridge Alison Bennett Lee Barron Paul Davies Cat Smith Gareth Snell

Found: New Amendments: 1 to 7 and NC2 to NC12 _NC1 Gareth Snell .

Found: New Amendment: NC1 _NC1 Gareth Snell ★.