Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of Financial Risk Assessments on tax revenues from the regulated betting and gaming sector.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Government remains committed to supporting the implementation of key measures in the 2023 white paper, including the introduction of Financial Risk Assessments (FRAs).

Following the conclusion of its pilot on FRAs, the Gambling Commission has continued to engage with gambling operators. As the independent regulator, the Gambling Commission will decide how to implement FRAs based on the best available evidence.

The existence of the online gambling illegal market does not mean that we should avoid appropriate controls on licensed operators. However, as stated in the white paper, we recognise that the threat of movement to the illegal market does exist. This is why we are working to give the Gambling Commission increased powers to support disruption and enforcement activity, and why we have announced £26 million of funding over 3 years to the Commission to enable them to increase their activity. We have also set up an Illegal Gambling Taskforce to test what more can be done to tackle the threats posed by the illegal market.

Any assessment of the impact of policies on taxation revenues is a matter for HM Treasury.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of Financial Risk Assessments on consumer migration to the unregulated gambling market.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Government remains committed to supporting the implementation of key measures in the 2023 white paper, including the introduction of Financial Risk Assessments (FRAs).

Following the conclusion of its pilot on FRAs, the Gambling Commission has continued to engage with gambling operators. As the independent regulator, the Gambling Commission will decide how to implement FRAs based on the best available evidence.

The existence of the online gambling illegal market does not mean that we should avoid appropriate controls on licensed operators. However, as stated in the white paper, we recognise that the threat of movement to the illegal market does exist. This is why we are working to give the Gambling Commission increased powers to support disruption and enforcement activity, and why we have announced £26 million of funding over 3 years to the Commission to enable them to increase their activity. We have also set up an Illegal Gambling Taskforce to test what more can be done to tackle the threats posed by the illegal market.

Any assessment of the impact of policies on taxation revenues is a matter for HM Treasury.

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 effectiveness of the British Industry Supercharger scheme.

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

Since 1 April 2024, eligible Energy-Intensive Industries have benefited from the British Industry Supercharger, which tackles carbon leakage by bringing industrial electricity costs closer in line with those in neighbouring countries. Subsequent evidence commissioned by the Government identified that the electricity price gap between Great Britain and other countries still presented a carbon leakage risk.

In the Modern Industrial Strategy, we announced an uplift of the Network Charging Compensation Scheme from 60% to 90% from 1 April 2026 to reduce the gap by an additional £8–10/MWh. The Government will review the Supercharger in 2029 to assess its ongoing effectiveness.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what support is available to the ceramics manufacturing sector to mitigate the cost of industrial gas.

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

I recognise the pressure that energy costs place on ceramics manufacturers. A small number of ceramic firms are currently eligible for the British Industry Supercharger, which provides electricity cost relief and these companies are benefiting from the recent uplift to the Network Charging Compensation Scheme. I encourage the ceramics sector to engage with the upcoming review of the Supercharger. There is no equivalent scheme for industrial gas price relief, but my department always keeps industrial energy support under review. My officials, other ministers, and I engage regularly with the ceramics sector, including with Ceramics UK and individual businesses to discuss how the Government can support the sector.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what meetings and discussions his Department has had with the ceramics industry regarding energy cost relief.

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

I recognise the pressure that energy costs place on ceramics manufacturers. A small number of ceramic firms are currently eligible for the British Industry Supercharger, which provides electricity cost relief and these companies are benefiting from the recent uplift to the Network Charging Compensation Scheme. I encourage the ceramics sector to engage with the upcoming review of the Supercharger. There is no equivalent scheme for industrial gas price relief, but my department always keeps industrial energy support under review. My officials, other ministers, and I engage regularly with the ceramics sector, including with Ceramics UK and individual businesses to discuss how the Government can support the sector.

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 energy costs on the retention of manufacturing jobs in the West Midlands.

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

The Government recognises that energy costs are an important factor in the competitiveness of manufacturing businesses and in the retention of skilled jobs, including in the West Midlands.

From April 2027, the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme will reduce electricity costs for eligible manufacturing businesses in Industrial Strategy growth sectors and their foundational supply chains. In addition, the British Industry Supercharger is already reducing electricity costs for eligible energy- intensive industries in the West Midlands, including in sectors such as brick production, glass production, plastic manufacturing and paper manufacturing.

The Government continues to engage closely with businesses to monitor cost pressures, including those arising from the situation in the Middle East.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what support is available to the chemical manufacturing sector to mitigate the cost of industrial gas.

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

The Government does not currently provide support for the cost of industrial gas, including to the chemicals sector. However, we are continuing to work with industry in order to identify and explore ways in which the business environment can be improved for our foundational industries.

Found: Hastings and Rye) Andrew Pakes (Labour; Peterborough) David Pinto-Duschinsky (Labour; Hendon) Gareth Snell

Found: Hastings and Rye) Andrew Pakes (Labour; Peterborough) David Pinto-Duschinsky (Labour; Hendon) Gareth Snell

Found: Hastings and Rye) Andrew Pakes (Labour; Peterborough) David Pinto-Duschinsky (Labour; Hendon) Gareth Snell