Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to ensure that viable investment for projects is being considered in the development of the Strategic Spatial Energy Plan.

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

The Strategic Spatial Energy Plan (SSEP) will start from a baseline, comprising network and generation included in the Clean Power 2030 Action Plan, and projects which have regulatory funding. Regulatory funding includes contracts for difference, capacity market contracts, interconnector cap and floor arrangements, funding designation through the nuclear Regulated Asset Base model or merchant interconnector approvals.

When developing the SSEP, the National Energy System Operator is considering deliverability by analysing the practical ability of developers to deliver the pathways and technology volumes recommended by the SSEP.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking through improved management and treatment to help reduce the cost of care for advanced Parkinson’s patients.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson

The Department has not undertaken a specific assessment of supporting a separate nationally recognised clinical definition of advanced Parkinson’s disease across the National Health Service. However, existing National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance and NHS England’s specialised adult neurology service specification support the identification and management of people with Parkinson’s disease who have more complex needs, including through multidisciplinary care and access to specialist input where clinically appropriate.

Integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning services to meet the needs of their local populations, including services for people with Parkinson’s disease. They are expected to consider NICE guidance and best practice when designing local pathways.

NHS England is supporting improvements in neurological care through programmes including Getting It Right First Time for Neurology, the RightCare Progressive Neurological Conditions Toolkit, and the recently completed Neurology Transformation Programme. These aim to reduce unwarranted variation, improve access to specialist services, and support more integrated care for people with progressive neurological conditions.

Improved management and timely treatment can help maintain independence, reduce avoidable deterioration, and support better use of NHS resources. NICE guidance emphasises the importance of people with Parkinson’s receiving their medicines on time, and the NHS in England is legally required to fund NICE-recommended treatments, including advanced therapies, where patients meet the relevant criteria.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of supporting a nationally recognised clinical definition of advanced Parkinson’s disease across the NHS.

Answered by Sharon Hodgson

The Department has not undertaken a specific assessment of supporting a separate nationally recognised clinical definition of advanced Parkinson’s disease across the National Health Service. However, existing National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidance and NHS England’s specialised adult neurology service specification support the identification and management of people with Parkinson’s disease who have more complex needs, including through multidisciplinary care and access to specialist input where clinically appropriate.

Integrated care boards are responsible for commissioning services to meet the needs of their local populations, including services for people with Parkinson’s disease. They are expected to consider NICE guidance and best practice when designing local pathways.

NHS England is supporting improvements in neurological care through programmes including Getting It Right First Time for Neurology, the RightCare Progressive Neurological Conditions Toolkit, and the recently completed Neurology Transformation Programme. These aim to reduce unwarranted variation, improve access to specialist services, and support more integrated care for people with progressive neurological conditions.

Improved management and timely treatment can help maintain independence, reduce avoidable deterioration, and support better use of NHS resources. NICE guidance emphasises the importance of people with Parkinson’s receiving their medicines on time, and the NHS in England is legally required to fund NICE-recommended treatments, including advanced therapies, where patients meet the relevant criteria.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps has his Department taken to ensure that construction of the Common Combat Vessels outlined in the Defence Investment Plan is timed to coincide with the completion of orders of the Type-31 frigate program.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

Common Combat Vessel (CCV) will be the Royal Navy’s first ‘Hybrid’ warship, coordinating uncrewed systems in the air, on the surface and under the sea to deliver more resilient air defence at the centre of the Hybrid Navy. Whilst the CCV remains in the initial stages of design, the Navy’s aspiration is to sequence the arrival of the CCV and wider Hybrid Navy Integrated Air and Missile Defence capability with the out of service dates of the T45s in the mid-2030s onwards.

There are options for hull forms we are exploring and announcements will be made in the usual way as the project progresses.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate his Department has made of the timescales for procurement of the Common Combat Vessels outlined in the Defence Investment Plan.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

Common Combat Vessel (CCV) will be the Royal Navy’s first ‘Hybrid’ warship, coordinating uncrewed systems in the air, on the surface and under the sea to deliver more resilient air defence at the centre of the Hybrid Navy. Whilst the CCV remains in the initial stages of design, the Navy’s aspiration is to sequence the arrival of the CCV and wider Hybrid Navy Integrated Air and Missile Defence capability with the out of service dates of the T45s in the mid-2030s onwards.

There are options for hull forms we are exploring and announcements will be made in the usual way as the project progresses.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of whether the design of the Common Combat Vehicles outlined in the Defence Investment Plan will be based on the Type-31 frigate.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

Common Combat Vessel (CCV) will be the Royal Navy’s first ‘Hybrid’ warship, coordinating uncrewed systems in the air, on the surface and under the sea to deliver more resilient air defence at the centre of the Hybrid Navy. Whilst the CCV remains in the initial stages of design, the Navy’s aspiration is to sequence the arrival of the CCV and wider Hybrid Navy Integrated Air and Missile Defence capability with the out of service dates of the T45s in the mid-2030s onwards.

There are options for hull forms we are exploring and announcements will be made in the usual way as the project progresses.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, is he will define the meaning of "sub threshold" in relation to Russian threats and offensive action against UK people and interests.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

Recent publications, including the House of Common’s Defence Committee ‘Defence in the Grey Zone’ report and the Strategic Defence Review, highlight the breadth and depth of threats posed by sub-threshold activity. Russia remains the most pressing and immediate threat in this space, conducting malign sub-threshold activities which actively threaten the UK and our allies.

States who operate in this way below the threshold of armed conflict are seeking to exploit every potential weakness in our societies and alliances to gain an advantage.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what activities would not be considered "sub threshold" in relation to Russian threats and offensive action against UK people, businesses and interests.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

We cannot provide detail on how the MOD would respond to certain activities versus others as this would assist our adversaries.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what percentage of military energy use is electric.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

Information on Defence energy consumption is published annually in the Ministry of Defence Annual Report and Accounts (Annex D), which includes data on electricity consumption across the defence estate. Defence energy consumption comprises a range of sources, including electricity, natural gas and operational fuels used by maritime, aviation and ground based equipment. The Department does not centrally calculate the proportion of total military energy consumption that is electric.

The Department continues to improve its understanding of energy consumption across Defence to support operational effectiveness and resilience.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much electricity was used by each arm of the military in each of the past 5 years.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

Information on Defence energy consumption is published annually in the Ministry of Defence Annual Report and Accounts (Annex D), covering data from the past five years. Defence energy consumption comprises a range of sources, including estate energy, such as electricity and natural gas, and operational fuels used by maritime, aviation and ground based equipment. The Department does not centrally report the proportion of Front Line Command energy consumption that is electric.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate he has made of the level of future use of electricity by each branch of the armed forces.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) does not hold a single estimate of future electricity use by each Front-Line Command of the Armed Forces. Future electricity demand will depend on a range of factors, including operational requirements, changes to the defence estate, technological developments and the electrification of equipment and infrastructure.

As we see a greater electrification of the battlefield, there will be new challenges on generation and transmission of electricity for defence. We are cognisant of these issues and working to deliver solutions to meet these challenges.

The MOD is pursuing opportunities to improve energy efficiency and enhance sustainable energy generation and resilience across the defence estate through targeted investment and commercial partnerships. This will ensure that future energy requirements can be met in support of operational effectiveness.

Found: economy Introduction The Coalition on Secure Technology is a cross-party campaign, chaired by Graeme Downie

Found: Q166 Graeme Downie: How do young people think about it?

Found: Q166 Graeme Downie: How do young people think about it?

Energy support and decarbonisation funding for the chemicals and ceramics sectors was an encouraging sign that Government recognises a central challenge for industry: decarbonisation and electricity prices go hand in hand. It offers a potential model for future targeted support by linking help with energy costs to incentives for cleaner production. However, it also highlights the absence of a broader strategic framework for industrial decarbonisation/electrification across manufacturing. Current support remains uneven.  

The government will establish a Warm Homes Agency (WHA) – a dedicated public body to support the delivery of the Warm Homes Plan, and guide consumers through the transition. It will consolidate Salix, relevant DESNZ functions, and parts of Ofgem and work at both a national and local level (subject to agreement with the devolved governments). 

Submit Evidence (by 28 Aug 2026)

Nuclear fusion is the process that powers the Sun, and for decades humans have been working towards harnessing its remarkable, "clean" power.