Asked by: Graham Stuart (Conservative - Beverley and Holderness)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the proposed increase in the rateable values of pubs on the level of their profitability.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The amount of business rates paid on each property is based on the rateable value of the property, assessed by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA), and the multiplier values, which are set by the Government. Rateable values are re-assessed every three years. Revaluations ensure that the rateable values of properties (i.e. the tax base) remain in line with market changes, and that the tax rates adjust to reflect changes in the tax base.
At the Budget, the VOA announced updated property values from the 2026 revaluation. This revaluation is the first since Covid, which has led to significant increases in rateable values for some properties as they recover from the pandemic. To support with bill increases, at the Budget, the Government announced a support package worth £4.3 billion over the next three years, including protection for ratepayers seeing their bills increase because of the revaluation. As a result, over half of ratepayers will see no bill increases, including 23% seeing their bills go down. This means most properties seeing increases will see them capped at 15% or less next year, or £800 for the smallest.
More broadly, the Government is delivering a long overdue reform to rebalance the business rates system and support the high street, as promised in our manifesto.
The Government is doing this by introducing new permanently lower tax rates for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties. These new tax rates are worth nearly £900 million per year, and will benefit over 750,000 properties, including those on the high street.
The new RHL tax rates replace the temporary RHL relief that has been winding down since Covid. Unlike RHL relief, the new rates are permanent, giving businesses certainty and stability, and there will be no cap, meaning all qualifying properties on high streets across England will benefit.
Treasury Ministers and officials engaged with a wide range of stakeholders across the pub and hospitality sector ahead of the Budget to discuss business rates.
Asked by: Graham Stuart (Conservative - Beverley and Holderness)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to introduce interim measures to ensure that learners have access to suitable vocational pathways during the transition period between the withdrawal of BTECs in 2026 and the introduction of V-Levels in 2027.
Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
To support the transition to V Levels, the government will retain the majority of existing vocational qualifications to minimise disruption for learners and providers. This includes Applied General Qualifications under 720 guided learning hours in T Level areas, as well as smaller reformed qualifications such as Alternative Academic Qualifications and Technical Occupational Qualifications. In non-T Level areas, all current qualifications will continue to be funded until V Levels or T Levels are introduced. Qualifications that have already been defunded will remain so.
The department is consulting with the sector on the introduction of V Levels, including transitional arrangements to achieve the qualifications landscape set out in the Post-16 Skills White Paper.
Asked by: Graham Stuart (Conservative - Beverley and Holderness)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many bids to the Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund were successful in (a) Yorkshire and the Humber region, (b) East Riding of Yorkshire local authority area, and (c) Beverley and Holderness constituency; and what proportion of all successful bids submitted these represent.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Our ambition is that everyone in every corner of the UK, whatever their circumstances, can participate in our modern digital society. That’s why we launched the Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund – supporting local initiatives that increase digital participation and aim to meet the specific and diverse needs of digitally excluded people in communities across the UK.
Some applicants have been announced and DSIT are currently in the process of onboarding successful applicants of the Digital Inclusion Innovation Fund, with a regional spread across England. The department intends to announce and publish a full list of successful projects in due course.
Asked by: Graham Stuart (Conservative - Beverley and Holderness)
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 merits of including hydrogenation and dehydrogenation projects within the Liquid Organic Hydrogen Carriers eligible for funding through the Net Zero Hydrogen Fund.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Net Zero Hydrogen Fund was designed to bring forward the first UK low carbon hydrogen production projects, and was not intended to support other parts of the hydrogen value chain such as hydrogen carriers. It made its final funding allocations in 2023.
Asked by: Graham Stuart (Conservative - Beverley and Holderness)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make a statement on the (a) timing and (b) outcome of the Trade Remedies Authority’s investigation into imports of US-produced Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) and set out the steps his Department is taking to ensure that UK biodiesel producers are not placed at a competitive disadvantage resulting from unfair trading practices.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Trade Remedies Authority is the UK’s independent arms-length body responsible for the conduct of trade remedy investigations. They make recommendations to the Secretary of State as to whether any such measures should be introduced.
On 17 March 2025 the Trade Remedies Authority initiated a subsidy investigation on the import of HVO Biodiesel of US-origin. As the investigation remains ongoing, I cannot comment further. The TRA will publish relevant information on the public file as the review progresses.
Asked by: Graham Stuart (Conservative - Beverley and Holderness)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what discussions he has had with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on the potential resilience of energy infrastructure designated as Critical National Infrastructure in the context of Ofgem’s proposed funding reductions in the RIIO-GT3 Draft Determination.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The Cabinet Office frequently engages with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) which is ultimately responsible for the resilience of the energy sector and assessment of Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) against its criticality.
DESNZ works closely with industry counterparts to maintain energy security and ensure industry has the tools at their disposal to support security of supply. As the risk landscape continues to evolve, ensuring high standards of infrastructure resilience and security across the energy sector is a key priority for DESNZ and Ofgem.
DESNZ will continue engaging with Ofgem to ensure RIIO-GT3 delivers the investment needed to maintain energy security and resilience through the price control period.
Asked by: Graham Stuart (Conservative - Beverley and Holderness)
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 risks to national energy security resulting from reduced asset health funding proposed in Ofgem’s RIIO-GT3 Draft Determination.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Ofgem, as the independent regulator, are responsible for agreeing the funding and investment allowances for the gas transmission network and gas distribution network. Final decisions regarding the next price control period (RIIO3 – which covers April 2026 - April 2031) will be confirmed by Ofgem before the end of the year.
Through this process, Ofgem has a statutory responsibility to attract investment and maintain security of supply while incentivising efficiency and protecting consumers from excessive costs.
The Department will continue engaging with Ofgem to ensure RIIO-3 delivers the investment needed to maintain energy security through this period. DESNZ launched an Energy Security and Resilience Taskforce with CEOs of critical operators, with Ofgem in attendance, as a key forum to discuss risks and standards.
Asked by: Graham Stuart (Conservative - Beverley and Holderness)
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 implications for the gas transmission network’s cyber security capabilities if it does not receive adequate funding under Ofgem’s RIIO-GT3 price control.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Funding for National Gas Transmission is set by Ofgem’s RIIO (Revenue = Incentives + Innovation + Outputs) framework for each five-year regulatory period. Both the current RIIO-2 framework (covering the 2021-2026 regulatory period) and the draft RIIO-3 framework (which will cover 2026-2030) include a Cyber Resilience UIOLI (‘Use it or lose it’) allowance, providing flexible funding capped at up to 20% of total expenditure for network companies to improve cyber resilience.
While arrangements for RIIO-3 are still being finalised, the framework is expected to include a re-opener enabling National Gas Transmission to request changes to cyber resilience funding during the 2026-2030 price control period.
Asked by: Graham Stuart (Conservative - Beverley and Holderness)
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 gas transmission network’s potential ability to meet rising electricity demand from AI and data centres if it does not receive adequate funding under Ofgem’s RIIO-GT3 price control.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Ofgem, as the independent regulator, are responsible for agreeing the funding and investment allowances for the gas transmission network and gas distribution network. Final decisions regarding the next price control period (RIIO3 – which covers April 2026 - April 2031) will be confirmed by Ofgem before the end of the year.
Through this process, Ofgem has a statutory responsibility to attract investment and maintain security of supply while incentivising efficiency and protecting consumers from excessive costs.
Ofgem advised in their draft determinations for RIIO-3 that funding for projects supporting rising electricity demand, including those driven by AI and data centres, will be considered where appropriate evidence is submitted, and will be confirmed in their final determinations.
Asked by: Graham Stuart (Conservative - Beverley and Holderness)
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 risk to the UK’s security of energy supply if the gas transmission network does not receive adequate funding under Ofgem’s RIIO-GT3 price control.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Ofgem, as the independent regulator, are responsible for agreeing the funding and investment allowances for the gas transmission network and gas distribution network. Final decisions regarding the next price control period (RIIO3 – which covers April 2026 - April 2031) will be confirmed by Ofgem before the end of the year.
Through this process, Ofgem has a statutory responsibility to attract investment and maintain security of supply while incentivising efficiency and protecting consumers from excessive costs.
The Department will continue engaging with Ofgem to ensure RIIO-3 delivers the investment needed to maintain energy security through this period. DESNZ launched an Energy Security and Resilience Taskforce with CEOs of critical operators, with Ofgem in attendance, as a key forum to discuss risks and standards.