Asked by: Henry Tufnell (Labour - Mid and South Pembrokeshire)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department plans to take to ensure that Physical Infrastructure Access fees structures enable the wider roll out of full fibre broadband to rural areas.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The government is committed to delivering 2030 nationwide gigabit connectivity, including in rural areas. The government's strategy supports market entry and expansion by alternative network operators via access to Openreach’s ducts, poles, and other utility infrastructure, through the Physical Infrastructure Access (PIA) framework.
Ofcom governs the PIA framework, with powers to impose access conditions on electronic communications networks, enabling third party infrastructure access on fair and reasonable terms, conditions and charges, and without undue discrimination.
The government supports this framework but will not intervene in independent Ofcom decisions regarding the PIA fee pricing structure.
Asked by: Henry Tufnell (Labour - Mid and South Pembrokeshire)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether his Department has made an assessment of the (a) potential impact of Physical Infrastructure Access fees on the rollout of full fibre broadband to rural areas by Alternative Network Providers and (b) the adequacy of the Physical Infrastructure Access fee pricing structure.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The government is committed to delivering 2030 nationwide gigabit connectivity, including in rural areas. The government's strategy supports market entry and expansion by alternative network operators via access to Openreach’s ducts, poles, and other utility infrastructure, through the Physical Infrastructure Access (PIA) framework.
Ofcom governs the PIA framework, with powers to impose access conditions on electronic communications networks, enabling third party infrastructure access on fair and reasonable terms, conditions and charges, and without undue discrimination.
The government supports this framework but will not intervene in independent Ofcom decisions regarding the PIA fee pricing structure.
Asked by: Henry Tufnell (Labour - Mid and South Pembrokeshire)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many civil legal aid offices with a civil legal aid contract started zero cases by each (a) local authority and (b) area of law in the (i) 2022-23, (ii) 2023-24 and (iii) 2024-25 financial year.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The requested information can be found in the attached table.
Data for 2024-2025 is a year-to-date figure reflective of the work reported between 1 April 2024 to 31 January, inclusive. As such it is not directly comparable with 2022-23 and 2023-24. Please note that the Legal Aid Agency (LAA) commissions and monitors the provision of legal aid services by ‘Procurement Area’ rather than by local authority. Procurement areas differ for different categories of law.
The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) publishes information about the number of providers and offices which hold a legal aid contract and number of legal aid offices completing work in each period as part of its official statistics [see tables 9.1-9.8].
Asked by: Henry Tufnell (Labour - Mid and South Pembrokeshire)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps she is taking to reduce civil court backlogs.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The courts, as the cornerstone of the civil justice system, play a crucial role in supporting economic growth, enabling businesses and citizens to resolve disputes in a timely fashion and uphold their rights.
Though most civil claims made in the county courts result in a default judgment or out-of-court settlement, there have been long standing challenges with delays in the 3% of claims that require a full trial. HM Courts & Tribunals Service is working in partnership with the judiciary to address this.
We have increased the use of mediation, making mediation a requirement in all defended claims for under £10,000. This enables more claims to reach a consensual resolution at an earlier stage and frees up resource to deal with those claims that require judicial determination. In addition, increased digital working through our reformed systems allow money claims, including those involving businesses with legal representation, to reach trial readiness over three times quicker than paper claims.
Asked by: Henry Tufnell (Labour - Mid and South Pembrokeshire)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many civil legal aid offices with a civil legal aid contract started less than five cases by each (a) local authority and (b) area of law in the (i) 2022-23, (ii) 2023-24 and (iii) 2024-25 financial year.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
The requested information can be found in the attached table.
Data for 2024-2025 is a year-to-date figure reflective of the work reported between 1 April 2024 to 31 January, inclusive. As such it is not directly comparable with 2022-23 and 2023-24. Please note that the Legal Aid Agency (LAA) commissions and monitors the provision of legal aid services by ‘Procurement Area’ rather than by local authority. Procurement areas differ for different categories of law.
The Legal Aid Agency (LAA) publishes information about the number of providers and offices which hold a legal aid contract and number of legal aid offices completing work in each period as part of its official statistics [see tables 9.1-9.8].
Asked by: Henry Tufnell (Labour - Mid and South Pembrokeshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what support his department is providing to members of the public who have concerns regarding the quality of insulation and energy efficiency measures fitted through government schemes such as ECO4.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
All installations under Government energy efficiency schemes, including the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme, must be carried out by a TrustMark registered business. Installations of low carbon measures must be carried out in accordance with the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) requirements.
TrustMark has set out a route to redress for any issues arising from measures installed under the scheme, which can be found at: www.trustmark.org.uk/homeowner/support/complaints-process
Asked by: Henry Tufnell (Labour - Mid and South Pembrokeshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department has issued guidance to installation companies on the standards to which insulation and energy efficiency measures should be installed under government schemes.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Energy efficiency measures installed in households under current Government schemes must be done in accordance with the Publicly Available Specification (PAS) 2030 and PAS 2035 standards.
Installers under Government schemes must also be TrustMark registered. As the only Government endorsed quality scheme, TrustMark ensures compliance with the overarching PAS 2035 process and setting clear requirements to protect consumers across the multiple sectors operating in the energy efficiency market.
Asked by: Henry Tufnell (Labour - Mid and South Pembrokeshire)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of measures in the Autumn Budget 2024 affecting the physical activity sector on (a) health and wellbeing and (b) economic inactivity of people aged between 18 and 24.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Our mission-led Government puts children and young people at the heart of our priorities. This includes breaking down barriers to opportunity for young people to access high-quality sport and physical activity, especially those who are less likely to be active.
Sport and physical activity plays a vital role in driving positive public health outcomes. There is also a well-evidenced positive relationship between physical activity, employment and earnings, with being physically active increasing a person’s likelihood of being employed.
In the Autumn Budget, the Government committed to support grassroots sport by investing £123 million into the UK-wide Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme in 2024/25, which will support more people to get active wherever they live.
Additionally, the Government's plan to Get Britain Working includes a new Youth Guarantee for all young people aged 18-21 to ensure that they can access quality training opportunities, an apprenticeship or help to find work.
Asked by: Henry Tufnell (Labour - Mid and South Pembrokeshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to reduce child poverty in rural areas.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
We are committed to delivering our manifesto commitment to tackle child poverty which is why we have set up a Ministerial Taskforce that is urgently working to publish the Child Poverty Strategy in Spring 2025.
Our publication on 23 October ‘Tackling Child Poverty: Developing our Strategy’ sets out how we will develop the Strategy, harnessing all available levers to deliver a reduction in child poverty this Parliament.
The Strategy will look at policies across four key themes of increasing incomes, reducing essential costs, increasing financial resilience, and better local support especially in the early years. This will build on the reform plans underway across government and work underway in Devolved Governments.
The Taskforce will hear directly from experts across the UK on each of the Strategy’s themes including children and families living in poverty and work with leading organisations, charities, and campaigners.
Alongside the work of the Taskforce, we are continuing to provide substantial funding to Local Authorities to support those most in need. At the Autumn Budget 2024, the Government announced that £1 billion, including Barnett impact, will be invested to extend the Household Support Fund (HSF) in England by a full year until 31 March 2026, and to maintain Discretionary Housing Payments in England and Wales. This enables Local Authorities to provide discretionary support to those most in need towards the cost of essentials, such as food, energy and water.
The government knows how important bus services are to local communities and knows that buses can be a lifeline in particular for those in rural areas. We have set out a plan to deliver better buses throughout England by giving local leaders the tools they need and empowering them to ensure bus services reflect the needs of the communities they serve, including through the introduction of the Buses Bill later in this parliamentary session. The government also recognises the importance of providing funding to support and drive improvements to bus services over the longer-term. In the Budget we confirmed over £1 billion of funding to support and improve bus services, and keep fares affordable in England outside London.
Asked by: Henry Tufnell (Labour - Mid and South Pembrokeshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much her Department expects to raise from the introduction of a Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism in (a) 2027, (b) 2028, (c) 2029 and (d) 2030.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The government will introduce the UK Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) on 1 January 2027.
The UK CBAM will ensure highly traded, carbon intensive products from overseas face a comparable carbon price to those produced here, making sure that UK decarbonisation efforts lead to a true reduction in global emissions rather than simply displacing carbon emissions overseas.
The UK CBAM is designed to reduce the risk of carbon leakage. The aim of the UK CBAM is not to raise revenue. However, in the Office for Budget Responsibility’s most recent Economic and Fiscal Outlook, they forecast the UK CBAM to raise £43m in 2026-27, £184m in 2027-28, £221m in 2028-29, and £223m in 2029-30.