Hywel Williams Portrait

Hywel Williams

Plaid Cymru - Arfon

First elected: 7th June 2001

Shadow PC Spokesperson (Cabinet Office)

(since June 2017)

Shadow PC Spokesperson (International Trade)

(since June 2017)

Shadow PC Spokesperson (Work and Pensions)

(since May 2001)

Shadow PC Spokesperson (Foreign Affairs)

(since July 2020)

Shadow PC Spokesperson (Defence)

(since July 2020)

Shadow PC Spokesperson (International Development)

(since July 2020)

Shadow PC Chief Whip

(since July 2020)

Powers of Attorney Bill
22nd Feb 2023 - 1st Mar 2023
Health and Care Bill
7th Sep 2021 - 2nd Nov 2021
Speaker's Advisory Committee on Works of Art
20th May 2020 - 15th Oct 2021
Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill
12th May 2021 - 24th Jun 2021
Shadow PC Spokesperson (Brexit)
1st Jun 2017 - 21st Jul 2020
Speaker's Advisory Committee on Works of Art
12th Dec 2017 - 6th Nov 2019
Committee on the Future Relationship with the European Union
11th Sep 2017 - 6th Nov 2019
Committee on Exiting the European Union
11th Sep 2017 - 6th Nov 2019
Shadow PC Spokesperson (International Development)
10th May 2004 - 1st Jun 2017
Shadow PC Spokesperson (Foreign and Commonwealth Office/Europe)
8th May 2015 - 1st Jun 2017
Shadow PC Spokesperson (Defence)
8th May 2015 - 1st Jun 2017
Shadow PC Spokesperson (Culture, Media and Sport)
8th May 2015 - 1st Jun 2017
Plaid Cymru Westminster Leader
12th Oct 2015 - 1st Jun 2017
Speaker's Advisory Committee on Works of Art
1st Jul 2015 - 3rd May 2017
Panel of Chairs
24th May 2005 - 17th Sep 2015
Shadow PC Spokesperson (Health)
10th May 2001 - 30th Mar 2015
Shadow PC Spokesperson (Education)
10th Jun 2005 - 30th Mar 2015
Speaker's Advisory Committee on Works of Art
18th Nov 2010 - 30th Mar 2015
Science, Innovation and Technology Committee
27th Feb 2012 - 20th Oct 2014
Science and Technology Committee
27th Feb 2012 - 20th Oct 2014
Science and Technology Committee (Commons)
27th Feb 2012 - 20th Oct 2014
Welsh Affairs Committee
6th Jan 2014 - 10th Mar 2014
Shadow Spokesperson (Cabinet Office)
18th Jun 2010 - 18th Mar 2013
Welsh Affairs Committee
26th Jan 2004 - 6th May 2010
Shadow Spokesperson (Culture, Media and Sport)
10th May 2005 - 10th May 2006
Draft Mental Health Bill (Joint Committee)
20th Jul 2004 - 11th Jul 2005


Division Voting information

During the current Parliament, Hywel Williams has voted in 724 divisions, and 1 time against the majority of their Party.

10 Jan 2022 - Charter for Budget Responsibility and Welfare Cap - View Vote Context
Hywel Williams voted No - against a party majority - in line with the party majority and against the House
One of 2 Plaid Cymru No votes vs 1 Plaid Cymru Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 309 Noes - 206
View All Hywel Williams Division Votes

Debates during the 2019 Parliament

Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.

Sparring Partners
Boris Johnson (Conservative)
(22 debate interactions)
Michael Gove (Conservative)
Minister for Intergovernmental Relations
(15 debate interactions)
Victoria Atkins (Conservative)
Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
(13 debate interactions)
View All Sparring Partners
Department Debates
Cabinet Office
(37 debate contributions)
Department for Work and Pensions
(36 debate contributions)
Home Office
(35 debate contributions)
HM Treasury
(34 debate contributions)
View All Department Debates
Legislation Debates
Media Bill 2023-24
(4,516 words contributed)
Health and Care Act 2022
(4,380 words contributed)
View All Legislation Debates
View all Hywel Williams's debates

Arfon Petitions

e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.

If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.

If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).

Petition Debates Contributed

Ensure any ban fully includes trans people and all forms of conversion therapy.

Endometriosis and PCOS are two gynaecological conditions which both affect 10% of women worldwide, but both are, in terms of research and funding, incredibly under prioritised. This petition is calling for more funding, to enable for new, extensive and thorough research into female health issues.

I would like the Government to:
• make running conversion therapy in the UK a criminal offence
• forcing people to attend said conversion therapies a criminal offence
• sending people abroad in order to try to convert them a criminal offence
• protect individuals from conversion therapy


Latest EDMs signed by Hywel Williams

25th March 2024
Hywel Williams signed this EDM as a sponsor on Tuesday 26th March 2024

90th anniversary of the Wiener Holocaust Library

Tabled by: Kirsten Oswald (Scottish National Party - East Renfrewshire)
That this House commends the brilliant work and resources of the Wiener Holocaust Library, located on Russell Square, London; notes the Library is one of the world’s foremost and extensive archives on the Holocaust, Nazi era, and genocide; understands the Library was founded in 1934 by Dr Alfred Wiener, a …
7 signatures
(Most recent: 26 Mar 2024)
Signatures by party:
Scottish National Party: 4
Plaid Cymru: 3
25th March 2024
Hywel Williams signed this EDM as a sponsor on Tuesday 26th March 2024

No Falls Week 2024

Tabled by: Alison Thewliss (Scottish National Party - Glasgow Central)
That the House marks No Falls Week 2024, which takes place between 13 and 17 May 2024; acknowledges that this week is an opportunity to recognise the powerful grassroots campaign dedicated to promoting safe working at height, providing an opportunity for organisations in all sectors to focus on working at …
8 signatures
(Most recent: 26 Mar 2024)
Signatures by party:
Scottish National Party: 4
Plaid Cymru: 3
Democratic Unionist Party: 1
View All Hywel Williams's signed Early Day Motions

Commons initiatives

These initiatives were driven by Hywel Williams, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.

MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.


Hywel Williams has not been granted any Urgent Questions

Hywel Williams has not been granted any Adjournment Debates

2 Bills introduced by Hywel Williams


A Bill to establish a system of licensing for drivers of jet skis; to create the offence of driving a jet ski without a licence; and for connected purposes.

Commons - 20%

Last Event - 1st Reading
Tuesday 10th November 2020
(Read Debate)

The Bill failed to complete its passage through Parliament before the end of the session. This means the Bill will make no further progress. A Bill to require the Secretary of State to report annually on the representativeness in respect of relevant postcode districts of weather stations designated for the purpose of calculating cold weather payments and to conduct a study of alternative methods of calculating cold weather in each postcode district; and for connected purposes.

Commons - 20%

Last Event - 1st Reading: House Of Commons
Tuesday 16th October 2018
(Read Debate)

Latest 50 Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department
5 Other Department Questions
17th Apr 2023
To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Restoration and Renewal Client Board, what the estimated cost is of delivering Parliament’s restoration and renewal programme.

The Delivery Authority and Parliament's R&R Client Team have been working to the mandate set out in the resolutions of both Houses in July 2022 and the Parliamentary Buildings (Restoration and Renewal) Act 2019.

In line with the mandate set by the Houses, the Delivery Authority is currently developing a wide range of options for the restoration and renewal work. These options will be considered by the R&R Programme Board and the R&R Client Board in the coming months.

Both Houses will be asked to approve a way forward later this year and will receive high-level cost and schedule information to inform this decision.

17th Mar 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment she has made of the potential merits of re-establishing the Leveson Part Two inquiry.

In 2017, the Government ran a consultation on whether to continue with Part 2 of the Leveson Inquiry. Having taken into account all of the views and evidence, we announced in 2018 that we would not be taking forward Part 2 of the Leveson Inquiry.

The Leveson Inquiry and subsequent police investigations were comprehensive with more than 300 people giving evidence to the Inquiry and over 40 people convicted during the three major investigations. Reopening the Inquiry would cost millions and we believe it is no longer appropriate, proportionate, or in the public interest to do so. There have been extensive reforms to policing practices, as well as significant changes to press self-regulation.

Julia Lopez
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
17th Mar 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of whether the Independent Press Standards Organisation has met the recommendations set out in the independent report entitled Leveson Inquiry: Report into the culture, practices and ethics of the press, published on 29 November 2012.

The Government is committed to independent self-regulation of the press, and does not intervene in or oversee the work of the press regulators. Sir Joseph Pilling’s 2016 review found IPSO has made some important achievements in demonstrating it is an independent and effective regulator, and it has made further progress since then.

Julia Lopez
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
17th Mar 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Independent Press Standards Organisation in investigating allegations of illegality and wrongdoing.

The Government is committed to independent self-regulation of the press, and does not intervene in or oversee the work of the press regulators. Sir Joseph Pilling’s 2016 review found IPSO has made some important achievements in demonstrating it is an independent and effective regulator, and it has made further progress since then.

Julia Lopez
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
12th May 2022
To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the House of Commons Commission, what the cost to the House administration has been in (a) preparing and conducting the State Opening of Parliament and (b) providing officials with ceremonial garments for the State Opening of Parliament in each of the last five years.

The main costs incurred for State Opening relate to maintenance works to support areas such as broadcasting and digital, as well as the installation works for the Royal Gallery, Robing Room, House of Lords Chamber and other areas. Costs are incurred for labour, both directly employed and specialist contractors, as well as transportation for items held in storage off site and the works required to the security barriers around St Stephens entrance.

Costs are split between the House of Commons, who pay 60%, and the House of Lords, who pay 40%. The table shows the House of Commons share for the last five years. Data for May 2022 is not yet available. In 2018 and 2020 there was no State Opening, while there were two in 2019.

£, House of Commons share

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

Staff salaries

25,216

0

33,516

0

18,740

Other staff costs

224

0

0

0

309

Direct works

125,545

4,374

320,090

-594

107,628

Other

10,341

11,050

0

10,622

10,710

Total (House of Commons)

161,326

15,424

353,606

10,028

137,387


Other minor identifiable costs for the House of Commons not related to maintenance for State Opening in 2022 are shown in the table below.

Security pass provision (Commons share of 70%): £2,500

British Sign Language provision and audio description: £1,400


Ceremonial dress is purchased for roles in the House of Commons when needed during the year or when postholders change. Data on ceremonial uniform costs cannot be separated from other uniform spending.

Chamber related teams, including Clerks, the Speaker and their office, the Serjeant and their team of doorkeepers, require uniform supplies throughout the year. Total uniform expenditure for these functions over the last five years is shown below. Most of this spend relates to uniform for day to day use during the normal business of the House as well as supporting events and work outside the Chamber.

2017/18

2018/19

2019/20

2020/21

2021/22

Uniform expenditure (Clerks, Speaker team, Serjeant team)

£17,824

£13,403

£25,607

£25,197

£23,285

This answer does not represent the full cost of State Opening, or costs directly incurred by the House of Lords. Costs will also have been incurred by other bodies, which may include Westminster City Council, the Metropolitan Police and the Royal Household.

26th Apr 2023
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate he has made of the expected cost to businesses in (a) England, (b) Wales and (c) Scotland of requirements for (i) Export Health Certificates for EU imports into Great Britain, (ii) Phytosanitary Certificates and physical checks on most remaining SPS goods at Border Control Posts and (iii) Safety and Security declaration requirements on EU imports into Great Britain.

In April the Government published a draft version of the Border Target Operating Model, in collaboration with the Scottish and Welsh Governments, that will introduce a new world-class border system from October 2023. It will implement vital border controls that will protect the UK from security and biosecurity threats, while preventing delays at the border through a reduction in the need for physical checks and by ensuring that checks take place away from ports where this is needed to allow traffic to flow freely. To limit the burden on businesses, our new proposed risk-based global model will use data and technology to simplify and streamline import trade processes.

Many low-risk animals and plant products will not require any certificates or physical checks, which will make them significantly easier to import than under the previously proposed model or the EU model. By minimising costs and preventing delays at the border, we estimate it could save UK importers around £400m each year compared to the previously proposed model as stated in the Borders Target Operating Model. Through the Single Trade Window, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and other businesses will only need to submit their data once and in one place - simplifying their experience when interacting with the Government and significantly reducing the administrative burden.

We are now in a period of engagement with businesses across the UK so we can hear their views on our draft proposals and work with them to explore the costs of implementing the new model. We do not have detailed data on the location of businesses which import SPS products, but expect that the costs of both the SPS and S&S regulatory requirements will be proportional to the distribution of imports across the countries of Great Britain.

Alex Burghart
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
17th Apr 2023
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many peerages have been conferred in each of the last five years.

The number of peerages conferred in each of the last five years are:

  • 2019 - 23 peers;

  • 2020 - 58 peers;

  • 2021 - 4 peers;

  • 2022 - 33 peers;

  • 2023 - 1 peerage. [1]

It is a long-standing convention that the main political parties may nominate individuals to the House of Lords. Individuals are nominated in recognition of their contribution to society and their public and political service, and peers are appointed to further contribute to public service in Parliament.

[1] On 9 March 2023 His Majesty The King conferred the Dukedom of Edinburgh upon The Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex and Forfar, on the occasion of His Royal Highness's 59th birthday.

Alex Burghart
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
17th Jan 2023
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent discussions he has had with the Welsh Government on their request that (a) concurrent-plus and (b) commencement powers in the Procurement Bill be amended.

We have worked closely with Welsh ministers: the Minister of State and the Parliamentary Secretary of the Cabinet Office most recently met the Minister for Finance and Local Government for the Welsh Government in December and my officials are working very closely to discuss the Procurement Bill.

There is regular engagement through the Common Framework for Public Procurement, which was established post-Brexit and is used to discuss emerging themes in policy and legislation relating to procurement.

Alex Burghart
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
16th Jan 2023
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will take steps to ensure that training produced by his Department to support businesses with the delivery of the Procurement Bill will recognise that there will be differences in the procurement regimes operating in England and Wales.

The Procurement Bill will introduce a world leading procurement regime, and fundamentally improve the way public sector organisations buy goods and services.

The Cabinet Office will be providing a comprehensive funded learning and development (L&D) programme to support everyone operating within the new regime to understand what is changing. Recognising that there will be some differences between the procurement regimes operating in England and Wales, Cabinet Office officials will continue to work closely with Welsh Government officials to ensure the content of the L&D materials reflects this appropriately. To enable the programme to be relevant and meaningful to all audiences, fact sheets and supporting resources will be provided to highlight relevant sector and geographical variations.

Alex Burghart
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
7th Mar 2022
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what plans there are for civilian defence in the event of a nuclear attack.

Nuclear rhetoric from Russia is unhelpful. It is designed to deter and distract from its barbaric invasion of Ukraine. The Government continues to call on Russia to de-escalate, starting by ceasing its assault on Ukraine and withdrawing its forces.

The UK has well developed contingency plans to respond to a wide range of eventualities. The plans and supporting arrangements have been developed, refined and tested over many years. The UK’s plans are risk-based and built on the principle of generic capabilities which are able to respond to a wide range of events, augmented by specific, niche capabilities, where needed and warranted by the risk. The scale of these capabilities is driven by classified planning assumptions derived from the UK’s National Security Risk Assessment. A public facing version is published in the form of the National Risk Register.

18th Aug 2021
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what progress the Government has made on preparations for the public inquiry into the Government's response to the covid-19 pandemic, announced on 21 May 2021.

On 12 May, the Prime Minister confirmed that a public inquiry into COVID-19 would be established on a statutory basis, with full formal powers, and that it will begin its work in spring 2022.

Further details will be set out in due course.

Penny Mordaunt
Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
15th Jul 2021
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of Warrington Inland Border Facility’s capacity to undertake sanitary and phytosanitary checks in the event that a Border Control Post at Parc Cybi is not operational by January 2022.

There has been engagement with Welsh Government counterparts - as well as weekly engagement at official level - about the inland border sites in North Wales. Provision of Border Control Posts for SPS checks is a devolved matter. However, Defra, HMRC, Wales Office, and Welsh Government are working constructively to define an appropriate control regime for customs and biosecurity checks to be in place and operational at the sites in Parc Cybi from 1 January.

The Warrington Inland Border Facility has been operational since January 2021 and has the capacity to handle more than 700 goods vehicle movements per day for customs checks. Together with other inland border facilities, such as Birmingham and Sevington, there is more than adequate capacity to accommodate any shortfall capacity at Welsh ports and inland sites in January 2022, should this be needed.

Penny Mordaunt
Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
15th Jul 2021
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what discussions has he had with the Welsh Government regarding the establishment of a Border Control Post at Parc Cybi.

There has been engagement with Welsh Government counterparts - as well as weekly engagement at official level - about the inland border sites in North Wales. Provision of Border Control Posts for SPS checks is a devolved matter. However, Defra, HMRC, Wales Office, and Welsh Government are working constructively to define an appropriate control regime for customs and biosecurity checks to be in place and operational at the sites in Parc Cybi from 1 January.

The Warrington Inland Border Facility has been operational since January 2021 and has the capacity to handle more than 700 goods vehicle movements per day for customs checks. Together with other inland border facilities, such as Birmingham and Sevington, there is more than adequate capacity to accommodate any shortfall capacity at Welsh ports and inland sites in January 2022, should this be needed.

Penny Mordaunt
Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
8th Jul 2021
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much each Department has spent on Union Flags in (a) Wales, (b) Scotland and (c) England in each year since 2018.

The information requested is not held centrally.

11th Jun 2021
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Answer of 21 January 2021 to Question 138883 on: UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement, if he will publish an update on the formation of a Parliamentary Partnership Assembly with the European Parliament as outlined in Article INST.5 of the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement.

We welcome dialogue between Parliament and the European Parliament. At the first meeting of the Partnership Council last week, both we and the EU encouraged continuing work on the establishment of the Parliamentary Partnership Assembly, and noted its importance.

Work is ongoing between members of this House and the Other Place. We look forward to their proposals so that we can support the early establishment of the Assembly.

Penny Mordaunt
Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
25th Mar 2021
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what estimate his Department has made of the number of SMEs in Wales that have been unable to export goods to the EU since 1 January 2021.

Further to my answer to PQ 160771 on 11 March 2021, the Government does not hold information on the number of businesses, if any, who have been unable to export goods to the EU since 1 January 2021. However, as the Office for National Statistics trade statistics to February, released this week, have shown, goods exports to the EU are now getting close to their average 2020 monthly levels once again. We continue to offer a wide range of support to businesses exporting to the EU. This includes the £20m SME Brexit Support Fund, which provides access to grants and practical support.

Penny Mordaunt
Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
25th Mar 2021
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department is taking to encourage hauliers to transport goods from SMEs in the UK to consumers in the EU.

The Government has regular dialogue with representatives of the haulage sector and general business representative organisations through the Brexit Business Taskforce.

The Government is offering various avenues of support to hauliers, including over 20 helplines to provide advice to specific sectors. We have also published a Haulier Handbook - translated into 13 different languages - to provide information and advice to hauliers on how they can get ready for changes at the GB-EU border. This is in addition to the 46 Information and Advice sites across the UK.

The Government continues to provide support for businesses, as outlined in the statement made by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on Thursday 11 February in which he announced the launch of the £20m SME Brexit Support Fund, which has been met with support from SMEs and provides them with access to grants and practical support.

Penny Mordaunt
Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
25th Mar 2021
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department is taking to reduce export (a) costs and (b) delays for hauliers transporting small quantities of goods directly from SMEs in the UK to consumers in the EU.

The Government has regular dialogue with representatives of the haulage sector and general business representative organisations through the Brexit Business Taskforce.

The Government is offering various avenues of support to hauliers, including over 20 helplines to provide advice to specific sectors. We have also published a Haulier Handbook - translated into 13 different languages - to provide information and advice to hauliers on how they can get ready for changes at the GB-EU border. This is in addition to the 46 Information and Advice sites across the UK.

The Government continues to provide support for businesses, as outlined in the statement made by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on Thursday 11 February in which he announced the launch of the £20m SME Brexit Support Fund, which has been met with support from SMEs and provides them with access to grants and practical support.

Penny Mordaunt
Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
25th Mar 2021
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent assessment he has made of the effect of the current export arrangements between the UK and the EU on the ability of hauliers to transport small quantities of goods directly from SMEs in the UK to consumers in the EU.

The Government has regular dialogue with representatives of the haulage sector and general business representative organisations through the Brexit Business Taskforce.

The Government is offering various avenues of support to hauliers, including over 20 helplines to provide advice to specific sectors. We have also published a Haulier Handbook - translated into 13 different languages - to provide information and advice to hauliers on how they can get ready for changes at the GB-EU border. This is in addition to the 46 Information and Advice sites across the UK.

The Government continues to provide support for businesses, as outlined in the statement made by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on Thursday 11 February in which he announced the launch of the £20m SME Brexit Support Fund, which has been met with support from SMEs and provides them with access to grants and practical support.

Penny Mordaunt
Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
9th Mar 2021
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, on what dates the UK and Welsh Governments held discussions on procurement of supplies and services relating to the covid-19 pandemic since 1 March 2020.

The UK government has been committed to working closely with the devolved administrations and there have been regular discussions throughout the Covid response, including in relation to the procurement of supplies and services.

We have procured vaccines for the whole of the UK, and provided testing capacity to all of the Devolved Administrations, including operating testing sites across the UK. Mutual aid and cooperation across and between all four nations has been a key part of ensuring PPE gets to where it is needed.

Julia Lopez
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
10th Feb 2021
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent assessment his Department has made of the Government’s compliance with the applicant blind principle of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to PQ 120952 on 30 November 2020.

In a three month period between July and September 2020, departments received around 8,000 freedom of information requests and responded to almost 90% of them within 20 working days or with a permitted extension. This reflects the Government’s commitment to fulfill its freedom of information obligations despite the pressures of responding to COVID-19.

The FOI statistics for October to November 2020, and the annual statistics for 2020, will be published in April 2021, at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/government-foi-statistics

10th Feb 2021
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department is taking to improve the Government’s response rate to Freedom of Information requests.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to PQ 120952 on 30 November 2020.

In a three month period between July and September 2020, departments received around 8,000 freedom of information requests and responded to almost 90% of them within 20 working days or with a permitted extension. This reflects the Government’s commitment to fulfill its freedom of information obligations despite the pressures of responding to COVID-19.

The FOI statistics for October to November 2020, and the annual statistics for 2020, will be published in April 2021, at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/government-foi-statistics

25th Jan 2021
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent assessment he has made of the effect of the covid-19 outbreak on the census.

The Office of National Statistics (ONS) have kept ministers up-to-date on their Census preparations throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.

The ONS have recently published an update on how everyone can be safely counted in Census 2021.

For more information please see:

https://www.ons.gov.uk/news/statementsandletters/census2021andcoronavirus.

18th Jan 2021
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of including representatives of the (a) Senedd Cymru, (b) Scottish Parliament and (c) Northern Ireland Assembly in the membership of a potential Parliamentary Partnership Assembly with the European Parliament.

The Trade and Cooperation Agreement states that the European Parliament and the Parliament of the United Kingdom may, if they so choose, establish a Parliamentary Partnership Assembly consisting of Members of the European Parliament and of Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

The exact membership of this Assembly would be for the European Parliament and the Parliament of the United Kingdom to determine. The UK Government is committed to continue working closely with the devolved administrations to ensure that our relationship with the EU works in the interests of citizens and businesses across the whole of the UK.

Penny Mordaunt
Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
18th Jan 2021
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department plans to develop a Parliamentary Partnership Assembly with the European Parliament as outlined in Article INST.5 of the UK-EU Trade Cooperation Agreement.

The Trade and Cooperation Agreement states that the European Parliament and the Parliament of the United Kingdom may, if they so choose, establish a Parliamentary Partnership Assembly consisting of Members of the European Parliament and of Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.

The exact membership of this Assembly would be for the European Parliament and the Parliament of the United Kingdom to determine. The UK Government is committed to continue working closely with the devolved administrations to ensure that our relationship with the EU works in the interests of citizens and businesses across the whole of the UK.

Penny Mordaunt
Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
13th Jan 2021
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what progress the Government is making on the publication of the Dunlop Review on the UK Government's Union capability.

Lord Dunlop’s review will be published in due course, alongside a full response from the Government.

Ministers and officials are in discussion regularly with the Welsh Government on a range of topics so we can work together to the benefit of all citizens of the United Kingdom.

13th Jan 2021
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what discussions he has had with the Welsh Government on the Dunlop Review on the UK Government's Union capability.

Lord Dunlop’s review will be published in due course, alongside a full response from the Government.

Ministers and officials are in discussion regularly with the Welsh Government on a range of topics so we can work together to the benefit of all citizens of the United Kingdom.

13th Jan 2021
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Minister of State for the Constitution and Devolution's statement on 13 January, what is the definition of a high bar for a potential delay to the May 2021 elections.

Primary legislation states that the elections will go ahead in May 2021. Many of these elections have already been delayed by a year. Voters have a right to be heard and to decide who governs them.

Such a policy intention should rightly be reviewed in light of the changing public health situation and we are taking steps to assure ourselves that polls can be delivered. The Government is continuing to work closely with the electoral sector, public health bodies and political parties to identify and resolve challenges in the successful delivery of the polls this May. Indeed, proper preparedness is the very thing that opposition parties have called for – and this is precisely what we are undertaking.

As I stated to the House, I will ensure Hon. Members are kept updated once we have completed this work.

17th Dec 2020
If he will bring forward proposals to amend Schedule 2, Part 1 of The Census (England) Regulations 2020 to include Welsh as an option to census questions on (a) main language and (b) language proficiency.

The Census questions to be used in England and Wales follow recommendations from the Office for National Statistics, based on an extensive three-year programme of consultation and research which included consideration of Welsh language skills questions. With Census Day around three months away, preparations are now well underway and it is not possible to change any questions at this late stage.

The UK government supports the ambition of the Welsh government to have one million Welsh speakers by 2050 and Census 2021 will provide valuable information on progress towards this objective.

Penny Mordaunt
Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
19th Nov 2020
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to achieve the delivery of new port infrastructure projects for (a) Hull, (b) Immingham and (c) Plymouth by 1 July 2021.

The Government is working closely with ports to ensure they have the required infrastructure ready for the end of the transition period. Details of the recipients of the Port Infrastructure Fund will be announced in due course.

I refer the hon. Member to the published Border Operating Model, available on gov.uk and the statement made by my Rt Hon friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 23 September.

For January 2021, HMRC is putting in place temporary arrangements to support Common Transit Convention movements through Holyhead. For July 2021, there needs to be a multi-functional site dealing with transit, customs and SPS checks to serve Holyhead. Details will be announced in due course.

Penny Mordaunt
Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
18th Nov 2020
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department has conducted an assessment of the readiness of UK ports and their associated infrastructure in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a trade deal.

The Government is working closely with ports to ensure they have the required infrastructure ready for the end of the transition period. Details of the recipients of the Port Infrastructure Fund will be announced in due course.

I refer the hon. Member to the published Border Operating Model, available on gov.uk and the statement made by my Rt Hon friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 23 September.

For January 2021, HMRC is putting in place temporary arrangements to support Common Transit Convention movements through Holyhead. For July 2021, there needs to be a multi-functional site dealing with transit, customs and SPS checks to serve Holyhead. Details will be announced in due course.

Penny Mordaunt
Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
18th Nov 2020
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the Port of Holyhead’s state of readiness for the UK’s changed trading status in (a) January and (b) July 2021.

The Government is working closely with ports to ensure they have the required infrastructure ready for the end of the transition period. Details of the recipients of the Port Infrastructure Fund will be announced in due course.

I refer the hon. Member to the published Border Operating Model, available on gov.uk and the statement made by my Rt Hon friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 23 September.

For January 2021, HMRC is putting in place temporary arrangements to support Common Transit Convention movements through Holyhead. For July 2021, there needs to be a multi-functional site dealing with transit, customs and SPS checks to serve Holyhead. Details will be announced in due course.

Penny Mordaunt
Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
24th Sep 2020
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to his oral contribution of 23 September 2020, Official Report, column 969, how much funding the Government has allocated to that facility near Holyhead; and what his timetable is for the implementation of those plans.

Further to the comments of the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 23 September 2020, the 'Check an HGV is ready to cross the border' service is being developed in accordance with the rigorous standards applied to the development of any digital Government service. This includes consultation and engagement with users as well as internal testing. The service has passed successfully into the “beta” phase and is now being subjected to operational testing with users, including businesses. It is on schedule to be ready for December 2020.

On 12 July, the Government announced a funding package in 20/21 for border infrastructure, staffing and IT to ensure GB border systems are fully operational when the UK takes back control of its border after the end of the transition period.

A breakdown will be provided, port by port and region by region, in due course.

Penny Mordaunt
Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
21st Sep 2020
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what internal tests his Department has conducted of the Smart Freight system; and what the outcome of those tests were.

Further to the comments of the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 23 September 2020, the 'Check an HGV is ready to cross the border' service is being developed in accordance with the rigorous standards applied to the development of any digital Government service. This includes consultation and engagement with users as well as internal testing. The service has passed successfully into the “beta” phase and is now being subjected to operational testing with users, including businesses. It is on schedule to be ready for December 2020.

On 12 July, the Government announced a funding package in 20/21 for border infrastructure, staffing and IT to ensure GB border systems are fully operational when the UK takes back control of its border after the end of the transition period.

A breakdown will be provided, port by port and region by region, in due course.

Penny Mordaunt
Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
21st Sep 2020
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the feasibility of the Smart Freight system.

Further to the comments of the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 23 September 2020, the 'Check an HGV is ready to cross the border' service is being developed in accordance with the rigorous standards applied to the development of any digital Government service. This includes consultation and engagement with users as well as internal testing. The service has passed successfully into the “beta” phase and is now being subjected to operational testing with users, including businesses. It is on schedule to be ready for December 2020.

On 12 July, the Government announced a funding package in 20/21 for border infrastructure, staffing and IT to ensure GB border systems are fully operational when the UK takes back control of its border after the end of the transition period.

A breakdown will be provided, port by port and region by region, in due course.

Penny Mordaunt
Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
21st Sep 2020
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department is taking to ensure the success of the Smart Freight system.

Further to the comments of the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 23 September 2020, the 'Check an HGV is ready to cross the border' service is being developed in accordance with the rigorous standards applied to the development of any digital Government service. This includes consultation and engagement with users as well as internal testing. The service has passed successfully into the “beta” phase and is now being subjected to operational testing with users, including businesses. It is on schedule to be ready for December 2020.

On 12 July, the Government announced a funding package in 20/21 for border infrastructure, staffing and IT to ensure GB border systems are fully operational when the UK takes back control of its border after the end of the transition period.

A breakdown will be provided, port by port and region by region, in due course.

Penny Mordaunt
Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
21st Sep 2020
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department has contingency plans to minimise disruption at UK borders in the event that the Smart Freight system fails to work effectively.

Further to the comments of the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 23 September 2020, the 'Check an HGV is ready to cross the border' service is being developed in accordance with the rigorous standards applied to the development of any digital Government service. This includes consultation and engagement with users as well as internal testing. The service has passed successfully into the “beta” phase and is now being subjected to operational testing with users, including businesses. It is on schedule to be ready for December 2020.

On 12 July, the Government announced a funding package in 20/21 for border infrastructure, staffing and IT to ensure GB border systems are fully operational when the UK takes back control of its border after the end of the transition period.

A breakdown will be provided, port by port and region by region, in due course.

Penny Mordaunt
Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
16th Jul 2020
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the policy paper entitled, The Border Operating Model Border, published on 13 July 2020, whether Smart Freight Service would be required for vehicles travelling from Welsh ports to (a) the Republic of Ireland and (b) via the Republic of Ireland to Northern Ireland.

The use of the Smart Freight Service will be recommended but not compulsory in respect of the movement of goods between Welsh ports and the Republic of Ireland, and will not apply to the movement of goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The Government has invited businesses, including businesses in Wales, to participate in user testing for the Smart Freight Service, and continues to engage with the Welsh Government regarding preparations for the end of the Transition Period.

Penny Mordaunt
Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
16th Jul 2020
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the policy paper entitled, The Border Operating Model Border, published on 13 July 2020, whether the use of the Smart Freight System will apply in Wales; and what consultation it has had with (a) the Welsh Government and (b) businesses in Wales on the Smart Freight System.

The use of the Smart Freight Service will be recommended but not compulsory in respect of the movement of goods between Welsh ports and the Republic of Ireland, and will not apply to the movement of goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The Government has invited businesses, including businesses in Wales, to participate in user testing for the Smart Freight Service, and continues to engage with the Welsh Government regarding preparations for the end of the Transition Period.

Penny Mordaunt
Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
9th Jul 2020
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent assessment the Government has made of the preparedness of the ports of (a) Holyhead, (b) Milford Haven, (c) Cardiff, (d) Newport, (e) Port Talbot, (f) Fishguard and (g) Swansea to adapt to changes to customs rules and physical checks requirements following the end of the transition period.

Further to the answer by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, the Cabinet Office's Border and Protocol Delivery Group is working with Government departments and with Welsh Government officials and with ports in Wales on their requirements for the end of the Transition Period.

Penny Mordaunt
Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
13th May 2020
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 4 May 2020 to Question 40518 on Coronavirus: Wales, when his Department plans to publish disaggregated data on Government expenditure as at May 2020 on the placing of advertisements in (a) national Welsh media, (b) local and regional Welsh media and (c) Welsh language media since the start of the covid-19 public information campaign.

This is a national campaign, taking place on multiple channels in all four nations of the UK. We will publish expenditure on the whole campaign on a rolling monthly basis on GOV.UK as part of routine government transparency arrangements.

6th May 2020
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will ensure that the future agreement between the UK and EU contains a clause confirming the parties’ legal commitment to the provisions of the Paris Climate Agreement.

The UK is committed to tackling climate change and as COP26 President will work with all partners to deliver the Paris Agreement. As set out in the document outlining our approach to negotiations, the agreement we reach with the EU should reaffirm both parties’ commitments to the Paris Agreement and recognise both sides’ right to decide their own regulation to meet our respective climate goals.

Penny Mordaunt
Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
27th Apr 2020
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department is responsible for co-ordinating the covid-19 public information campaign in (a) Wales, (b) Scotland and (c) Northern Ireland.

The Government has developed a strong national campaign across all four nations of the UK to provide information and reassurance to the public about COVID-19.

This is a cross-government campaign involving multiple departments. It is being coordinated centrally by the Cabinet Office who are working closely with the Devolved Administrations, including with the Welsh Government to ensure campaign materials are translated for use in Wales.

The Cabinet Office publishes expenditure, including on public information campaigns, on a rolling monthly basis on gov.uk as part of routine government transparency arrangements.

27th Apr 2020
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much the Government has spent on placing advertisements in (a) national Welsh media, (b) local and regional Welsh media and (c) Welsh language media since the start of the covid-19 public information campaign.

The Government has developed a strong national campaign across all four nations of the UK to provide information and reassurance to the public about COVID-19.

This is a cross-government campaign involving multiple departments. It is being coordinated centrally by the Cabinet Office who are working closely with the Devolved Administrations, including with the Welsh Government to ensure campaign materials are translated for use in Wales.

The Cabinet Office publishes expenditure, including on public information campaigns, on a rolling monthly basis on gov.uk as part of routine government transparency arrangements.

27th Feb 2020
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what plans he has to ensure that the ethnic groups (a) Welsh Asian and (b) Welsh Black, Caribbean or African are identified under specific sub-headings on the form in the forthcoming Census Order.

The draft Census (England and Wales) Order 2020 was laid in Parliament on 2 March. It sets the date of the Census and the topics on which census questions are to be asked.

Once made, the Order will be followed by Census Regulations for England and for Wales. The Regulations for England will be laid before Parliament. The Regulations for Wales are the responsibility of Welsh Ministers and will be laid before the National Assembly for Wales. The Regulations to be made by the Welsh Ministers will contain the final wording of the questions on Welsh language skills and ethnic group to be asked in the Wales census.

As part of the Census Data Collection and Transformation Programme, the ONS is exploring how to produce census-type statistics more frequently than the decennial census, using other sources of data. The ONS will make a recommendation to the Government in 2023 on the future of the census.

27th Feb 2020
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what plans he has to include a question on Welsh language proficiency in the 2021 Census; and what discussions he has had with the (a) Scottish Government and (b) Northern Ireland Executive on the inclusion of that question in censuses in those nations.

The draft Census (England and Wales) Order 2020 was laid in Parliament on 2 March. It sets the date of the Census and the topics on which census questions are to be asked.

Once made, the Order will be followed by Census Regulations for England and for Wales. The Regulations for England will be laid before Parliament. The Regulations for Wales are the responsibility of Welsh Ministers and will be laid before the National Assembly for Wales. The Regulations to be made by the Welsh Ministers will contain the final wording of the questions on Welsh language skills and ethnic group to be asked in the Wales census.

As part of the Census Data Collection and Transformation Programme, the ONS is exploring how to produce census-type statistics more frequently than the decennial census, using other sources of data. The ONS will make a recommendation to the Government in 2023 on the future of the census.

27th Feb 2020
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what discussions he has had with representatives of the (a) UK Statistics Authority and (b) Office for National Statistics on the future of the Census after 2021; and if he will make a statement.

The draft Census (England and Wales) Order 2020 was laid in Parliament on 2 March. It sets the date of the Census and the topics on which census questions are to be asked.

Once made, the Order will be followed by Census Regulations for England and for Wales. The Regulations for England will be laid before Parliament. The Regulations for Wales are the responsibility of Welsh Ministers and will be laid before the National Assembly for Wales. The Regulations to be made by the Welsh Ministers will contain the final wording of the questions on Welsh language skills and ethnic group to be asked in the Wales census.

As part of the Census Data Collection and Transformation Programme, the ONS is exploring how to produce census-type statistics more frequently than the decennial census, using other sources of data. The ONS will make a recommendation to the Government in 2023 on the future of the census.

29th Jan 2020
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 20 January 2020 to Question 5387, if he will publish the top 10 export destinations for Welsh financial services.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. I have therefore asked the Authority to respond.

18th Oct 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent assessment she has made of the impact of trends in the level of export costs to the EU for small businesses on the economy of (a) Wales and (b) Arfon constituency.

Our export strategy sets out a 12-point plan, which is helping businesses in Arfon and across Wales expand their export opportunities. Welsh businesses can access a wide range of free support services, including a network of sector specialists and overseas trade advisers, our Export Academy, the Export Support Service, and UK Export Finance.

My department has also recently announced that we will be appointing new International Trade Advisors (ITAs) in Wales, boosting our support for Welsh SME exporters. This expansion should see a further 400-600 companies across Wales receiving tailored support to seek new export opportunities.

Kevin Hollinrake
Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)