Asked by: Jamie Wallis (Conservative - Bridgend)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent discussions he has had with the Welsh Government on the South Wales Fire and Rescue Authority.
Answered by Chris Philp - Shadow Home Secretary
The law in relation to fire and rescue services in Wales is devolved to Senedd Cymru.
The Home Office are in dialogue with Welsh Government as part of routine engagement with the Four Nations. This engagement has featured integrity related issues, including most recently, the Welsh Government take-over of the South Wales Fire and Rescue Authority functions.
The Home Office will prioritise the actions needed to ensure fire and rescue services are welcoming, respectful workplaces that enable all individuals who work in them to thrive. We expect all partners and sector leaders to play their part.
Asked by: Jamie Wallis (Conservative - Bridgend)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the need for debt enforcement companies to have (a) clear complaints procedures and (b) accessible avenues available for people trying to resolve a problem.
Answered by Mike Freer
This government strongly supports the Enforcement Conduct Board’s work, as an independent oversight body for enforcement companies, to develop standards for enforcement work and processes for handling complaints. The Enforcement Conduct Board will ensure that the rules are being followed and that those facing enforcement action are treated fairly.
Asked by: Jamie Wallis (Conservative - Bridgend)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to encourage further and higher education providers to work with businesses to help meet local skills needs.
Answered by Robert Halfon
We are transforming skills through local skills improvement plans, which bring together businesses with further and higher education institutions. The plans are supported by £165 million of funding which helps providers respond to the skills needs identified by local businesses. We are also investing £300 million in Institutes of Technology, which are collaborations between business, higher education and further education, further driving our employer-led reforms.
Asked by: Jamie Wallis (Conservative - Bridgend)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans he has to implement the recommendations of the Law Commission report Hate crime laws: Final report, HC 942, published in December 2021 on hate crime towards LGBTQ+ people.
Answered by Laura Farris
We are grateful for the detailed consideration the Law Commission has given to its review of hate crime laws. In April 2023, the Government published a response to Recommendation 8 on misogyny as a hate crime. The Government will respond to the remaining recommendations in due course.
Asked by: Jamie Wallis (Conservative - Bridgend)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether it is her Department's policy to roll out the made smarter programme nationally.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani
The Government has committed almost £200 million for Made Smarter to help UK manufacturers capitalise on Industrial Digital Technologies.
The £50m Made Smarter Adoption programme is available in 5 English regions.
It is complemented by a £147m Innovate UK-led Made Smarter Innovation programme.
The £9m invested in the Adoption programme’s pilot phase added an estimated £68m gross value added to the region and an increase in 800 SME manufacturing jobs. Further evidence is being gathered including through a full evaluation of the programme. This will inform any future iterations of the programme, as part of the usual policy-making process.
Asked by: Jamie Wallis (Conservative - Bridgend)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of introducing a Help to Grow Green scheme for businesses.
Answered by Graham Stuart
Government recognises the role businesses play in helping meet our net zero target, and already offers a range of support. The Government has relaunched the UK Business Climate Hub, providing free net zero advice to small businesses and signposts funding opportunities. The Hub will soon be complemented by a new Energy Advice Service for small businesses.
Alongside local support schemes, Government offers the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, Workplace Charging Scheme and Cycle to Work scheme.
The Net Zero Council has also established a working group to address the barriers small businesses face in reducing their emissions.
Asked by: Jamie Wallis (Conservative - Bridgend)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of expanding research and development tax relief to include capital equipment relating to industrial decarbonisation.
Answered by Victoria Atkins - Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
The Government provides a Research & Development Allowance (RDA) which gives relief for capital expenditure on R&D incurred by a trader. This includes plant, machinery and buildings used for R&D activity.
In 2021, the Government previously consulted on targeting the R&D tax reliefs towards R&D with specific social value, for example green technology. It was noted that differentiated tax relief for specific R&D would increase complexity and compliance costs, widen the scope for abuse, and could be less effective than direct government spending.
Asked by: Jamie Wallis (Conservative - Bridgend)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she last discussed with her EU counterparts the award to Great Britain of Part 1 listed status for UK citizens wishing to take their pets to EU countries.
Answered by Trudy Harrison
We are continuing to engage with the European Commission on awarding Great Britain 'Part 1' listed status and recognition of the UK's tapeworm-free status.
Asked by: Jamie Wallis (Conservative - Bridgend)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if her Department will publish the Animal Welfare Committee's Opinion on the Welfare of Farmed Fish at the Time of Killing 2023.
Answered by Mark Spencer
We will publish the Animal Welfare Committee’s updated Opinion on the Welfare of Farmed Fish at the Time of Killing, and will study its recommendations carefully.
Asked by: Jamie Wallis (Conservative - Bridgend)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent progress he has made on implementing the recommendations in Sir Patrick Vallance’s Pro-innovation Regulation of Technologies Review: Digital Technologies report, published on 15 March 2023.
Answered by Gareth Davies - Shadow Financial Secretary (Treasury)
The Pro-innovation Regulation of Technologies Review is working closely with industry to identify barriers to innovation and getting emerging technologies to market. The Review has now published reports on Green Industries, Life Sciences and Creative Industries, as well as Digital Technologies.
The government is moving quickly to implement the recommendations from the Digital Technologies report. For example, the government outlined four options for an AI Sandbox in the AI Regulation White Paper and will provide further detail in the forthcoming response to the White Paper consultation. The government is also working with the Intellectual Property Office and industry to develop a Code of Practice on copyright and AI, with the aim of publishing a draft before summer Parliamentary recess. On the review of the Computer Misuse Act, we have created a multistakeholder group including representatives from the cybersecurity industry and system owners’ to consider these issues, and reach a consensus on the best way forward.