John Hayes

Anyone should be able to privately pray when at work or accessing services and the religion or belief protections in the Equality Act 2010 (the Act) already ensure this. The Act does not take precedence over other civil or criminal law. Accordingly, amendment of the Act in this regard would not be appropriate.

As of July 2024, 3,698 interim compensation payments have been paid to living infected persons and bereaved partners. This information is not made available on a regional basis. The process under which estates can apply for interim compensation payments opened on 24th October. We will provide an update on the number of applications in due course.

Details of ministers’ meetings with external organisations and individuals are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK.

The House of Lords (Hereditary Peers) Bill is not about financial savings but is concerned with removing the outdated and indefensible right of the remaining hereditary peers to sit and vote in the House of Lords.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

A response to the Rt. Hon. Gentleman’s Question of 14 October is attached.

Data regarding the nationality of candidates working in Whitehall is not held centrally by the Cabinet Office.

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) looks to encourage investment across the UK, working closely with relevant economic development and inward investment officers across the whole of the Lincolnshire region.

Investment into the region has seen 1,295 new jobs were created in the Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) area in 2021-22, 1,159 in 2022-23 and 198 in 2023-24. Statistics at LEP level are not available for previous years.

The estimated economic impact of FDI in the UK in 2023-24 was £5.8bn and analysis shows that FDI has a net economic benefit to the whole of the UK.

Independent brewers, including those in Lincolnshire, are at the heart of many of our communities and important for economic growth.

The government is reducing alcohol duty on qualifying draught products, representing an overall reduction in duty bills of over £85m a year and will consult on ways to encourage small brewers to retain and expand their access to UK pubs, maximising drinkers’ choice and local economies.

This Government will be publishing our Small Business Strategy next year. This will set out our vision for all small businesses, from boosting scale-ups to growing the co-operative economy.

Through the Hospitality Sector Council, we are addressing strategic issues for the sector related to high street regeneration, skills, sustainability, and productivity.

Official statistics at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/dbt-inward-investment-results-2023-to-2024 show that 1,295 new jobs were created in Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) in 2021-22, 1,159 in 2022-23 and 198 in 2023-24. Statistics at LEP level are not available for previous years. Figures were published at International Territorial Level 2 (ITL2) for the first time in 2023-24 which showed that 182 new jobs were created in Lincolnshire. Previous years figures at ITL2 level are not available.

The Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA) can impose a financial penalty on a large retailer if, following an investigation, it has been found to have breached the Groceries Supply Code of Practice. The permitted maximum fine is 1% of the retailer’s annual UK turnover, giving the Adjudicator significant scope to impose an appropriate fine in the event of non-compliance. The Government will undertake the fourth statutory review of the GCA’s effectiveness next year which may also consider whether to change the permitted maximum financial penalty the Adjudicator can impose following an investigation.

The Government-owned British Business Bank supports business investment across the UK including through its Nations and Regions Investment Funds. This includes the £400m Midlands Engine Investment Fund II, supporting growing businesses across the Midlands.

Our Growth Hub network, including Business Lincolnshire Growth Hub, supports businesses of all sizes and sectors across England throughout their business journey. The Department for Business and Trade works across the UK, including Greater Lincolnshire, to showcase strong commercial investment opportunities to potential investors and support business to grow. The Government has also agreed a £720 million investment fund as part of the devolution deal for Greater Lincolnshire to support growth and business investment.

The Government does not design or develop the electricity network, and it is for the National Energy System Operator (NESO) to assess and recommend high-level reinforcements to the electricity network. Transmission Owners then develop the network on the basis of those recommendations. The NESO recently published advice on possible pathways to achieve clean power by 2030, which includes an assessment of required transmission reinforcements. Using this advice, Government will publish its Clean Power 2030 Action Plan later this year.

Developers of transmission projects and all nationally significant infrastructure projects in England and Wales must assess the impacts of their proposals. This includes conducting assessments of projects’ impacts on the environment and habitats through Environmental Impact Assessments and Habitats Regulations Assessments. Additionally, developers engage with statutory and non-statutory stakeholders through consultations to ensure their feedback is considered and incorporated into project proposals. All of this is considered in the project consenting process.

The Government’s policy on undergrounding is set out in the energy National Policy Statement for electricity networks (EN-5), which sets a strong starting presumption of overhead lines, except in nationally designated landscapes, where undergrounding is the starting presumption.

Details of Ministers’ meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK

On 22 October 2024, together with the Scottish and Welsh Governments, we commissioned NESO to produce the first ever Strategic Spatial Energy Plan (SSEP), to support a more actively planned approach to energy infrastructure across Great Britain. The SSEP will be subject to a Strategic Environmental Assessment and Habitats Regulation Assessment and take into account views of both rural and urban communities to ensure the impacts of energy infrastructure on local areas are properly considered.

Support for boosting energy efficiency in homes is currently available through the Social Housing Decarbonisation Scheme, Home Upgrade Grant, Energy Company Obligation Scheme and the Great British Insulation scheme. These schemes are available across the country, including to those based in South Holland and the Deepings constituency. We have also announced a new Warm Homes: Local Grant and the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund, with delivery expected in 2025.

The Warm Homes Plan will offer grants and low interest loans to support investment in insulation, low carbon heating and other home improvements to cut bills. We will partner with combined authorities and local and devolved governments to roll out this plan.

Previous (but not quite the same question) 16125-6 Dan Jarvis - NSOIT staffing & Publication.docx

Also see response to similar question answered by Minister Clark

According to the independent website ThinkBroadband.com, over 93% of premises in the South Holland and The Deepings constituency have access to superfast broadband speeds (>=30 Mbps) and 69% can access a gigabit-capable (>1000 Mbps) connection. In Lincolnshire, 95% of premises have access to superfast broadband speeds and 72% can access a gigabit-capable connection.

Approximately 2.8% of premises in South Holland and The Deepings and 2.6% of premises in Lincolnshire cannot access a decent broadband connection, defined by the Broadband Universal Service Obligation (USO) as less than 10Mbps.

The exascale project was announced at the March Budget 2023, but no new funding was allocated for it. Future investment decisions will be informed by a long term plan and subject to business case approvals. We will provide further updates in due course.

The Government is committed to improving mobile coverage across the UK. Ofcom’s most recent coverage data for the constituency of South Holland and The Deepings shows 94% 4G geographic coverage from all four mobile network operators and that 5G is available from at least one mobile network operator outside 79% of premises, and our ambition is for nationwide coverage by 2030.

I am aware that Ofcom’s coverage data does not always reflect consumers’ experience of mobile networks at a local level, and I am intent on ensuring Ofcom takes all necessary steps to improve the accuracy of its coverage data.

Alongside this, the Government intends to reform the planning system in a way that will make it easier to build digital infrastructure.

Ministers and officials have regular meetings with a range of platforms, including X. Details of Ministerial meetings are published on the gov.uk website.