John Milne

The UK, Scottish and Welsh governments have commissioned the National Energy System Operator (NESO) to develop the Strategic Spatial Energy Plan. NESO is independently producing the plan, with oversight from the three governments and Ofgem.

In the Clean Power Action Plan, we made clear that where communities host clean energy infrastructure, they should feel tangible and enduring benefit of doing so. We are exploring options in this area, including community funds and shared ownership.

The Government has already announced bill discounts for communities living nearest to new electricity transmission infrastructure, and published guidance on community funds for electricity transmission infrastructure.

The Government intends to publish community benefit guidance for onshore wind in England, and Solar Energy UK has also committed to publishing further guidance.

The Strategic Spatial Energy Plan (SSEP) is the national-level plan covering GB, whilst Regional Energy Strategic Plans (RESPs) will work with organisations at a local level to plan how local energy systems need to be developed to reach net zero, considering both the national targets set by government and local needs. Great British Energy will also provide increased funding and support to ensure that local communities continue to directly benefit from clean energy projects.

Local power generation is an essential part of the UK’s energy generation and increasing support from Great British Energy will ensure that local communities benefit as the UK supercharges its mission to become a clean energy superpower.

We recently announced that Community Energy Groups will be able to access a share of £5 million in grant funding through the Great British Energy Community Fund to help communities develop their own clean energy projects.

Great British Energy will also work closely with Community Energy Groups, providing commercial, technical, and project-planning assistance to increase their capability and capacity to build a pipeline of successful projects in their local areas.

My Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State has regular discussions with Ministerial Colleagues on a number of issues.

The Government is currently consulting on the Land Use Framework, which aims to use the most sophisticated land use data ever published, to provide the principles, advanced data, and tools to support decision-making by stakeholders to make the most of our land. Views are currently being sought in the public consultation, which closes on 25 April.

The previous Government consulted on the barriers to community energy through a Call for Evidence and published a response to this Call for Evidence on 21 March. The evidence is being used to inform potential changes that could be put in place to overcome these barriers. The Government is committed to growing community energy and supporting its important role in the energy transition.

The Labour Manifesto includes a commitment to “partner with scientists, industry, and civil society as we work towards the phasing out of animal testing”, which is a long-term goal. The Government will publish a strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods later this year. Any future funding allocations are subject to the outcome of the Spending Review.

The Labour Manifesto includes a commitment to “partner with scientists, industry, and civil society as we work towards the phasing out of animal testing”, which is a long-term goal. The government will publish a strategy to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods later this year. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology are considering funding into alternatives for animal testing as part of the Spending Review, and cannot commit funding amounts in advance of this process.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and Office for Life Sciences Officials have met with Dr Michaelis to discuss lobular breast cancer. The Government does not ringfence funding for specific cancer types. DSIT invests approximately £200 million into cancer research annually via UK Research and Innovation, and The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) spent £121.8 million in 2022/23 on cancer research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research. DHSC is currently developing a new National Cancer Plan which will outline the Government’s strategy to improve patient outcomes for all cancer types, including breast cancer.

The Government doesn’t ringfence funding for specific diseases but is committed to funding cancer research, including lobular breast cancer. The Department of Health and Social Care spent £121.8 million in 2022/23 on cancer research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology funds cancer research via UK Innovation and Research (UKRI). UKRI invests approximately £200 million annually into cancer research, of which £10m per year is for breast cancer research.

Office for Life Sciences’ Cancer Healthcare Goals programme funds innovations at the earlier stages of the research and development pipeline. Such innovations will have the potential to diagnose multiple tumour types, including breast cancer.

We have allocated £1.3 million of funding for a National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR) project that will assess the effectiveness of a new form of MRI scan to detect breast cancers that have been missed by mammograms.

Further NIHR research infrastructure funding supports Biomedical Research Centres and the NIHR Research Delivery Network, which has enabled delivery of 10 lobular breast-cancer studies.

Enabling access to apprenticeships and technical education remains a key part of this government’s education policy. There is a range of support available to schools, colleges, parents, careers and young people to support careers education and the promotion of apprenticeship and technical education options.

Young people, parents and carers, as well as schools and colleges seeking support to raise awareness of apprenticeships and technical education can continue to access:

• The Skills for Careers Apprenticeships support page, which can be found here: https://www.skillsforcareers.education.gov.uk/pages/training-choice/apprenticeships.
• The Careers and Enterprise Company’s (CEC) resource directory, which is available here: https://resources.careersandenterprise.co.uk/.
• Amazing Apprenticeships which offers a wide range of resources and support for schools and colleges.
• CEC’s network of Careers Hubs, covering 95% of schools and colleges, works with schools and colleges to support their careers education programmes.
• CEC also supports enhanced Provider Access Legislation compliance which specifies schools must provide at least six encounters with approved providers of apprenticeships and technical education.
• The Apprenticeship Ambassador Network of around 2,000 volunteers which visits institutions sharing compelling experiences about apprenticeships.

The physical education (PE) and sport premium helps all eligible primary schools to make additional and sustainable improvements to the PE, sport and physical activity they provide. Schools can decide how to use it, in line with the conditions of the grant. It does not fund specific provision.

The government has provided £320 million of funding for the primary PE and sport premium in this academic year and has recently committed to continuing this level of funding for the 2025/26 academic year. As in previous years, the funding will be provided in two payments, in the autumn and spring terms.

The Government agrees with the need to have robust measures in place to manage the risks associated with facilities that use large numbers of lithium-ion batteries. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) regulates grid-scale lithium-ion batteries within a robust regulatory framework which requires Battery Energy and Storage Systems (BESS) designers, installers, and operators to take the necessary measures throughout all stages of the system’s construction, operation and decommissioning to ensure its health and safety.

Defra is considering further options, including environmental permitting, for managing the environmental and public health risks from fires at BESS sites.

The Government agrees with the need to have robust measures in place to manage the risks associated with facilities that use large numbers of lithium-ion batteries. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) regulates grid-scale lithium-ion batteries within a robust regulatory framework which requires Battery Energy and Storage Systems (BESS) designers, installers, and operators to take the necessary measures throughout all stages of the system’s construction, operation and decommissioning to ensure its health and safety.

Defra is considering further options, including environmental permitting, for managing the environmental and public health risks from fires at BESS sites.

The Government agrees with the need to have robust measures in place to manage the risks associated with facilities that use large numbers of lithium-ion batteries. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) regulates grid-scale lithium-ion batteries within a robust regulatory framework which requires Battery Energy and Storage Systems (BESS) designers, installers, and operators to take the necessary measures throughout all stages of the system’s construction, operation and decommissioning to ensure its health and safety.

Defra is considering further options, including environmental permitting, for managing the environmental and public health risks from fires at BESS sites.

The Department announced on 4th March that it would be providing an additional £33 million for the Rural England Prosperity Fund in financial year 2025-26. This announcement continues funding beyond the lifetime of the original scheme providing new money for new projects in rural areas.

The Autumn Statement on 30 October confirmed Defra’s budgets for 2024-25 and 2025-26. Funding allocations for individual programmes have been determined through the departments business planning exercise. Future funding decisions remain subject to the government spending review.

Defra announced on 4 March that it would be providing an additional £33 million for the Rural England Prosperity Fund in financial year 2025-26. This announcement continues funding beyond the lifetime of the original scheme providing new money for new projects in rural areas.

The Autumn Statement on 30 October confirmed Defra’s budgets for 2024-25 and 2025-26. Funding allocations for individual programmes have been determined through the department’s business planning exercise. Future funding decisions remain subject to the Government spending review.

As this is live planning application that is yet to be decided, unfortunately I cannot comment in detail at this time. However, all information provided to the Secretary of State by the applicant, the Examining Authority, and any parties who chose to make written representations is available on the Planning Inspectorate website. This will include information on carbon emissions.

This Government has been clear that airport expansion proposals need to demonstrate they can be delivered in line with the UK’s climate change commitments.

Having received further information from Gatwick, the Secretary of State hopes to make a final decision in due course.

No formal assessment has been made on the annual saving to the public purse on not fully disregarding these payments.

We are reforming Jobcentre Plus and creating a new Jobs and Careers Service across Great Britain that will transform our ability to support people into good, meaningful work, and to progress in work, including through an enhanced focus on skills and careers. This will be a universal service which all people – not just benefit recipients or those out of work – will be able to engage with.

In England, these reforms will include bringing together Jobcentre Plus with the National Careers Service. The new service will have an increased focus on supporting progression and good work through aligning employment support more closely with skills and careers advice. In Scotland and Wales, we will work closely with the Devolved Governments to ensure the new service works effectively with the devolved careers and skills services.

We are in the early stages of designing the new service, working closely with Department for Education and more details will be shared in due course.

DWP has strengthened its employer engagement strategy through a multi-faceted approach, involving early business input into the JCS design and a rolling programme of engagement events. Local employer engagement is driven by dedicated teams, sector-specific Recruitment Innovation Workshops, tailored recruitment support via account managers, increased use of digital tools and ongoing promotion of inclusive hiring practices for disabled people and those with health conditions.

DWP’s reforms have deepened employer involvement in employability programmes by embedding them into both design and delivery. The Strategic Relationship Team coordinates employer portfolios and ensures feedback shapes services. Work programmes are co-designed with employers to meet recruitment needs through training, work experience, and guaranteed interviews. Integration with the National Careers Service enhances local labour market alignment, while the Get Britain Working White Paper promotes local co-design of employment support with employers and authorities.

An assessment of the potential impact of the planned changes to health and disability benefits is available here: Spring Statement 2025 health and disability benefit reforms – Impacts.

This includes breakdowns for each change separately on levels of poverty. It also includes estimated impacts regarding the changes to the Work Capability Assessment descriptors proposed at Autumn Statement 2023, but which were subsequently reversed.

An assessment of the potential impact of the planned changes to health and disability benefits is available here: Spring Statement 2025 health and disability benefit reforms – Impacts.

This includes breakdowns for each change separately on levels of poverty. It also includes estimated impacts regarding the changes to the Work Capability Assessment descriptors proposed at Autumn Statement 2023, but which were subsequently reversed.

The myalgic encephalomyelitis, also known as chronic fatigue syndrome, final delivery plan will be published shortly. The plan will focus on boosting research, improving attitudes and education, and bettering the lives of people with this debilitating disease.

The National Health Service is committed to ensuring that all cancer patients in England, including those with lobular breast cancer, have access to personalised care, including a needs assessment, a care plan, and health and wellbeing information and support.

Treatment for cancer is highly individualised and decisions about cancer treatment, including ongoing monitoring and follow up care, are typically made by clinicians and multidisciplinary teams of healthcare professionals. These decisions are based on medical assessments and what's best for the individual's overall health and well-being.