Asked by: John Penrose (Conservative - Weston-super-Mare)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he plans to release details of unused track access rights on the rail network so that new open access applications can be made.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Network Rail have recently updated their process to begin publishing details of all future access rights released under Part J of the Network Code on their website. The Office for Rail and Road also publish on their website details of consolidated contract and track access decisions which allow potential market entrants to identify new opportunities.
Asked by: John Penrose (Conservative - Weston-super-Mare)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, further to the Online Safety Act 2023, what additional steps she plans to take to help tackle online disinformation and misinformation.
Answered by Saqib Bhatti - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Online Safety Act will be our key tool in combatting the most egregious forms of online mis- and disinformation but Government action doesn’t stop there.
In addition, we are educating and empowering users through our work on media literacy, responding to information threats to our democracy via the Defending Democracy Taskforce, and analysing attempts to artificially manipulate the online information environment through the work of the National Security Online Information Team.
I regularly meet with major platforms to discuss these issues and would be very happy to update him on recent progress that has been made.
Asked by: John Penrose (Conservative - Weston-super-Mare)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to reply to the letters of 12 January and 14 February 2024 from the hon. Member for Weston-super-Mare on behalf of a constituent about e-collars.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
A reply to the hon. Member is being prepared and will be issued in due course. I apologise for the delay in responding to the hon. Member.
The hon. Member’s constituent asks about the Government’s position on electronic shock collars, known as e-collars. I can confirm that the Government remains committed to introducing a ban on the use of e-collars. We will pursue new regulations to deliver this commitment on a revised timeline. The full reply to the hon. Member’s letters will explain the reasoning behind this position.
Asked by: John Penrose (Conservative - Weston-super-Mare)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when he will plans reply to the letters of 15 January and 12 February 2024 from the Hon. Member for Weston-super-Mare on behalf of a constituent about potential examples of two-tier policing in the UK.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
A reply was sent to the hon. Member on 14 March 2024. I apologise for the delay in responding.
Asked by: John Penrose (Conservative - Weston-super-Mare)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, when she plans to respond to the correspondence of (a) 13 December 2023 and (b) 5 February 2024 from the Rt hon. Member for Weston-super-Mare on behalf of a constituent on the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Department provided a response to the Member on 8 March, though apologises profusely for the delay experienced on this occasion.
Asked by: John Penrose (Conservative - Weston-super-Mare)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when she plans to respond to the correspondence of 18 December 2023 and 23 January 2024 from the hon. Member for Weston-super-Mare on behalf of a constituent relating to David Hemmings's film Running Scared and the British Archive.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
A reply was sent on 26 February.
Asked by: John Penrose (Conservative - Weston-super-Mare)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whens he plans to reply to the letters of 29 November 2023 and 5 January 2024 from the hon. Member for Weston-super-Mare on behalf of a constituent about air handling in enclosed public spaces to reduce risks of infection.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We have received the hon. Member’s correspondence of 29 November 2023 and 5 January 2024 and we will respond shortly.
Asked by: John Penrose (Conservative - Weston-super-Mare)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the oral contribution by the Minister for Enterprise, Markets and Small Business of 30 November 2023, Official Report, column 1054, what recent progress she has made on publishing the smart data roadmap.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
My officials are coordinating and leading the drafting on a roadmap which will set out the Government’s ambition for future Smart Data scheme development across seven different sectors. The Government plans to publish this in early 2024.
Asked by: John Penrose (Conservative - Weston-super-Mare)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether her Department plans to publish a call for evidence on fairness and affordability.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
We are committed to tacking fuel poverty and we are reviewing the Fuel Poverty Strategy to reflect the challenges faced by households after the COVID-19 pandemic and energy price rises.
We have been working with Ofgem to ensure consumers are protected, including new rules on involuntary pre-payment meter installations. Alongside this, the Government is committed to supporting those most in need with up to £900 in further cost-of-living payments this winter alongside established financial support such as the £150 Warm Home Discount.
Asked by: John Penrose (Conservative - Weston-super-Mare)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment her Department has made of the impact of electricity levies on the uptake of (a) heat pumps and (b) other low carbon heating.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Heat pumps are a widely suitable and cost-effective way to decarbonise heating in our homes. They can already be cheaper to run than a fossil fuel system, particularly where consumers have a sufficiently insulated home and heating systems are designed to operate at the lowest possible flow temperature. Nevertheless, the Government recognises that addressing current distortions in electricity and gas prices is important to make it easier for consumers to switch to low-carbon heating. The Government accepted a recommendation in the 2022 Independent Review of Net Zero to make significant progress on rebalancing of gas and electricity prices by the end of 2024.