Asked by: Josh Newbury (Labour - Cannock Chase)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to support the production of biomethane on farms using organic waste.
Answered by Kerry McCarthy - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Green Gas Support Scheme (GGSS) provides tariff-support for biomethane produced via anaerobic digestion (AD) and injected into the gas grid. It is expected to contribute 10.7MTCO2e of carbon savings over its lifetime.
The GGSS requires that at least 50% of all biomethane, by energy content, is produced using waste feedstocks, which includes agricultural wastes.
The GGSS will close to new applicants on 31 March 2028. To follow this, the Government is developing a holistic policy framework to support the growth of the biomethane sector. The new framework includes consideration to the role of AD in treating agricultural wastes.
Asked by: Josh Newbury (Labour - Cannock Chase)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 5 November 2024 to Question 11619 on the Groceries Code Adjudicator: Finance, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential impact of the £1 billion turnover threshold on farmers.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is responsible for monitoring effectiveness of the Groceries (Supply Chain Practices) Market Investigation Order 2009 in ensuring that businesses, including farmers, that supply groceries directly to designated retailers are treated lawfully and fairly. This includes the £1 billion threshold at which a retailer can be designated by the CMA.
Asked by: Josh Newbury (Labour - Cannock Chase)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of the use of hydrogen for decarbonising heavy goods vehicles.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government is aware that hydrogen has a potential role to play in decarbonising heavy goods vehicles (HGVs).
The £200 million zero emission HGV and infrastructure demonstrator programme will demonstrate both battery electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles on UK roads alongside recharging and refuelling infrastructure. The programme will gather data for a 5-year demonstration period which will be released publicly throughout the duration of the programme.
Asked by: Josh Newbury (Labour - Cannock Chase)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support waste collection authorities to deliver mandatory household food waste collections from 2026-27.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
To support waste collection authorities to deliver household food waste collections, we provided capital transitional funding in February 2024 to cover reasonable costs of purchasing trucks and bins needed to deliver weekly food waste collections from 31 March 2026.
We are preparing to deliver transitional resource new burdens funding to local authorities for weekly food waste collections for households in two batches, one in early 2025 and the other in spring 2025.
Funding for ongoing resource funding from 1 April 2026 is subject to agreement through a spending review and we will confirm details when we can.
We are also working with sector specialists WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme) to provide guidance on best practice and scope additional areas of support.
Asked by: Josh Newbury (Labour - Cannock Chase)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what plans his Department has to use biomethane generated from mandatory food waste collections from 2026-27 for (a) injection into the gas grid and (b) combustion for electricity generation.
Answered by Kerry McCarthy - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Green Gas Support Scheme (GGSS) provides tariff-support for biomethane produced via anaerobic digestion (AD) and injected into the gas grid. It is expected to contribute 10.7MTCO2e of carbon savings over its lifetime.
The GGSS requires that at least 50% of all biomethane, by energy content, is produced using waste feedstocks. In England, we expect that food waste collected due to Simpler Recycling reforms will constitute a significant portion of AD feedstocks.
Food waste can also be used in AD Combined Heat and Power systems to produce electricity, with support provided through a number of the Department’s renewable electricity schemes.
Asked by: Josh Newbury (Labour - Cannock Chase)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the capacity of anaerobic digestion facilities, in the context of the planned introduction of mandatory food waste collections in 2026-27.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government’s preference is for unavoidable food waste to be collected for treatment by anaerobic digestion (AD): producing bio-gas and digestate.
Defra has been working with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) and the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP) to estimate AD capacity in England. Based on current estimates, there will be sufficient AD capacity in England to treat the increased tonnage of food waste expected to be collected once Simpler Recycling’s mandatory food waste collection requirements commence between 2025-2027. Defra intends to publish a Recycling Infrastructure Capacity Analysis soon. This will set out anticipated waste volumes to 2035, mapping this modelling against known waste management infrastructure for various waste streams, including food waste. The analysis will signal where there is likely over or under-provision of waste management capacity.
DESNZ’s Green Gas Support Scheme (GGSS) provides tariff-support for biomethane produced via AD and injected into the gas grid, supporting investment in AD plants. Under the GGSS, at least 50% of all biomethane by energy content must be produced using waste or residue feedstock. In England, we expect that food waste collected due to Simpler Recycling reforms will constitute a significant portion of AD feedstocks.
Asked by: Josh Newbury (Labour - Cannock Chase)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of zero-rating Value Added Tax on admission fees for indoor play facilities.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
VAT is a broad-based tax on consumption, and the 20 per cent standard rate applies to most goods and services. Tax breaks reduce the revenue available for vital public services and must represent value for money for the taxpayer.
One of the key considerations when assessing a new VAT relief is whether the cost saving is likely to be passed on to consumers. Evidence suggests that businesses only partially pass on any savings from lower VAT rates. The Government has no plans to zero-rate VAT on admission fees for indoor play facilities.
The Government keeps all taxes under review.
Asked by: Josh Newbury (Labour - Cannock Chase)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of a mandatory charge for single-use coffee cups.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government recognises the urgent need to limit the environmental impact of single-use plastic, including fibre composite cups.
The Government has committed to reducing waste by moving to a circular economy. The Secretary of State has convened a Small Ministerial Group on Circular Economy and asked his Department to work with experts from industry, academia, civil society, and the civil service to develop a Circular Economy Strategy for England; supporting Government’s Missions to kickstart economic growth and make Britain a clean energy superpower.
We will consider the evidence for action right across the economy and evaluate what further interventions may be needed in the plastics sector as we develop the Circular Economy Strategy.
Asked by: Josh Newbury (Labour - Cannock Chase)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has had recent discussions with representatives of the indoor play sector on her planned review of business rates.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
HM Treasury releases a quarterly record of Ministers’ meetings with external individuals and organisations. This can be found online: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travelAt the Autumn Budget, the government published the Transforming Business Rates Discussion Paper, which sets out priority areas for reform. This paper invited stakeholders to help co-design a fairer business rates system that supports investment and is fit for the 21st century. Engagement will take place over the coming months with stakeholders who registered interest by the 15 November deadline, and the government is open to receiving further written evidence to transformingbusinessrates@hmtreasury.gov.uk.
Asked by: Josh Newbury (Labour - Cannock Chase)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what support her Department provides to care leaver university students outside of term time.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
This government is committed to providing support for care leavers to ensure they have the practical and emotional support they need as they move towards independence.
Local authorities must provide assistance to care leavers near to the place they are receiving education, including outside their home authority. This assistance may take the form of either providing the young person with suitable accommodation, or by paying them enough to secure suitable accommodation themselves.
Care leavers must have pathway plans setting out what support they can expect from their local authority, including accommodation during term time, short vacations and summer vacation. If care leavers are unable to return to their former placements, they must be provided with alternative suitable accommodation. The requirement to assist with vacation accommodation lasts for as long as the young person continues on the course which has been agreed as part of their pathway plan.
Care leavers who enter higher education (HE) are entitled to a statutory bursary of £2,000 from their local authority and many universities offer additional support within their access and participation regimes. This may include additional financial support, pastoral support and 365 days per year housing whilst they are at university.
In addition, the Children's Commissioner for England has recently published a handbook for professionals working in HE on supporting care experienced students. The recommendations in the handbook come directly from care experienced young people and it includes practical proposals to improve their experience of HE.