Laurence Robertson

The Department is actively expanding trade with Africa through 9 agreements across 18 nations, offering preferential access to UK markets. The Department’s recently launched Developing Countries Trading Scheme, effective in 65 countries, including 37 in Africa, simplifies rules and lowers tariffs to boost exports and stimulate growth. In Spring, the Prime Minister will host the second UK-African Investment Summit in London, fostering modern partnerships in trade and investment. Bilaterally, the Department is also working to enhance market access across the continent, solidifying our commitment to mutually beneficial economic ties with African nations.

My Department regularly engages with businesses in the hospitality sector and is actively working with Hospitality Sector Council to support businesses with the costs they face.

The Government introduced a temporary reduced rate of VAT for hospitality on 15 July 2020 to support businesses that were severely affected by COVID-19. This relief ended on 31 March 2022. At the Autumn Statement 2022 the Chancellor brought forward a package of changes to business rates worth £13.6bn to businesses over the next 5 years.

This is in addition to the Energy Bills Relief Scheme, which discounted businesses’ energy bills until 31 March 2023, and the new Energy Bills Discount Scheme.

Contract negotiations are a matter for businesses and their energy suppliers. Businesses should contact their supplier to discuss renegotiations. The Government is providing support to businesses through the Energy Bill Discount Scheme until April 2024. Ministers from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and the Department for Business and Trade met recently with non-domestic suppliers, Ofgem and industry representatives to discuss what more could be done to support customers who may have fixed in at higher prices in Autumn 2022. The Government is working with Ofgem on this matter and the on-going non-domestic market review.

The Autumn Statement set out a commitment to work with consumer groups and industry to consider the best approach to consumer protection from April 2024.

At present there is no specific support for people with Parkinson’s. In addition to the Energy Price Guarantee and Energy Bills Support Scheme, for 2023/24, households on eligible means-tested benefits will get up to £900 in Cost of Living payments. A payment of £150 will be made available to individuals in receipt of eligible disability benefits.

National Grid and the Gas Distribution Networks are assessing the viability and potential costs of using the natural gas transmission and distribution networks to transport 100% hydrogen and early results from this work are promising.

The Government is also planning to take a strategic policy decision in 2023 on whether to seek to enable the blending of hydrogen in the existing gas distribution network. Further details will be provided this year including through the government response to the consultation on hydrogen transport and storage infrastructure, which the Government aims to publish in Q2 2023.

Hydrogen could provide flexible low carbon generation capacity as the Government integrates more renewables into its energy system. At least half the Government’s ambition for up to 10GW of low carbon hydrogen production capacity by 2030 will come from electrolytic hydrogen. The Government’s first electrolytic hydrogen allocation round opened last year, with shortlisted projects announced shortly and contracts awarded later this year. The Government aims to run annual allocation rounds for electrolytic hydrogen, moving to price competitive allocation by 2025 subject to legislation and market conditions. This could enable up to 1GW of green hydrogen production in construction or operational by 2025.

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is responsible for regulating the UK’s data protection legislation and has a range of criminal and civil enforcement tools at its disposal. People can already complain to the ICO about the way an organisation has handled their personal information. In response to a complaint the ICO may make recommendations to the organisation to put things right or to improve their practice. The UK legal system also provides for independent judicial remedies. People may seek a judicial remedy from the start, or they may proceed to court after having already complained to the ICO. They may also in some instances seek a judicial remedy against the ICO or lodge a complaint in relation to its activity.

The Government is supporting the installation of rooftop solar photovoltaic panels through provision of fiscal incentives for business, removal of VAT for residential accommodation, availability of grants under several energy efficiency schemes and the right to be paid for any electricity exported to the grid under the Smart Export Guarantee. The Government is also exploring options to facilitate low cost finance from retail lenders for solar installations.

The Government recognises that people want to enjoy fireworks while reducing the risks and disturbances to individuals, animals and property. The majority of individuals who use fireworks do so in a responsible and safe manner.

Enforcement powers exist for local authorities to take action when fireworks are unsafe, sold illegally or misused. Local authorities and the police also have powers to tackle anti-social behaviour caused by the misuse of fireworks. It is for local areas to decide how best to deploy these powers, based on their specific circumstances.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 10^th January 2023 to Question 113163.

The Government is working to better understand the impacts the operation of the current Voluntary Scheme on investments and the footprint of the UK life sciences industry. We are therefore in direct conversations with companies to understand these impacts. The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy is in close discussions with the Department of Health and Social Care, the Department responsible for the Voluntary Scheme, about the business environment for life sciences and its impact on investment.

In August 2022, the Government and Ofgem jointly published the Electricity Networks Strategic Framework, setting out a vision for the transformation of the electricity network to ensure it enables a clean, secure and low-cost energy system. The Framework included analysis suggesting that the network could require an additional £100-£240bn of investment to meet net zero and could support 50,000-130,000 jobs and contribute £4-11bn to the economy by 2050. Network regulation, including ensuring sufficient investment to meet demand from electric vehicles in both rural and urban areas, is a matter for Ofgem.