Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many hectares of arable farmland have been reallocated to (a) solar panels and (b) wind turbines since July 2024; and how many he plans to reallocate in the next four years.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government does not hold the information requested.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of AI on creative industries.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The government has laid out its assessment of this issue in several debates this year and has published a consultation on the subject of AI and Copyright. AI is increasingly being used as a tool in the creative process, from music and film production to publishing, architecture and design. As of September 2024 more than 38% of Creative Industries businesses said they have used AI technologies, with nearly 50% using AI to improve business operations.
It may foster innovation and efficiency but it may also significantly disrupt the sector. Under the Data (Use and Access) Bill the government has committed to setting out a detailed economic impact assessment and a report on the use of copyright material for AI training. Our Secretary of State has also committed to a series of roundtables with DSIT Secretary of State Peter Kyle with representatives from across the CIs, to ensure our brilliant artists benefit in working with the AI sector to harness the opportunities this technology provides.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to improve working conditions for people who work in distribution centres.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Government cares about working conditions and employment rights, that is why we are delivering the Employment Rights Bill. The Bill will deliver significant benefits, including better working conditions, more secure work, reducing inequalities and improving industrial relations. Stronger employment rights for workers will ensure a fairer and more equal labour market. For example, over 2 million people on zero or low hours contracts could benefit from the right to guaranteed hours, and the right to payment for shifts cancelled, moved or cut at short notice.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to improve (a) reliability and (b) frequency on the Robin Hood Line in Nottinghamshire.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department meets the train operator every four weeks to discuss performance. Last period 89 per cent of Robin Hood Line services arrived on time or within three minutes. Currently, there are no plans to increase the frequency of services on this route.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to help tackling potential water shortages relating to population growth in the future.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government is committed to a twin track approach to improving water resilience. This involves action to improve water efficiency and reduce water company leaks alongside investing in new supply infrastructure, including new reservoirs and water transfers.
All water companies have a statutory duty to provide a secure supply of water for customers, efficiently and economically and set out how they plan to continue to supply water to their customers through Water Resources Management Plans (WRMPs). These plans are statutory and will set out how each company will continue to meet this duty and manage water supply and demand including leaks, sustainably for at least the next 25 years.
As outlined by Ofwat in their final determinations for PR24, approximately £8 billion will be spent across England between 2025 and 2030 to deliver the company WRMPs and boost our water supply and manage demand. This includes progressing 9 new reservoirs and many water transfer schemes.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate on towns with large vehicle production industries.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The government does not hold data on how the Zero Emissions Vehicle Mandate has impacted on towns with large vehicle production industries specifically. However, we speak regularly to all the major UK automotive stakeholders to take the temperature of the sector and their concerns. The government is committed to ensuring the transition to zero emissions works for the industry. That is why we introduced significant changes to the Mandate in April 2025, allowing for greater flexibility in meeting ZEV targets and extending the sale of hybrid vehicles to 2035.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to introduce increased (a) sanctions and (b) deterrents to help tackle fly tipping.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We have committed to forcing fly-tippers to clean up the mess they have created. This will build on existing sanctions which include fixed penalty notices of up to £1000, seizing and crushing of vehicles and prosecution which can lead to a significant fine, a community sentence or even imprisonment.
Sentencing is a matter for the courts. The Defra chaired National Fly-tipping Prevention Group has previously produced a guide on how local authorities, and others, can present robust cases to court. This is available at https://www.keepbritaintidy.org/national-fly-tipping-prevention-group.
We encourage councils to make good use of their enforcement powers and are currently taking steps to develop statutory guidance on fly-tipping enforcement. We are reviewing council powers to seize and crush vehicles of fly-tippers, to identify how we could help councils make better use of this tool.
We will move the regulation of waste carriers, brokers and dealers from light-touch registration into environmental permitting. This will enhance the Environment Agency’s ability to take action and make it harder for rogue operators to operate. Under this proposed reform, penalties set out in the Environmental Protection Act 1990, such as prison sentences of up to 5 years, will become applicable to breaches of the new regulations.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to the Automated Vehicles Act 2024, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the legalisation of self-driving vehicles on people whose jobs require driving.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The development of self-driving vehicle technology has the potential to support our Plan for Growth, creating up to 38,000 high-quality jobs, and unlocking £42 billion for the UK economy by 2035. Additional benefits will include reducing human error – which causes nearly 9 in 10 road collisions – and offering new, flexible transport options, particularly for those with limited mobility.
We expect that the introduction of self-driving vehicles will be gradual, given the current readiness of the technology. We are committed to continued engagement with affected groups, including representatives for taxi, bus and private hire vehicle drivers, as we develop and implement the secondary legislation underpinning the Act.
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what data her Department holds on the proportion of people reliant on public transport in (a) Ashfield constituency, (b) Nottinghamshire, (c) the East Midlands, (d) England and (e) the UK.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department for Transport holds no direct data or estimates of reliance on public transport.
The National Travel Survey (NTS), overseen by the Department, collects data on the proportion of households who have no access to a car or van for England (22% in 2023) and East Midlands (21% in 2023). NTS data is not available at constituency, county or UK level.
The 2021 Census for England and Wales, overseen by the Office for National Statistics, also collected data on the proportion of households with no cars or vans, as shown in the table below.
Area | Proportion of households with no cars or vans |
Ashfield | 20.6% |
Nottinghamshire | 18.3% |
East Midlands | 19.1% |
England | 23.5% |
Asked by: Lee Anderson (Reform UK - Ashfield)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to improve levels of care for children in social care.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department announced the biggest overhaul to children’s social care in a generation to ensure opportunity for all children. This includes increased investment and landmark legislation through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill.
Our policy statement ‘Keeping Children Safe, Helping Families Thrive’, published in November 2024, outlines our vision and core legislative proposals. We will shift the focus of the children's social care system to early support to keep families together.
Implementing the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill will improve levels of care for children in social care, as it is a key step towards delivering the government’s Opportunity Mission. It will break the link between young people’s background and their future success, to shift the focus of the children's social care system to earlier support for children and families, and to tackle profiteering in the care market and put children needs first.
Our plans will ensure: