Asked by: Llinos Medi (Plaid Cymru - Ynys Môn)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether the Government plans to provide financial support for the decommissioning of (a) nuclear projects, (b) Wylfa and (c) Trawsfynydd in (i) the 2026-27 financial year and (ii) future financial years.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
HM Government remains committed to the decommissioning of nuclear power stations across the UK. The nuclear decommissioning projects including those at Wylfa and Trawsfynydd are carried out by Nuclear Restoration Services (NRS) on behalf of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA). The NDA are publicly funded through the Department (DESNZ) and in the future from the Nuclear Liabilities Fund for the Advanced Gas Reactors (AGR) stations.. Funding for 2026-27 and beyond is currently in discussion with the Department as part of the ongoing Spending Review process.
Asked by: Llinos Medi (Plaid Cymru - Ynys Môn)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions he has had with the (a) the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, (b) Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and (c) Welsh Government on ensuring that (i) local authorities are prepared for the Public Switched Telephone Network migration and (ii) no vulnerable people are missed in that migration.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) migration is industry-led. The Department works closely with other departments, including the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government and the Welsh Government, to ensure that local authorities and vulnerable customers are protected and prepared for the migration.
On 18 November 2024, the Government published guidance for local authorities on the migration. Local authorities have been asked to sign data sharing agreements with communication providers on telecare and vulnerable customers. Over 85% of local authorities that provide telecare have an agreement with at least one communication provider.
Industry are leading and funding a National Telecare Campaign to support identifying vulnerable customers. Welsh language will be used in broadcast and printed adverts.
Asked by: Llinos Medi (Plaid Cymru - Ynys Môn)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 7 January 2025 to Question 21108 on Wylfa Power Station, whether his Department has finished examining the previous Government's plans for Wylfa.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
I refer the hon Member to the answer I gave to her on 7 January 2025 to Question UIN 21108. No decisions have been taken on any projects and technologies to be deployed at sites owned by Great British Nuclear. We will set out our plans in due course.
Asked by: Llinos Medi (Plaid Cymru - Ynys Môn)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of participating in the EU4Health programme as a third country.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
A closer, more cooperative relationship with the European Union is in the United Kingdom’s national interest, and we are working to identify areas where we can strengthen cooperation for mutual benefit. However, the UK currently has no plans to join the EU4Health programme as an associated third country.
Asked by: Llinos Medi (Plaid Cymru - Ynys Môn)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will take steps to develop a rural economic strategy that provides regional funding for rural communities.
Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The UK Government is committed to supporting economic growth across the UK, including in our rural communities. Through the Plan for Change programme, we are working closely with the Welsh Government to ensure Wales can benefit from future investment and support. Our focus will be on working closely with the Welsh Government to inform their strategies and plans for rural communities in Wales. The UK Government is supporting through programmes like the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), Freeports and Investment Zones, which collectively aim to target growth and investment across Wales.
Asked by: Llinos Medi (Plaid Cymru - Ynys Môn)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the Crown Estate charges private businesses (a) lease fees and (b) royalty fees on profits.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Crown Estate as a landowner charges occupiers/tenants, which can be private businesses, rent in accordance with their lease agreements.
In some cases, the rent structure under The Crown Estate’s leases can include a turnover rent element whereby the amount of rent charged is either a percentage of the occupier/tenant’s turnover made at the leased property or the higher of fixed rent and a percentage of the occupier/tenant’s turnover at the leased property. These rent structures are commonly used in the retail market. Royalty fees are used in certain specific situations within a lease structure.
Asked by: Llinos Medi (Plaid Cymru - Ynys Môn)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made with the Welsh Government of the effectiveness of (a) death certification reforms and (b) the statutory medical examiner system; and if he will undertake a review of their implementation.
Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is monitoring the impact of the death certification reforms which came into legal effect on 9 September 2024. Overall, the implementation of the reforms has been effective and medical examiners are conducting scrutiny of the causes of death in every case that is not investigated by a coroner. Medical examiners were introduced to provide additional safeguards in death certification, and they are obliged by law to make all the enquiries they consider necessary to conduct their scrutiny and to ensure there has been an opportunity for the bereaved to ask questions and raise concerns in every case. Feedback from bereaved people about the support provided by medical examiner offices is overwhelmingly positive.
Since the introduction of the reforms, the median time taken to register a death in England and Wales appears to have risen by two days, from seven days to nine days, though there is regional variation. This figure is for all deaths, as it includes those certified by a doctor and those investigated by a coroner. The median time taken to register a death varies depending on the type of certification, and deaths certified through the medical examiner route, which comprise approximately 80% of deaths registered each week, typically had a shorter period between death and registration compared to all deaths. It’s important to note that the medical examiner system was active on a non-statutory basis before the introduction of the statutory system on 9 September 2024, and this makes direct ‘before’ and ‘after’ comparisons challenging to draw conclusions from.
To improve the implementation of the reforms, the Welsh administration has implemented short-term fortnightly oversight meetings to engage all partners along the death certification pathway, including health boards, medical examiner services, coroners, funeral directors, registrars, primary care associations, and patient voice organisations, to monitor, improve, and learn lessons from the implementation through the 2024/2025 winter period.