Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate he has made of the number of off-grid homes in Wales that are not suitable for heat pump technology.

Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

While we do not have a specific assessment for Wales, evidence shows heat pumps will work well in most off-gas grid homes.

A home’s suitability to install a heat pump depends on several factors, including having sufficient internal and external space (for the heat pump unit, thermal store and larger radiators), the peak current draw of the grid connection, and the home’s peak heat loss.

We have commissioned research on the costs of different approaches to decarbonising complex housing archetypes, including alternative low carbon heating solutions where required, and we expect to receive results in Spring 2026.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate he has made of the number of jobs that will be created by the (a) Awel Y Mor and (b) The Erebus Project will be based in Wales.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Department has not made an assessment of the number of jobs that will be created by individual offshore wind projects.

However, securing 8.4GW of offshore wind capacity in Contracts for Difference Allocation Round 7 has unlocked £22 billion in private investment and supports 7,000 skilled jobs in every corner of the country.

The government estimates that the offshore wind sector could support up to 100,000 direct and indirect jobs in Great Britain by 2030. Wales is well placed to benefit, with its clean energy workforce expected to grow by around 110% by 2030 – equivalent to an increase of approximately 10,000 direct jobs from 2023 levels.

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 has taken to help support the decarbonisation of off-grid homes including the uptake of Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil in homes where heat-pump technology is not viable.

Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government launched a consultation on 18 November to explore alternative clean heating solutions that may play a role in some homes, including renewable liquid fuels (RLFs) such as hydrotreated vegetable oil.

The consultation will run until 10 February.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 19 February 2025 to Question 30336 on Parking: Regulation, what steps he is taking to (a) consult and (b) assess the potential impact of the measures contained in the proposed Government code on standards of parking operator (i) practice and (ii) behaviour.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government consulted on its proposals to raise standards across the private parking industry between 11 July 2025 and 26 September 2025. All responses are now being analysed. The government’s response to the consultation, together with the impact assessment of the measures contained in the new Code on the industry, will be published in due course.

The consultation document can be accessed on gov.uk here.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to Written Statement UIN HCWS1315, what Barnett consequentials will be provided to the Welsh Government as a result of the grants awarded to local authorities in England to address SEND deficits.

Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

Any Barnett consequentials generated will be confirmed when departments formally receive funding; the next opportunity is Spring Forecast 2026.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether the Local Power Plan funding for projects in Wales will be delivered through the Internal Market Act.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Through the Local Power Plan, Great British Energy will invest up to £1 billion to support at least 1,000 local and community energy projects across the country by 2030.

Funding for the Plan will be administered by Great British Energy. It will not be delivered through the Internal Markets Act.

GBE will work with the devolved governments to complement existing support and identify new opportunities for collaboration.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what is his Department’s timescale for the distribution of updated materials on the Victims Code to police forces; and what assessment has he made of adherence to that timescale.

Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

We launched the consultation on a new Victims’ Code on 5 February, which will be open to responses for 12 weeks. Following consideration of the consultation responses, and any subsequent changes, we will issue a government response and then issue the new Code in accordance with the Parliamentary process set out in the Victims and Prisoners Act 2024. We will update and distribute revised materials alongside the new Code.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of lowering the landlord cost cap and introducing low property value exemptions for minimum energy efficiency standards on private renters in Wales.

Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Government’s response to the consultation on increasing the minimum energy efficiency standard for private rented homes was accompanied by the Department’s Impact Assessment. The assessment provides an estimated impact of the final policy based on a range of data available, including HM Land Registry and property price data available for Wales. The measures included in the final policy are intended to be proportional to help manage the burden placed on landlords and the impact on the rental market, whilst still delivering improved, warmer, cheaper to heat homes for private rented sector tenants.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the absence of a permanent motorcycle examiner based in north Wales on (a) test provision ,b) test availability and (c) learners and training providers.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) understands the importance of ensuring test-ready learner riders can take their test as quickly as practically possible.

DVSA is committed to providing motorcycle testing provision in North Wales and deploys examiners from other parts of the country to help meet demand. DVSA has also made additional tests available at Bangor driving test centre to account for the difficulty caused by the weather over the winter months.

Additional testing provision will be available in Bangor from March 2026.

DVSA also continues to recruit driving examiners in North Wales, and hopes this will provide the opportunity to nominate individuals for motorcycle examiner training in 2026.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what was the cost of the six-day live facial recognition trial at Holyhead port in November 2025.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The budget for the Immigration Enforcement Live Facial Recognition trials in Holyhead in November 2025 was £50,000; this was to cover the cost of the police technical support for 6 days of deployments and the watchlist production.

The deployments were completed on budget.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the cost of energy standing charges on households in North Wales.

Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

We are committed to bearing down on the cost of standing charges and continue to work closely with the independent regulator, Ofgem, on this issue.

As a result of action following the Autumn Budget, and shifting the recovery of the Warm Home Discount to unit rates, the average standing charge in the Price Cap from April to end June has come down by £13, and standing charges are lower now than in July 2024.

In addition, on 25 February Ofgem announced the launch of a one-year, lower standing charge tariff pilot with some major suppliers, from April 2026.

Through its Cost Allocation and Recovery Review, Ofgem has also been reviewing how fixed costs, which tend to be funded through standing charges, should be recovered in the future energy system. This includes whether those fixed costs could be recovered in more progressive ways.

Government contract with Palantir Technologies

Use of catapults against wildlife

International Women's Day 2026 and women’s inclusion in placemaking

Royal Mail delivery standards

Oil prices and the cost of living

Congratulations to Hollie Davidson

Creative industries and the use of AI

Energy prices for households and businesses

Heating oil prices

Dolphin hunting in the Faroe Islands

Marie Curie Great Daffodil Appeal 2026

Funding for fire and rescue services

Papur y Bobl, Rhosgadfan community newspaper

Surveillance and political intimidation of journalists

High street bank closures

Recognition of Ukrainian driving licences

Billionaire wealth

Government response to Israel’s West Bank annexation plan

UN Convention on the Rights of Older Persons

British couple detained in Iran

Artificial Intelligence chatbots

Together Alliance

International Humanitarian Law

International Day of Women and Girls in Science 2026

Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank

Relationship between Jeffrey Epstein and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor

Role of the House of Lords in scrutinising legislation

New US sanctions on Cuba

BBC Charter review

Found: I am asking this question on behalf of Llinos Medi, who is in bed on her doctor’s orders.

Submit Evidence (by 4 May 2026)

The rate of child poverty in Wales has changed very little over the past two decades, with around a third of Welsh children living in poverty during that time. Currently, 31% of children in Wales live in relative income poverty after housing costs. However, that figure also varies significantly depending on a family's circumstances, with larger families, lone parent families and families with at least one disabled adult or child experiencing higher rates of child poverty.