Asked by: Llinos Medi (Plaid Cymru - Ynys Môn)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has had discussions with the Welsh Government on the potential merits of introducing a Guest Beer agreement in Wales.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
My department works closely with hospitality businesses to assess impact of rising operating costs across energy, staffing, compliance and taxation. Additionally, the Hospitality Sector Council provides a formal forum to co-create solutions to pressures facing the industry.
The Government recognises that independent breweries are essential to the diversity and character of our pubs. We have conducted a review of the beer market to determine whether there are any structural barriers preventing small breweries, the findings from which are currently being reviewed.
We maintain regular engagement with trade bodies such as the Society of Independent Brewers, as well as colleagues across government, to ensure that policy decisions are informed by the latest evidence and genuinely support the sector’s long‑term stability.
Asked by: Llinos Medi (Plaid Cymru - Ynys Môn)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to support small independent breweries from increased operating costs in Wales.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
My department works closely with hospitality businesses to assess impact of rising operating costs across energy, staffing, compliance and taxation. Additionally, the Hospitality Sector Council provides a formal forum to co-create solutions to pressures facing the industry.
The Government recognises that independent breweries are essential to the diversity and character of our pubs. We have conducted a review of the beer market to determine whether there are any structural barriers preventing small breweries, the findings from which are currently being reviewed.
We maintain regular engagement with trade bodies such as the Society of Independent Brewers, as well as colleagues across government, to ensure that policy decisions are informed by the latest evidence and genuinely support the sector’s long‑term stability.
Asked by: Llinos Medi (Plaid Cymru - Ynys Môn)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment she has made of the potential merits of increasing draught duty relief.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
This Government is proud to have been able to significantly expand the generosity of Draught Relief this parliament, in recognition of the economic and cultural importance of pubs, and the wider “on trade”.
In February 2025, the Chancellor delivered a duty cut on qualifying draught products – approximately 60% of the alcoholic drinks sold in pubs. This took a penny of duty off a typical strength pint and reduced overall duty receipts by £85m. Draught beer and cider now pay 13.9% less in tax than their packaged equivalents.
The Government keeps duty rates under review, and the Chancellor makes decisions on tax policy at fiscal events. The Government welcomes representations from the on trade sector on the effectiveness of Draught Relief in advance of the Budget.
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, with reference to table F of his Department's publication entitled Contracts for Difference Allocation Round 7: results, published on 14 January 2026, what is the total megawatt deployment capacity for (a) offshore wind and (b) floating offshore wind in Wales.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The total megawatt deployment capacity for fixed bottom offshore wind in Wales is 775 megawatts and 100 megawatts for floating offshore wind. These projects represent the first successful developments in Wales in over a decade.
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, how many homes in Wales have received measures under (a) Energy Company Obligation (b) Energy Company Obligation 1 (c) Energy Company Obligation 2 (d) Energy Company Obligation 3 and (e) Energy Company Obligation 4.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The number of unique households in Wales receiving measures under each Energy Company Obligation (ECO) phase between January 2013 and September 2025 is shown in the table below. Each property is counted when receiving an ECO measure for the first time under each phase. The total of 140,439 homes is lower than the sum of the phases as it shows the unique number of households receiving measures across the scheme.
These data have been derived from the Household Energy Efficiency statistics publication where further details on the measures delivered can be found.
Summary table
All ECO schemes | 140,439 |
ECO1 | 42,980 |
ECO2 | 46,753 |
ECO2 Help-to-Heat | 13,519 |
ECO3 | 24,248 |
ECO4 | 27,606 |
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, how much money has been spent in Wales on (a) Energy Company Obligation (b) Energy Company Obligation 1 (c) Energy Company Obligation 2 (d) Energy Company Obligation 3 and (e) Energy Company Obligation 4.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Estimated Energy Company Obligation (ECO) costs for Great Britain can be found in Table 5.1 of the latest Household Energy Efficiency Statistics Release. Figures for Wales are not available.
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, what proportion of the £13.2 billion allocated to the Warm Homes Plan in the June Spending Review has been assigned to Wales; and what share of the £1.5 billion announced in the 2025 Autumn Budget has been allocated to Wales.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
To ensure the bill savings from the transition to clean energy technologies are felt in all parts of the country, the different needs and approaches of the Devolved Governments will need to be recognised. The UK Government will continue to work closely with the Welsh Government and will publish the Warm Homes Plan soon.
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, what discussions his Department has had with the Welsh Government on the Warm Homes Plan.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
To ensure the bill savings from the transition to clean energy technologies are felt in all parts of the country, the different needs and approaches of the Devolved Governments will need to be recognised. The UK Government will continue to work closely with the Welsh Government and will publish the Warm Homes Plan soon.
The Minister has been engaging with his Ministerial counterparts in the Welsh government regarding the Warm Homes Plan.
Asked by: Llinos Medi (Plaid Cymru - Ynys Môn)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what Barnett consequential funding the Welsh Government will receive from the Warm Homes Plan.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The Barnett formula applies to all increases or decreases to Departmental Expenditure Limits (DEL).
The Barnett formula is not applied to the individual programmes driving the change in a UK department’s DEL budget, so the total Barnett consequentials associated with the Warm Homes Plan cannot be identified.
Asked by: Llinos Medi (Plaid Cymru - Ynys Môn)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to engage with independent creators on copyright and artificial intelligence issues.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport held successful working groups to consider all options with regard to issues concerning copyright and AI in the creative sector. The working groups consisted of representatives from both the creative and AI sectors, with some independent creators amongst the panels. There were also organisations present which represented individual creators and their interests concerning copyright and AI, as well as independent creators who were also organisational representatives. The department will continue to identify areas of collaboration with independent creators going forward, to support their perspectives during these important discussions.