Mark Garnier

Public inquiries are an important mechanism to learn lessons for the future. The Government will carefully consider all of the findings and recommendations of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry Module 1 report.

Parliament, and in particular its Select Committees, has an important role in scrutinising government policy, including the implementation of inquiries' recommendations.

The qualifying criteria that determine company size for the purposes of accounting and audit have not changed in over a decade. It is right that these thresholds are reviewed periodically so they are set at appropriate levels.

Company size thresholds are being considered as part of the Government's broader non-financial reporting review, intended to ensure that more companies are able to benefit from simpler reporting and accounting frameworks, as well as take advantage of the small company exemption from statutory audit.

This Government backs our wonderful construction industry and is working to ensure we have a high-quality and professional construction industry, with consumer protection at the heart of this. TrustMark, sponsored by the Department and licenced by the Government, is the Government Endorsed Quality Scheme that covers work a consumer chooses to have carried out in or around their home. In addition the Building Safety Act 2022 has introduced competence requirements for both individuals and businesses working in the built environment.

Any action that the Government takes forward more widely on licensing to protect customers and standards needs to be robust, proportionate and evidence based.

The Department intends to publish the October and November data on Departmental spending over £500 with an electronic purchasing card before the end of the financial year.

The annual UNFCCC Conference of the Parties (COP) is a crucial opportunity to tackle climate change internationally. As a top Government priority, officials across HMG are involved in making these summits as successful as they can be, from negotiations, logistics and Ministerial support to policy and stakeholder engagement. They typically do this as part of a broader role.

This data is not published by the Department, in line with Section 8.2 Transparency in the Crown Commercial Services’ Procurement Cards Pan-Government Policy.

No gifts were received by Ministers for travel to COP conferences in the last 12 months.

The Government does not hold any information on the number of fax machines in use at the National Energy System Operator (NESO).

Government, Ofgem and NESO are working to digitalise the energy system. In August the government published a response to the digital spine feasibility study, detailing how NESO and others are improving energy data sharing. Government funds digitalisation innovation, including the Automatic Asset Registration programme which aims to improve visibility of small-scale low carbon technologies. Ofgem approves funding for digitalisation through its decisions on price controls of licenced organisations, and delivers the Strategic Innovation Fund.

Guidance already specifies that all spaceflight operator licences issued under the Space Industry Act 2018 limit an operator’s liability. This Government will look at opportunities to amend Section 12(2) of the Act to make this clear in legislation under Section 36 of the Act.

Recovering nature is a key priority for this Government and wetland habitats are an important component of that.

Under the Restoring Sustainable Abstraction Programme, the impact of Public Water Supply groundwater abstraction on river flows and wetlands has been investigated in a number of areas across Worcestershire. Through this programme the Environment Agency have worked with Severn Trent Water to look at their impact on water levels and flow and have taken steps to address this. Natural England are also working closely with the Environment Agency and Severn Trent on the Water Industry National Environment Programme to deliver improvements to protected sites across Worcestershire.

Identifying priorities for nature is a key objective of Local Nature Recovery Strategies. Defra looks forward to seeing the finished Worcestershire Local Nature Recovery Strategy which is being prepared by Worcestershire County Council as the responsible authority.

The Environment Agency works closely with Severn Trent Water on the current condition of aquifers and the action needed to achieve a sustainable level of abstraction.

Some aquifers in the Severn Trent Water supply area are over-abstracted and it is a challenge to get the right balance between protecting the environment while maintaining security of supply. To meet this challenge Severn Trent Water has one of the largest investment plans in the water industry to manage abstraction licences and groundwater quality.

A detailed assessment on the condition of the aquifers that Severn Trent abstracts may be found in the Severn river basin district river basin management plan: updated 2022 - GOV.UK.

The expanded Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) offer published in May 2024 includes capital grants to plant cider apple trees as part of an Agro-forestry system, and ongoing payments for actions which could be used in or around cider orchards such as flower rich grass margins blocks or strips, Integrated Pest Management plans, or managing hedgerows. Looking ahead, we will optimise Environmental Land Management schemes including SFI in an orderly way, over time, ensuring they produce the right outcomes for all farmers, for food security and for nature’s recovery in a just and equitable way.

The consultation was designed to gather up to date information primarily from local authorities to expand the evidence base. The questions for local authorities included asking about existing levels of motorcycle use in bus lanes on their networks and what factors had been taken into account in their decision making. However, the number of local authorities responding was too small to draw useful conclusions.

We are aware of the risks associated with Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programmes as described in this question. They are a source of much needed development finance for several countries, but they can also pose challenges for both the host and third-party nations. As a result, the UK maintains ongoing dialogue with various stakeholders to address issues related to CBI and Ministers will seek to raise with their counterparts at events such as CHOGM (Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting) and in dialogues in London.

The government is taking a range of steps to promote digital asset adoption. This includes initiatives such as the recently announced Digital Gilt Instrument, or DIGIT, and the new Digital Securities Sandbox, which opened in September.

Innovation and technology is also one of our five core policy pillars in our Financial Services Growth and Competitiveness strategy, which forms part of the government’s wider industrial strategy.

HM Treasury works closely with the regulators, including the Financial Conduct Authority, on digital assets regulation. This includes the recent opening of the Digital Securities Sandbox, legislated for by HM Treasury and jointly operated by the Bank of England and the Financial Conduct Authority, and the forthcoming regulatory regime for cryptoassets.

The UK has granted market access to certain retail funds from the European Economic Area under the Overseas Funds Regime. Decisions regarding market access for UK firms or products into the European Union are an autonomous decision for the European Union. The government has committed to reset the UK’s relationship with the European Union through strengthening ties, securing a broad-based security pact, and improving conditions for trade and investment. This recognises the inter-connectedness of our markets and ensures that our approach to financial services supports growth and delivers investment.

Ministers and officials at HM Treasury continue to engage regularly with the European Union and Governments in other jurisdictions, including through Economic and Financial Dialogues, to address barriers to UK financial services products being marketed abroad, and to promote the UK’s world-leading financial services sector.

At Autumn Budget 2024 the government confirmed that from 1 November 2024, the Energy Profits Levy (EPL) rate would increase by 3 percentage points to 38%, the EPL investment allowance would be abolished and the EPL decarbonisation allowance rate would be adjusted to 66%. The government also confirmed an extension to the period the levy applies from 31 March 2029 until 31 March 2030. To support jobs in future and existing industries, the government decided to make no additional changes to the availability of capital allowances in the EPL.

The government has carefully considered the impact of the removal of the EPL’s investment allowance. HM Treasury publishes impacts in summary form for tax measures in tax information and impact notes (TIINs) alongside the Finance Bill. The summary of impacts from these changes to the EPL can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/energy-profits-levy-reforms-2024

The government will consult later this year on the implementation of its manifesto position not to issue new oil and gas licences to explore new fields.

Forecasts for oil and gas tax revenues are published by the Office for Budget Responsibility.