Asked by: Martin McCluskey (Labour - Inverclyde and Renfrewshire West)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to establish GB Energy.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government has taken immediate action towards establishing Great British Energy – a new publicly-owned energy company, headquartered in Scotland.
The Government has now published the launch statement for Great British Energy, announced a chair and Great British Energy’s first major partnership with The Crown Estate. The Government is also introducing the Great British Energy Bill to Parliament, establishing Great British Energy so it can turbocharge investment in clean, home-grown power – boosting energy independence, creating jobs and tackling climate change.
Asked by: Martin McCluskey (Labour - Inverclyde and Renfrewshire West)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans she has to meet with representatives of the Scottish arts and culture sector.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
I am looking forward to meeting with local stakeholders, including representatives of the Scottish arts and culture sector when I attend the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August.
Asked by: Martin McCluskey (Labour - Inverclyde and Renfrewshire West)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of delays in issuing (a) new passports and (b) renewals.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
His Majesty’s Passport Office is exceeding its performance indicator of 98.5% of standard UK passport applications, where no further information is required, being processed within three weeks. We are working to ensure that these performance levels continue.
Performance data can be found in the most recent Transparency Data release at: HM Passport Office data: Q1 2024 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
Asked by: Martin McCluskey (Labour - Inverclyde and Renfrewshire West)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans she has to end the use of hotels for asylum seekers.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)
This government will end the costly chaos in the asylum system by cleaning the previous government’s backlog of claims, in order to end hotel use and save the taxpayer billions. We aim to return to the use of long-standing dispersed accommodation as soon as possible.