Matt Western Portrait

Matt Western

Labour - Warwick and Leamington

First elected: 8th June 2017

Shadow Minister (Education)

(since March 2021)

Lifelong Learning (Higher Education Fee Limits) Bill
15th Mar 2023 - 23rd Mar 2023
Skills and Post-16 Education [HL] Bill
24th Nov 2021 - 7th Dec 2021
Higher Education (Freedom of Speech) Bill
7th Sep 2021 - 22nd Sep 2021
Opposition Whip (Commons)
12th Feb 2020 - 14th May 2021
International Trade Committee
2nd Mar 2020 - 28th Sep 2020
Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee
5th Feb 2018 - 6th Nov 2019
International Trade Committee
11th Sep 2017 - 6th Nov 2019
Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Committee
5th Feb 2018 - 6th Nov 2019


Division Voting information

During the current Parliament, Matt Western has voted in 820 divisions, and never against the majority of their Party.
View All Matt Western Division Votes

Debates during the 2019 Parliament

Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.

Sparring Partners
Michelle Donelan (Conservative)
Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
(80 debate interactions)
Toby Perkins (Labour)
Shadow Minister (Nature and Rural Affairs)
(57 debate interactions)
Emma Hardy (Labour)
Shadow Minister (Flooding, Oceans and Coastal Communities)
(51 debate interactions)
View All Sparring Partners
Department Debates
Department for Education
(559 debate contributions)
Department of Health and Social Care
(84 debate contributions)
Cabinet Office
(75 debate contributions)
HM Treasury
(68 debate contributions)
View All Department Debates
Legislation Debates
Skills and Post-16 Education Act 2022
(7,478 words contributed)
Trade Bill 2019-21
(5,150 words contributed)
View All Legislation Debates
View all Matt Western's debates

Warwick and Leamington Petitions

e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.

If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.

If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).

Petition Debates Contributed

We want the UK to be neutral in the conflict between Israel and Palestine, and withdraw offers of support for Israel.

We want the Government to seek a ceasefire and also seek to address the root cause of the current conflict by promoting dialogue and advocating for the end of Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

The UK Government should urge the Israeli Government to stop the blockade of Food, Fuel and Electricity to the already impoverished city of Gaza

No general statutory duty of care exists in HE. Yet, a duty of care is owed to students, and the Government should legislate for this. HE providers should know what their duty is. Students must know what they can expect. Parents expect their children to be safe at university.

I would like the UK Government to make it law that nightclubs must search guests on arrival to prevent harmful weapons and other items entering the establishment. This could be a pat down search or metal detector, but must involve measures being put in place to ensure the safety of the public.

Call on the government to consider holding debates in Parliament between MPs and university students to raise/discuss issues that affect them. It will allow students to voice their opinions and concerns about tuition fees of £9250 a year which are too high, particularly as grants have been removed

We ask Parliament to repeal the High Speed Rail Bills, 2016 and 2019, as MPs voted on misleading environmental, financial and timetable information provided by the Dept of Transport and HS2 Ltd. It fails to address the conditions of the Paris Accord and costs have risen from £56bn to over £100bn.


Latest EDMs signed by Matt Western

23rd March 2022
Matt Western signed this EDM on Thursday 24th March 2022

P&O Ferries and DP World

Tabled by: Karl Turner (Labour - Kingston upon Hull East)
That this House condemns in the strongest possible terms the decision of P&O Ferries to fire 800 staff without notice or consultation with their trade unions, the RMT and Nautilus; demands the immediate reinstatement of the sacked workers; condemns their replacement with agency workers earning as little as £1.80 per …
125 signatures
(Most recent: 27 Apr 2022)
Signatures by party:
Labour: 93
Scottish National Party: 12
Liberal Democrat: 7
Independent: 4
Plaid Cymru: 3
Democratic Unionist Party: 3
Alba Party: 2
Green Party: 1
Social Democratic & Labour Party: 1
23rd September 2021
Matt Western signed this EDM on Monday 25th October 2021

Campaign to secure the future of the Covid Memorial Wall

Tabled by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester, Gorton)
That this House welcomes the creation of the Covid Memorial Wall on Albert Embankment by Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice; notes that this memorial now includes over 150,000 hand-painted hearts to symbolise all those who lost their lives during the coronavirus pandemic; praises the work of Covid-19 Bereaved Families for …
139 signatures
(Most recent: 21 Feb 2022)
Signatures by party:
Labour: 97
Scottish National Party: 15
Liberal Democrat: 10
Conservative: 5
Democratic Unionist Party: 4
Independent: 4
Plaid Cymru: 3
Green Party: 1
Social Democratic & Labour Party: 1
View All Matt Western's signed Early Day Motions

Commons initiatives

These initiatives were driven by Matt Western, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.

MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.


Matt Western has not been granted any Urgent Questions

3 Adjournment Debates led by Matt Western

2 Bills introduced by Matt Western


A Bill to introduce a presumption in planning decision-making against approving quarry development in close proximity to settlements; to require the risks of proposed quarrying sites to health and the environment, including through silica dust, to be assessed as part of the planning process; to make provision about the use of quarries for waste disposal; and for connected purposes.

Commons - 40%

Last Event - 2nd Reading
Friday 6th May 2022

The Bill failed to complete its passage through Parliament before the end of the session. This means the Bill will make no further progress. A Bill to limit bus drivers on local routes to driving for no more than 56 hours in any one week and 90 hours in any two consecutive weeks; and for connected purposes.

Commons - 20%

Last Event - 1st Reading: House Of Commons
Wednesday 13th February 2019
(Read Debate)

Latest 50 Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department
5 Other Department Questions
20th Feb 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what programmes and grants exist to support innovation in UK games studios.

As part of a wider package to support the growth of the creative industries, the Government is committed to supporting the UK’s video game sector which brings economic, cultural and social benefits across the UK.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has committed to an £8 million expansion of the UK Games Fund (UKGF) (2022-25). The UKGF provides grants to support new intellectual property (IP) and talent development in the UK games sector. Its Tranzfuser programme supports graduates across the UK to develop valuable business skills. Games companies making interactive narrative games can access the International Business Development strand of the £21 million UK Global Screen Fund which provides financial support for business strategies that drive growth, as well as intellectual property support.

In addition, DCMS is delivering a £17.5 million Create Growth Programme which supports high-growth creative businesses, including games companies, to access finance across six regions in England outside of London to reach their growth potential.

The Government is also investing over £100 million to support innovation in the creative industries. This includes the £75.6 million Convergent Screen Technologies and Performance in RealTime (CoSTAR) programme to build a new national R&D infrastructure for the screen industries and the £30 million Creative Catalyst Programme to fund small and micro creative businesses to innovate.

The Government will set out interventions to support skills and workforce development in the upcoming Creative Industries Sector Vision. The Government is building a skills system that is employer-focused, high-quality, and fit for the future. This includes supporting more people to complete an apprenticeship, including the Level 7 game programmer standard, or a Higher Technical Qualification, rolling out more T Levels, and establishing our network of 21 Institutes of Technology. We are also expanding our Skills Bootcamps in 2024 and are considering how games and other creative sectors can best make use of these.

Julia Lopez
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
20th Feb 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what grants and incentive schemes exist to help video games studios start-up and grow their businesses.

As part of a wider package to support the growth of the creative industries, the Government is committed to supporting the UK’s video game sector which brings economic, cultural and social benefits across the UK.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has committed to an £8 million expansion of the UK Games Fund (UKGF) (2022-25). The UKGF provides grants to support new intellectual property (IP) and talent development in the UK games sector. Its Tranzfuser programme supports graduates across the UK to develop valuable business skills. Games companies making interactive narrative games can access the International Business Development strand of the £21 million UK Global Screen Fund which provides financial support for business strategies that drive growth, as well as intellectual property support.

In addition, DCMS is delivering a £17.5 million Create Growth Programme which supports high-growth creative businesses, including games companies, to access finance across six regions in England outside of London to reach their growth potential.

The Government is also investing over £100 million to support innovation in the creative industries. This includes the £75.6 million Convergent Screen Technologies and Performance in RealTime (CoSTAR) programme to build a new national R&D infrastructure for the screen industries and the £30 million Creative Catalyst Programme to fund small and micro creative businesses to innovate.

The Government will set out interventions to support skills and workforce development in the upcoming Creative Industries Sector Vision. The Government is building a skills system that is employer-focused, high-quality, and fit for the future. This includes supporting more people to complete an apprenticeship, including the Level 7 game programmer standard, or a Higher Technical Qualification, rolling out more T Levels, and establishing our network of 21 Institutes of Technology. We are also expanding our Skills Bootcamps in 2024 and are considering how games and other creative sectors can best make use of these.

Julia Lopez
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
20th Feb 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what grants and schemes exist to help video games developers train their staff.

As part of a wider package to support the growth of the creative industries, the Government is committed to supporting the UK’s video game sector which brings economic, cultural and social benefits across the UK.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has committed to an £8 million expansion of the UK Games Fund (UKGF) (2022-25). The UKGF provides grants to support new intellectual property (IP) and talent development in the UK games sector. Its Tranzfuser programme supports graduates across the UK to develop valuable business skills. Games companies making interactive narrative games can access the International Business Development strand of the £21 million UK Global Screen Fund which provides financial support for business strategies that drive growth, as well as intellectual property support.

In addition, DCMS is delivering a £17.5 million Create Growth Programme which supports high-growth creative businesses, including games companies, to access finance across six regions in England outside of London to reach their growth potential.

The Government is also investing over £100 million to support innovation in the creative industries. This includes the £75.6 million Convergent Screen Technologies and Performance in RealTime (CoSTAR) programme to build a new national R&D infrastructure for the screen industries and the £30 million Creative Catalyst Programme to fund small and micro creative businesses to innovate.

The Government will set out interventions to support skills and workforce development in the upcoming Creative Industries Sector Vision. The Government is building a skills system that is employer-focused, high-quality, and fit for the future. This includes supporting more people to complete an apprenticeship, including the Level 7 game programmer standard, or a Higher Technical Qualification, rolling out more T Levels, and establishing our network of 21 Institutes of Technology. We are also expanding our Skills Bootcamps in 2024 and are considering how games and other creative sectors can best make use of these.

Julia Lopez
Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
20th Feb 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what proportion of football managers and coaches in the Premier League hold foreign passports.

The government does not hold data on the passport status of sportspeople or sports coaches divided by sport or leagues.

Stuart Andrew
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
20th Feb 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what proportion of male footballers playing in the Premier League hold foreign passports.

The government does not hold data on the passport status of sportspeople or sports coaches divided by sport or leagues.

Stuart Andrew
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
18th Jan 2022
To ask the Attorney General, how many prosecutions there have been for offences relating to hare coursing by police force in the latest period for which data is available.

Offences of hare coursing may be prosecuted using offences created by the Game Act 1831, the Night Poaching Act 1828 and the Hunting Act 2004.

The CPS does not maintain a central record of the number of prosecutions for offences of hare coursing. This information could only be obtained by examining CPS case files, which would incur disproportionate cost.

Alex Chalk
Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice
1st Jun 2020
To ask the Attorney General, what discussions he has had with the CPS on the capacity to deal with the increase in domestic violence cases during the covid-19 outbreak.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is working closely with colleagues across the Criminal Justice System to ensure that these offences continue to be brought to justice. Cases are still being referred to the CPS for charging decisions, trials are being listed and domestic abuse cases are treated as a high priority.

The CPS has worked with police colleagues to introduce an Interim Charging Protocol to ensure that the most serious cases are prioritised effectively and put before the courts at the earliest opportunity. The CPS is committed to working closely with CJS partners and the third sector to make sure victims and witnesses remain at the heart of the process.

1st Sep 2023
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many excess deaths were recorded in (a) 2022 and (b) 2012.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 1 September is attached.

1st Sep 2023
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many flights the Prime Minister has made to California since 25 October 2022.

Details of Ministerial overseas travel are published on gov.uk on a quarterly basis.

Alex Burghart
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
17th Feb 2023
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much each Prime Minister has spent on official travel via private jet since 2010.

The specific information requested is not centrally held and could only be provided at disproportionate cost. I would refer the Hon. Member to the previous Cabinet Office Annual Accounts and Reports that holds some information on departmental business travel since 2010.

4th Nov 2022
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 2 November 2022 to Question 73117 on Prime Minister: Furniture, what the disproportionate cost threshold is for answering written parliamentary questions.

The Disproportionate Cost Threshold is set at £850. This is set out in the Guide to Parliamentary Work (2018) published at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/740236/Guide-to-Parliamentary-Work-2018.pdf.

27th Oct 2022
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether there was a cost to the public purse of new (a) furniture and (b) furnishings for the former Prime Minister from 6 September 2022 to 25 October 2022.

Details of expenditure on the Downing Street estate, including spending under the annual allowance for the official residence, will be published in the Cabinet Office’s annual report and audited accounts in due course.

27th Oct 2022
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the cost to the public purse was of the move-in operation of the former Prime Minister into Number 10 Downing Street.

As with previous administrations, the cost of moving-in or removing personal property from a Ministerial residence is funded by the incoming or departing Minister.

19th Jul 2022
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the average hourly rate of pay is for service staff at Chequers.

I refer the hon. Member to my answer on 16 June 2022 to PQ 16972.

19th Jul 2022
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the cost of alcoholic drinks at Chequers is paid for by the public purse.

I refer the hon. Member to my answer on 20 July 2022 to PQ 37503.

19th Jul 2022
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much money from the public purse has been spent on alcohol at Chequers in each year between 2019 and 2022.

I refer the hon. Member to my answer on 20 July 2022 to PQ 37503.

14th Apr 2022
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much has been spent from the public purse on advertisements in The Guardian newspaper related to tackling covid-19.

The Government developed a strong national campaign to provide information and reassurance to the public. As part of this, we utilised advertising in over 600 national, regional and local titles across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

As with any media planning approach, titles were selected on their ability to engage with audiences at a national, regional and local level. All of these titles have been selected independently by our media planning and buying agency, OmniGOV.

The spend breakdown requested is not held by the Cabinet Office as this information will be held by OmniGov. The Cabinet Office also publishes expenditure, including on public information campaigns, on a rolling monthly basis on GOV.UK as part of routine government transparency arrangements.

14th Apr 2022
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much has been spent from the public purse on advertisements in The Telegraph newspaper related to tackling covid-19.

The Government developed a strong national campaign to provide information and reassurance to the public. As part of this, we utilised advertising in over 600 national, regional and local titles across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

As with any media planning approach, titles were selected on their ability to engage with audiences at a national, regional and local level. All of these titles have been selected independently by our media planning and buying agency, OmniGOV.

The spend breakdown requested is not held by the Cabinet Office as this information will be held by OmniGov. The Cabinet Office also publishes expenditure, including on public information campaigns, on a rolling monthly basis on GOV.UK as part of routine government transparency arrangements.

14th Apr 2022
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much has been spent from the public purse on advertisements in The Times newspaper related to tackling covid-19.

The Government developed a strong national campaign to provide information and reassurance to the public. As part of this, we utilised advertising in over 600 national, regional and local titles across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

As with any media planning approach, titles were selected on their ability to engage with audiences at a national, regional and local level. All of these titles have been selected independently by our media planning and buying agency, OmniGOV.

The spend breakdown requested is not held by the Cabinet Office as this information will be held by OmniGov. The Cabinet Office also publishes expenditure, including on public information campaigns, on a rolling monthly basis on GOV.UK as part of routine government transparency arrangements.

14th Apr 2022
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much has been spent from the public purse on advertisements in the Evening Standard newspaper related to tackling covid-19.

The Government developed a strong national campaign to provide information and reassurance to the public. As part of this, we utilised advertising in over 600 national, regional and local titles across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

As with any media planning approach, titles were selected on their ability to engage with audiences at a national, regional and local level. All of these titles have been selected independently by our media planning and buying agency, OmniGOV.

The spend breakdown requested is not held by the Cabinet Office as this information will be held by OmniGov. The Cabinet Office also publishes expenditure, including on public information campaigns, on a rolling monthly basis on GOV.UK as part of routine government transparency arrangements.

14th Apr 2022
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much has been spent from the public purse on advertisements on commercial radio related to tackling covid-19.

The Government developed a strong national campaign to provide information and reassurance to the public. As part of this, we utilised advertising in over 600 national, regional and local titles across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

As with any media planning approach, titles were selected on their ability to engage with audiences at a national, regional and local level. All of these titles have been selected independently by our media planning and buying agency, OmniGOV.

The spend breakdown requested is not held by the Cabinet Office as this information will be held by OmniGov. The Cabinet Office also publishes expenditure, including on public information campaigns, on a rolling monthly basis on GOV.UK as part of routine government transparency arrangements.

14th Apr 2022
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much has been spent from the public purse on advertisements in local newspapers related to tackling covid-19.

The Government developed a strong national campaign to provide information and reassurance to the public. As part of this, we utilised advertising in over 600 national, regional and local titles across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

As with any media planning approach, titles were selected on their ability to engage with audiences at a national, regional and local level. All of these titles have been selected independently by our media planning and buying agency, OmniGOV.

The spend breakdown requested is not held by the Cabinet Office as this information will be held by OmniGov. The Cabinet Office also publishes expenditure, including on public information campaigns, on a rolling monthly basis on GOV.UK as part of routine government transparency arrangements.

14th Apr 2022
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much has been spent from the public purse on advertisements in the Guardian newspaper related to the UK's exit from the European Union in each of the last five years.

The Government developed a strong national campaign to provide information and reassurance to the public. As part of this, we utilised advertising in over 600 national, regional and local titles across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

As with any media planning approach, titles were selected on their ability to engage with audiences at a national, regional and local level. All of these titles have been selected independently by our media planning and buying agency, OmniGOV.

The spend breakdown requested is not held by the Cabinet Office as this information will be held by OmniGov. The Cabinet Office also publishes expenditure, including on public information campaigns, on a rolling monthly basis on GOV.UK as part of routine government transparency arrangements.

14th Apr 2022
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much has been spent from the public purse on advertisements in The Telegraph newspaper related to the UK's exit from the European Union in each of the last five years.

The Government developed a strong national campaign to provide information and reassurance to the public. As part of this, we utilised advertising in over 600 national, regional and local titles across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

As with any media planning approach, titles were selected on their ability to engage with audiences at a national, regional and local level. All of these titles have been selected independently by our media planning and buying agency, OmniGOV.

The spend breakdown requested is not held by the Cabinet Office as this information will be held by OmniGov. The Cabinet Office also publishes expenditure, including on public information campaigns, on a rolling monthly basis on GOV.UK as part of routine government transparency arrangements.

14th Apr 2022
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much has been spent from the public purse on advertisements in the Times newspaper related to the UK's exit from the European Union in each of the last five years.

The Government developed a strong national campaign to provide information and reassurance to the public. As part of this, we utilised advertising in over 600 national, regional and local titles across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

As with any media planning approach, titles were selected on their ability to engage with audiences at a national, regional and local level. All of these titles have been selected independently by our media planning and buying agency, OmniGOV.

The spend breakdown requested is not held by the Cabinet Office as this information will be held by OmniGov. The Cabinet Office also publishes expenditure, including on public information campaigns, on a rolling monthly basis on GOV.UK as part of routine government transparency arrangements.

14th Apr 2022
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much has been spent from the public purse on advertisements in the Evening Standard newspaper related to the UK's exit from the European Union in each of the last five years.

The Government developed a strong national campaign to provide information and reassurance to the public. As part of this, we utilised advertising in over 600 national, regional and local titles across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

As with any media planning approach, titles were selected on their ability to engage with audiences at a national, regional and local level. All of these titles have been selected independently by our media planning and buying agency, OmniGOV.

The spend breakdown requested is not held by the Cabinet Office as this information will be held by OmniGov. The Cabinet Office also publishes expenditure, including on public information campaigns, on a rolling monthly basis on GOV.UK as part of routine government transparency arrangements.

14th Apr 2022
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much has been spent from the public purse on advertisements on commercial radio stations related to the UK's exit from the European Union in each of the last five years.

The Government developed a strong national campaign to provide information and reassurance to the public. As part of this, we utilised advertising in over 600 national, regional and local titles across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

As with any media planning approach, titles were selected on their ability to engage with audiences at a national, regional and local level. All of these titles have been selected independently by our media planning and buying agency, OmniGOV.

The spend breakdown requested is not held by the Cabinet Office as this information will be held by OmniGov. The Cabinet Office also publishes expenditure, including on public information campaigns, on a rolling monthly basis on GOV.UK as part of routine government transparency arrangements.

14th Apr 2022
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much has been spent from the public purse on advertisements in local newspapers related to the UK's exit from the European Union in each of the last five years.

The Government developed a strong national campaign to provide information and reassurance to the public. As part of this, we utilised advertising in over 600 national, regional and local titles across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

As with any media planning approach, titles were selected on their ability to engage with audiences at a national, regional and local level. All of these titles have been selected independently by our media planning and buying agency, OmniGOV.

The spend breakdown requested is not held by the Cabinet Office as this information will be held by OmniGov. The Cabinet Office also publishes expenditure, including on public information campaigns, on a rolling monthly basis on GOV.UK as part of routine government transparency arrangements.

29th Mar 2022
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many recommendations for life peerage appointments made by the House of Lords Appointment Committee have not been followed since 2010.

The House of Lords Appointments Commission (HoLAC) was established in 2000 as an independent body. HoLAC is responsible for the vetting for propriety of all life peerages to the cross-bench and political benches of the House. HoLAC seeks advice from the appropriate vetting agencies and then will either advise the Prime Minister that it has no concerns about the appointment, or will draw its concerns to the Prime Minister’s attention. These vetting procedures and the advice to the Prime Minister are confidential.

Where HOLAC does not support a nomination, and a Prime Minister has exercised their right to recommend it anyway, this information is communicated in general terms to the relevant select committee (PACAC) whilst also protecting the identity of the nominee in question.

11th Feb 2021
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, when he plans to provide guidance on how local election counts can be made covid-secure, with particular reference to ensuring those who are observers attending the election counts can maintain social distancing while ensuring (a) scrutiny of the process and (b) the safety of officials and observers.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to PQ 147911 on 9 February 2021.

1st Sep 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what estimate she has made of the annual electric vehicle production capacity of the (a) UK and (b) OECD average.

According to the Advanced Propulsion Centre UK (APC), the UK produced 80,000 battery electric passenger cars and vans in 2022 - forecasted to increase to 970,000 by 2030.

We are investing in the technologies of the future, positioning the UK as one of the best locations in the world to manufacture electric vehicles through the Automotive Transformation Fund and the long-term Advanced Propulsion Centre R&D programme.

Globally 8 million battery electric passenger cars and vans were produced in 2022 - expected to rise to 44milllion by 2030.

Source: APC Q1 2023 Automotive Demand Forecast

We do not hold data on OECD electric vehicle production volumes.

Nusrat Ghani
Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
13th Jun 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many trading standards staff were employed in each local authority in (a) 2023 and (b) 2010.

The Department for Business and Trade does not hold this information about trading standards, which is a local government service.

Kevin Hollinrake
Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
6th Jun 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what proportion of start up businesses closed in the UK in the last five years.

Of the 1,800,000 businesses that were set up over the five years from 2016 to 2020, 39% had closed by 2021. (ONS, Business Demography, 2022)

Kevin Hollinrake
Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
6th Jun 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what proportion of start up businesses in the creative industries closed in the UK in the last five years.

Of the 14,500 businesses in the ‘Creative, arts and entertainment activities’ sector that were set up over the five years from 2016 to 2020, 32% had closed by 2021. (ONS, Business Demography, 2022)

Kevin Hollinrake
Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
20th Feb 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what data her Department holds on the number of UK domestic residential properties owned by individual foreign registered businesses in (a) 2010 and (b) 2022; and what estimate her Department has made of the total value of that property in those years.

HM Land Registry (HMLR) registers legal ownership, interests, mortgages and other secured loans against land and property in England and Wales. Land Registration is a devolved matter in Scotland and in Northern Ireland.

HMLR does not hold information on the nationality of individuals. While some individuals may provide non-UK correspondence addresses, this does not necessarily indicate nationality.

Published information on overseas companies that own property in England and Wales is accessible here: https://use-land-property-data.service.gov.uk/datasets/ocod.

Kevin Hollinrake
Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
20th Feb 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what grants and programmes exist to help video games studios export their games.

The Department for Business and Trade, working with industry partners, delivers a trade promotion programme for UK video games firms at major international video games trade shows to support their exporting journey. An example of this support is the video games trade mission this department is taking to the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco in March 2023. We also deliver a dedicated campaign programme ‘Made in the UK, Sold to the World’ which encourages new exporters, including those from the video games sector, to pursue export opportunities. Video games firms can also access the Creative Industries Faculty of the Export Academy, which builds their export capability through a programme of online learning.

Nigel Huddleston
Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
27th Nov 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate she has made of the number of (a) people and (b) households in Warwick and Leamington constituency living in fuel poverty in (i) 2010, (ii) 2013, (iii) 2018 and (iv) 2023.

The latest statistics for the number of households in fuel poverty in parliamentary constituencies in England, can be found in the published sub-regional fuel poverty Official Statistics, in Table 4: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/fuel-poverty-statistics

The estimates covering 2019 to 2021 are published using the current fuel poverty metric and 2010 to 2018 using the previous metric. Information on the number of people in fuel poverty is not held at local area level.

Amanda Solloway
Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
23rd Oct 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether she plans to take steps to encourage the installation of insulation in student housing.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Graham Stuart
Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
14th Sep 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps her Department is taking to support public houses to pay their energy bills.

Businesses, including public houses, have already benefitted from the Energy Bill Relief Scheme which ended on 31 March and provided £7.4 billion of support. Eligible businesses will continue to get a baseline discount on energy bills under the Energy Bills Discount Scheme (EBDS) from 1 April 2023 until 31 March 2024.

We are also helping the industry by cutting their business rates by 75%, as well as increasing the Draught Relief duty differential from 5% to 9.2% to ensure the duty on a draught pint served in a pub did not increase from August.

Amanda Solloway
Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
1st Sep 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate she has made of the proportion of households with heat pumps installed (a) as of 4 September 2023, (b) in July 2013 and (c) in July 2011.

The Government does not hold comprehensive information on the total number of households with a heat pump installed.

However, since 2007, heat pumps installed under Government grants have been recorded on the Microgeneration Certification Scheme Installations Database, which shows the number of recorded heat pumps installed across the UK as:

• 9,057 in July 2011 (approximately 0.03% of total households).

• 29,810 in July 2013 (approximately 0.11% of total households).

• 200,422 in July 2023 (approximately 0.71% of total households).

The database does not include all heat pump installations. For example, heat pumps installed without Government funding support, such as in new buildings, are not typically recorded in the Microgeneration Certification Scheme Installations Database.

Graham Stuart
Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
1st Sep 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate she has made of the proportion of households with solar P-V panels installed (a) as of 4 September 2023, (b) in July 2013 and (c) in July 2011.

The number of solar PV schemes installed in households at the end of July 2023 accounted for around 4.3 percent of all UK households.

In July 2013, domestic solar installations accounted for 1.7 percent of all UK households.

In July 2011, domestic solar installations accounted for 0.3 percent of all UK households.

Graham Stuart
Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
6th Jun 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what fuel and electricity subsidies are available to businesses in the video games industry.

Like other businesses, the video games industry benefited from Energy Bill Relief Scheme support and will continue to be provided a baseline discount under Energy Bills Discount Scheme if eligible.

The Government is also supporting UK SMEs in dealing with cost-of-living pressures by cutting fuel duty for 12 months as well as helping businesses with £6bn of investment in energy efficiency. The Government would encourage all businesses to do what they can to improve their energy efficiency.

Amanda Solloway
Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
6th Jun 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what grants are available to games businesses to help those businesses support the Government's net zero targets.

The Government is keeping energy efficiency support for all non-domestic organisations under review. Existing initiatives which may be applicable include an exemption on business rates for green technology and providing grants under the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.

The Government is reviewing what additional levers can be introduced to help organisations to be more energy efficient, including financial support. As part of this, the Government has launched a new Energy Efficiency Taskforce to help achieve its target to reduce energy consumption from buildings and industry by 15% by 2030.

Graham Stuart
Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
20th Mar 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate he has made of the average wait time from acceptance onto the Solar Together programme to installation.

The Government has not made an assessment on the Solar Together scheme, which has been adopted by a number of local authorities.

The Government welcomes more deployment of rooftop solar panels and is supportive of innovative solutions that deliver cost effective installations for consumers.

Graham Stuart
Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
20th Mar 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate he has made of the number of applicants who have withdrawn from the Solar Together programme.

The Government has not made an assessment on the Solar Together scheme, which has been adopted by a number of local authorities.

The Government welcomes more deployment of rooftop solar panels and is supportive of innovative solutions that deliver cost effective installations for consumers.

Graham Stuart
Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
20th Mar 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate he has made of the total number of households that have benefitted from the Solar Together programme up to 20 March 2023.

The Government has not made an assessment on the Solar Together scheme, which has been adopted by a number of local authorities.

The Government welcomes more deployment of rooftop solar panels and is supportive of innovative solutions that deliver cost effective installations for consumers.

Graham Stuart
Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
17th Feb 2023
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department has made a comparative assessment of the impact of the (a) Energy Bills Discount Scheme and (b) Energy Bill Relief Scheme on support for pubs.

The new Energy Bill Discount Scheme will run from April until March 2024 and continue to provide a discount to eligible non-domestic customers including pubs. A Treasury-led review into the operation of the current Energy Bill Relief Schemes was conducted with the objective of significantly reducing the overall burden on public finances, and ensuring support is targeted at those most in need and unable to adjust to recent energy price rises. The Government recognises these are difficult times for pubs, therefore, alongside the continued support with energy bills, the Government is also cutting business rates by 75% as well as a six-month extension to the alcohol duty freeze.

Graham Stuart
Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)