Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of (a) her Department's proposals on gambling harmonisation and (b) affordability checks on levels of black market gambling.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government is consulting on proposals to simplify the current gambling tax system by merging the three current taxes that cover remote (including online) gambling into one – reducing complexity and improving compliance.

A new system for financial risk assessments is currently being piloted by the Gambling Commission. Stage 1 of the pilot showed that 95% of checks were frictionless and this increased to 97% of checks in stage 2.

DCMS works closely with the Gambling Commission to ensure that illegal gambling, in all its forms, is addressed. The Crime and Policing Bill, introduced in Parliament on 25 February 2025, will grant the Gambling Commission with powers to move quickly and effectively to take down illegal gambling websites.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of her Department's proposals to harmonise gambling duties on (a) horseracing and (b) other sports.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government is consulting on proposals to simplify the current gambling tax system by merging the three current taxes that cover remote (including online) gambling into one. The Government is committed to engaging with all stakeholders, including representatives of the horseracing industry, as part of the consultation process.

If any changes are made to gambling duties at a future Budget following the consultation, the legislation will be accompanied by a Tax Information and Impact Note which will set out the expected impacts.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will publish the full cost assessment undertaken by the previous Government of the double contribution convention aspect of the UK-India free trade agreement.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The OBR will certify the impact of the trade deal including the Double Contributions Convention in the usual way at a fiscal event, once the deal is finalised and ratified. The agreement to negotiate a Double Contributions Convention was made in the context of the wider deal, which will bring billions into the economy.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what processes his Department plans to put in place to ensure clear (a) accountability and (b) alignment with warranty schemes for long-term roof performance following the installation of rooftop solar panels.

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

For microgeneration technologies under DESNZ schemes, including rooftop solar, a Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) certified (or equivalent) installer is mandatory. The installer must use an MCS-approved product and carry out the installation to the relevant MCS installation standard. The MCS Solar PV Standard (2025) includes provisions for waterproofing, fire safety, and roof warranties and is available online.

The Government is currently reviewing the broader consumer protection landscape and will bring forward wider system reforms to ensure consumers can have confidence in the quality of installations and protections when upgrading their homes.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department is taking steps to (a) develop and (b) adopt a standardised fire testing methodology for rooftop solar PV systems, in the context of the fire safety of residential buildings.

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

For microgeneration technologies under DESNZ schemes, including rooftop solar, a Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) certified (or equivalent) installer is mandatory. The installer must use an MCS-approved product and carry out the installation to the relevant MCS installation standard. The MCS Solar PV Standard (2025) includes provisions for waterproofing, fire safety, and roof warranties and is available online.

The Government is currently reviewing the broader consumer protection landscape and will bring forward wider system reforms to ensure consumers can have confidence in the quality of installations and protections when upgrading their homes.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department plans to introduce auditable competency standards for the installation of rooftop solar PV systems to help ensure the (a) structural and (b) waterproofing integrity of roofing is maintained.

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

For microgeneration technologies under DESNZ schemes, including rooftop solar, a Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) certified (or equivalent) installer is mandatory. The installer must use an MCS-approved product and carry out the installation to the relevant MCS installation standard. The MCS Solar PV Standard (2025) includes provisions for waterproofing, fire safety, and roof warranties and is available online.

The Government is currently reviewing the broader consumer protection landscape and will bring forward wider system reforms to ensure consumers can have confidence in the quality of installations and protections when upgrading their homes.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Government press release entitled Rooftop solar for new builds to save people money, published on 6 June 2025, if she will make it her policy to require rooftop solar panels installed on new homes under the Future Homes Standard to be fitted by individuals with proven competency in both (a) electrical and (b) roofing.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government will publish the Future Homes Standard (FHS) this autumn to ensure new homes are zero carbon ready, meaning they will require no future retrofit work as the electricity grid fully decarbonises.

The FHS will apply to all new homes and will ensure they have low carbon heating and high levels of energy efficiency. We will set out appropriate transitional arrangements for the FHS in due course to ensure a smooth adoption of the new standards.

To ensure the quality and safety of installations, including the requirements around structural safety, fire safety and electrical safety, works must be approved by building control or carried out by someone registered as part of the competent persons scheme.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department collects data on the number of people that have made more than one attempt to illegally enter the UK by crossing the English Channel in each year since 2020.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)

No robust or comprehensive data is held in this category, given that many attempts to cross the Channel illegally will fail before an individual has been identified by the UK authorities.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of (a) affordability checks and (b) the harmonisation of gambling duties on levels of black market gambling.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government recognises the important contribution horseracing and the wider sports sector makes to the national economy and cultural life. We remain committed to engagement with stakeholders across the sector with a view to bolstering and protecting this contribution.

Future proposals on Gambling Duties are a matter for HMT, and we would encourage all interested parties to engage with ongoing consultations on the matter, which runs until the 21st of July. Ministerial engagement has taken place between DCMS and HMT, and should legislative changes come about following this consultation, we expect them to be accompanied by tax and impact notes from HMT, as is standard practice.

A new system for financial risk assessments is currently being piloted by the Gambling Commission. Stage 1 of the pilot showed that 95% of checks were frictionless and this increased to 97% of checks in stage 2.

We are working closely with the Gambling Commission to ensure that illegal gambling, in all its forms, is addressed. The Crime and Policing Bill, introduced in Parliament on 25 February 2025, will grant the Gambling Commission with new powers to more quickly and effectively take down illegal gambling websites.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the potential impact of harmonising gambling duties on (a) horseracing and (b) other sports.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government recognises the important contribution horseracing and the wider sports sector makes to the national economy and cultural life. We remain committed to engagement with stakeholders across the sector with a view to bolstering and protecting this contribution.

Future proposals on Gambling Duties are a matter for HMT, and we would encourage all interested parties to engage with ongoing consultations on the matter, which runs until the 21st of July. Ministerial engagement has taken place between DCMS and HMT, and should legislative changes come about following this consultation, we expect them to be accompanied by tax and impact notes from HMT, as is standard practice.

A new system for financial risk assessments is currently being piloted by the Gambling Commission. Stage 1 of the pilot showed that 95% of checks were frictionless and this increased to 97% of checks in stage 2.

We are working closely with the Gambling Commission to ensure that illegal gambling, in all its forms, is addressed. The Crime and Policing Bill, introduced in Parliament on 25 February 2025, will grant the Gambling Commission with new powers to more quickly and effectively take down illegal gambling websites.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of transferring Police and Crime Commissioner powers to combined authorities on communities.

Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

As set out in the English Devolution White Paper, the government’s ambition is that where mayoral geographies align with police force geographies, Mayors will be, by default, responsible for exercising Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) functions. By enabling more Mayors to take on PCC functions, we aim to provide efficient, accountable, and visible local leadership. More Mayors with public safety functions means strengthening Mayors’ accountability and enables them to forge stronger links and partnerships for the good of people in their areas. It will also enable them to better join up local services and take an integrated approach to improving local outcomes.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what role qualified roofing professionals will have in assessing the condition of roofs before solar PV installations under the Future Homes Standard.

Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Future Homes Standard, which will be set through the Building Regulations in autumn this year, will apply to new-build homes only. As solar PV will play a fundamental role in the new standards, we would expect roofs to be designed to accommodate solar panels from the outset, rather than requiring an assessment of roof condition post-construction. The Future Homes Standard will not apply to existing homes, which is where such assessments of roof condition might be necessary.

Found: Davies Mr Lee Dillon Graham Stringer Zöe Franklin Susan Murray Alice Macdonald Anna Dixon Nick Timothy

Found: Davies Mr Lee Dillon Graham Stringer Zöe Franklin Susan Murray Alice Macdonald Anna Dixon Nick Timothy

Found: Davies Mr Lee Dillon Graham Stringer Zöe Franklin Susan Murray Alice Macdonald Anna Dixon Nick Timothy

Found: _NC108 Nick Timothy Sir Desmond Swayne Julia Lopez Mr Peter Bedford John Cooper Bradley Thomas

Found: _NC108 Nick Timothy Sir Desmond Swayne Julia Lopez Mr Peter Bedford John Cooper Bradley Thomas

Found: _NC108 Nick Timothy Sir Desmond Swayne Julia Lopez Mr Peter Bedford John Cooper Bradley Thomas

Found: _NC108 Nick Timothy Sir Desmond Swayne Julia Lopez Mr Peter Bedford John Cooper Bradley Thomas

Found: _NC108 Nick Timothy Sir Desmond Swayne Julia Lopez Mr Peter Bedford John Cooper Bradley Thomas

Found: Davies Mr Lee Dillon Graham Stringer Zöe Franklin Susan Murray Alice Macdonald Anna Dixon Nick Timothy

Found: _NC108 Nick Timothy ★.

Found: Davies Mr Lee Dillon Graham Stringer Zöe Franklin Susan Murray Alice Macdonald Anna Dixon Nick Timothy

Found: Davies Mr Lee Dillon Graham Stringer Zöe Franklin Susan Murray Alice Macdonald Anna Dixon Nick Timothy

Found: Harding Mr Lee Dillon Graham Stringer Zöe Franklin Susan Murray Alice Macdonald Anna Dixon Nick Timothy

Found: Harding Mr Lee Dillon Graham Stringer Zöe Franklin Susan Murray Alice Macdonald Anna Dixon Nick Timothy

East of England APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: Prinsley MP for Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket Richard Holden MP for Basildon and Billericay Nick Timothy

Anti-Corruption and Responsible Tax APPG
Wednesday 11th June 2025

Found: Ollerenshaw, a Conservative MP who lost his seat in 2015; Laura Wyld, who is a Conservative Peer; and Nick Timothy