Asked by: Noah Law (Labour - St Austell and Newquay)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what her planned timetable is for the roll out of free breakfast clubs to all state‑funded schools with primary‑aged children; and what support her Department plans to provide schools to facilitate implementation of that programme.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government is committed to delivering on its pledge to provide a free breakfast club in every state funded school with primary-aged children. This will ensure every child, regardless of circumstance, has a supportive start to the school day.
From the start of summer term 2025, the department has funded 750 schools to deliver a free breakfast club to early adopters.
We are currently working through the outcomes of the latest spending review and the departmental business planning processes. Further details will follow in due course.
Asked by: Noah Law (Labour - St Austell and Newquay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of increased funding for transport infrastructure on economic growth.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Growth is this government’s top priority and formed a fundamental part of the analysis informing the Spending Review. Our significant investment in transport infrastructure will deliver a step-change in transport connectivity across the country, which is vital for economic growth. It boosts productivity by reducing travel time for businesses; widening access to markets and supporting trade; better matching workers’ skills to high quality jobs; and increasing the economic density of the country.
Asked by: Noah Law (Labour - St Austell and Newquay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that accessibility improvements at railway stations can still be delivered in cases where applications to the Access for All scheme are unsuccessful because that scheme is over-subscribed.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Accessibility improvements at stations are delivered in a variety of ways, in addition to those funded via the Access for All programme. Whenever the industry installs, replaces or renews station infrastructure, this must meet current accessibility standards. In addition, accessibility improvements can be developed and funded locally, in partnership with Network Rail and train operators.
If there are any sources of funding that can be identified locally, for example from s106 monies, that would also be a way of bringing accessibility at stations further forward.
Asked by: Noah Law (Labour - St Austell and Newquay)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of replicating GB Energy’s investment in hospital rooftop solar for commercial and industrial buildings aligned with the UK’s industrial strategy.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The investment in solar power and complementary decarbonisation technologies totalling £180 million, announced by the Government and Great British Energy (GBE) in March, is for schools and hospitals for the 2025/26 financial year. Beyond 2025/26, we expect future decisions on funding and investment to be made by GBE as it becomes fully operational.
The UK’s overall approach to Net Zero commercial buildings will be set out in the government’s Warm Homes Plan strategy later this year. It will provide long-term regulatory clarity for industry and unlock considerable UK and foreign investment in commercial buildings driving economic growth.
Asked by: Noah Law (Labour - St Austell and Newquay)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of stockpiling (a) critical minerals and (b) (i) cathode active materials, (ii) black mass and (iii) other derivative products in the context of (A) industrial resilience and (B) supply chain security.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
This Government recognises the importance of domestic supply in insulating UK industry from potential economic shocks, but working with international partners to diversify global supply chains is also essential in building resilience and improving security of supply.
Solutions such as targeted stockpiling measures (both government and industry led), diversified international supply, and expansion of recycling capabilities provide opportunities to improve resilience and security of supply while reducing demand for virgin inputs. We need to take a proactive approach and will work with UK industry to ensure that policies developed have clear, tangible benefits for both economic security and growth.
Asked by: Noah Law (Labour - St Austell and Newquay)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the resourcing of (a) the Environment Agency and (b) other environmental regulators for environmental regulation in the context of his Department's industrial strategy.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
DBT's Secretary of State has corresponded with the Defra Secretary of State on this government's approach to regulation to understand the challenges faced by regulators, including resourcing challenges for environmental regulators such as Natural England and the Environment Agency.
This engagement focused on working together on the Regulation Action Plan, published in March, to identify opportunities for growth and innovation. This has also informed our approach to the Industrial Strategy, and we will continue to work closely with departments to deliver it and the government's regulatory reform agenda.
Asked by: Noah Law (Labour - St Austell and Newquay)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has considered introducing a waste code for black mass to align the UK and EU classification systems.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Prospective changes to the List of Waste in England will be considered as we develop proposals for our Circular Economy Strategy. Any specific regulatory changes should be subject to consultation.
Asked by: Noah Law (Labour - St Austell and Newquay)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has considered introducing a code for black mass, in the context of the forthcoming (a) industrial and (b) circular economy strategy.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Prospective changes to the List of Waste in England will be considered as we develop proposals for our Circular Economy Strategy. Any specific regulatory changes should be subject to consultation.
Asked by: Noah Law (Labour - St Austell and Newquay)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of using domestically sourced lithium in the manufacture of electric buses.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The new Critical Minerals Strategy will set out how the government will maximise the domestic production of key critical minerals like lithium, for which the UK has significant projects underway. As part of this, the government will continue to engage with downstream manufacturers- including the transport sector - to explore how the domestic production of critical minerals can support UK manufacturers.
Additionally, the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) will support the Department for Transport (DfT) broader commitment to transitioning to zero-emission buses (ZEBs), which are central to delivering cleaner, quieter journeys and supporting UK manufacturing.
Asked by: Noah Law (Labour - St Austell and Newquay)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the roll out of inshore vessel monitoring systems by marine management organisation type approved suppliers.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) regularly assesses the progress of I-VMS uptake by the fishing industry and receives regular updates from the type-approved device suppliers, alongside marine engineer device installation paperwork and validation of successful installation from the suppliers. This information has allowed the MMO to tailor and target communication with the fishing industry throughout the roll-out and support industry be prepared for the forthcoming Statutory Instrument. The choice of supplier is a matter for the individual vessel owner and the MMO is not party to this relationship.