Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of introducing a return-to-retail deposit return scheme on local council revenue streams.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Through our regular industry engagement and international learnings from other schemes, there has been a broad consensus that a return to retail approach is the most effective way to launch a deposit return scheme (DRS) for drinks containers across the UK and begin to realise its benefits.
However, Defra recognises the broad benefits a digital model could bring and welcome the trials that are being held. I remain encouraged by this and keen to see the testing of the feasibility for introducing a digital solution in the future.
Regarding local authority revenue streams, Defra recognises the concerns expressed by some local authorities over the potential impact of DRS.
Defra officials are in regular contact with local authority representative associations and will continue to assess this important aspect of the deposit return scheme.
Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the effectiveness of the support provided by her Department in helping disabled people (a) find and (b) maintain employment.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
As part of the get Britain working plan, more disabled people and those with health conditions will be supported to enter and stay in work, by devolving more power to local areas so they can shape a joined-up work, health, and skills offer that suits the needs of the people they serve.
Good quality work is generally good for health and wellbeing, so we want everyone to get work and get on in work, whoever they are and wherever they live. We want people to avoid poverty, and for this to happen we must ensure that disabled people and people with health conditions have the opportunity to work and save for as long as they wish and are able to.
The DWP delivers a range of interventions to help disabled people and people with long-term health conditions to find and stay in work. We have already published several evaluations of the effectiveness of some of these programmes. These include the JOBS II evaluation, Employment Advisors in Improved Access to Psychological Therapies and the Health Led Trials.
For future interventions, the DWP is committed to adhering to HMT and Government Social Research guidelines, which includes proportionate evaluation and assessment of the effectiveness of any support in finding and staying in work, alongside wellbeing outcomes. All planned and live evaluations and evaluation reports will be registered on an Evaluation Registry from early 2025. “Evaluation” refers to impact, process, and value for money evaluation studies conducted in line with the Magenta Book.
Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of progress on meeting targets to end fuel poverty by 2030.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is committed to tackling fuel poverty. We are currently reviewing the fuel poverty strategy and engaging with stakeholders as part of this process. We will publish a consultation on a new strategy in due course. The Secretary of State has already announced the launch of the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund and Warm Homes: Local Grant, as well as the intention to consult on new minimum energy efficiency standards in the social and private rented sectors.
Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate he has made of changes in the number of (a) children and (b) pensioners living in fuel poverty since 1 January 2024.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
There were an estimated 3.17 million households in fuel poverty in England in 2023 and this is projected to decrease to 3.12 million in 2024 based on assumptions of economic factors and government policy as at January 2024. These statistics are taken from the published annual fuel poverty statistics published in February 2024: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/fuel-poverty-statistics.
The change in the number of households in fuel poverty with children, by age group and by employment status in England can be found in the published 2023 fuel poverty trends tables: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/fuel-poverty-trends-2024. Updated Fuel Poverty statistics relating to 2024 will be published in March 2025.
Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate he has made of the number of people at risk of fuel poverty in winter 2024-25.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
There were an estimated 3.17 million households in fuel poverty in England in 2023 and this is projected to decrease to 3.12 million in 2024 based on assumptions of economic factors and government policy as at January 2024. These statistics are taken from the published annual fuel poverty statistics published in February 2024: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/fuel-poverty-statistics.
The change in the number of households in fuel poverty with children, by age group and by employment status in England can be found in the published 2023 fuel poverty trends tables: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/fuel-poverty-trends-2024. Updated Fuel Poverty statistics relating to 2024 will be published in March 2025.
Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate he has made of the number of people living in fuel poverty.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
There were an estimated 3.17 million households in fuel poverty in England in 2023 and this is projected to decrease to 3.12 million in 2024 based on assumptions of economic factors and government policy as at January 2024. These statistics are taken from the published annual fuel poverty statistics published in February 2024: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/fuel-poverty-statistics.
The change in the number of households in fuel poverty with children, by age group and by employment status in England can be found in the published 2023 fuel poverty trends tables: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/fuel-poverty-trends-2024. Updated Fuel Poverty statistics relating to 2024 will be published in March 2025.
Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what discussions he has had with Ofgem on the adequacy of local supply rights for small-scale renewable energy providers.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Ministers have not held meetings on this specific matter with Ofgem. The Department is aware that Ofgem’s licensing regime already enables small-scale generators to apply for a supply licence that is restricted to a specific geographic area.
The Government’s Local Power Plan aims to support local energy generation projects through working with local authorities, combined authorities and communities. Officials within the department are in discussions with Ofgem to understand the current regulatory landscape in more detail.
Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will bring forward his planned implementation of the (a) packaging and (b) other aspects of the Extended Producer Responsibility Scheme.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This Government is committed to creating a circular economy that: uses our resources as efficiently and productively as possible, minimises environmental impacts, accelerates our progress on Net Zero, supports economic growth, and creates new jobs. The draft Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging and Packaging Waste) Regulations 2024 were recently laid before Parliament and, subject to Parliamentary processes, will be coming into force from 2025.
The Secretary of State has asked his department to convene a taskforce of experts to develop a Circular Economy Strategy for England. The Taskforce will consider the evidence for action right across the economy, and as such will evaluate what interventions may be needed, including other Extended Producer Responsibility Schemes.
Asked by: Pippa Heylings (Liberal Democrat - South Cambridgeshire)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to introduce Bikeability training to the national curriculum.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
Schools have the flexibility and discretion to decide on the activities they provide to deliver a rounded and enriching education, which includes programmes such as Bikeability. In 2023/24, £20 million in funding from Active Travel England supported nearly 500,000 training places, reaching 55% of year 6 students across 67% of primary schools. An additional £30 million has been committed for 2024/25.
The government has established an independent Curriculum and Assessment Review, covering ages 5 to 18. The review will seek to deliver a curriculum that ensures children and young people leave compulsory education ready for life and ready for work, building the knowledge, skills and attributes young people need to thrive.