Asked by: Steff Aquarone (Liberal Democrat - North Norfolk)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the cost to the public purse is of advertising the Digital ID consultation on podcasts.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The digital ID consultation is open to the public, and its success is hinged on open and transparent participation. We have a duty to reach as broad a population as possible and have worked with media partners in order to ensure that the public are aware of the consultation and how to participate. For this campaign, we’ve worked with two podcast partners: Acast and Audioboom, with a combined spend of £62,817 for the duration of the 12 week consultation.
Asked by: Steff Aquarone (Liberal Democrat - North Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of electricity connection charges on investment in renewable energy (a) small businesses and (b) farms.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Ofgem is responsible for the connection charging regulatory framework, which strikes a balance between recovering costs from connecting customers and electricity bill payers. In recent years Ofgem has reduced the connection costs that customers face, for example demand customers are typically not now required to contribute towards distribution network reinforcement costs of accommodating their connection.
Asked by: Steff Aquarone (Liberal Democrat - North Norfolk)
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 cabinet colleagues about the potential impact of signal issues on smart meters on the energy transition and net-zero.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is working closely with the Data Communications Company (DCC) - the organisation responsible for the smart metering network in Great Britain - to ensure that connectivity can be extended to the small minority of unserved properties as soon as possible.
One such solution, currently being rolled out, is Virtual WAN which involves using customers’ broadband connections (with consent) to carry smart metering communications.
Smart Meters are helping millions of consumers save money (households saved an estimated £700 million on bills in 2025 by managing energy usage using smart meters), whilst also supporting the delivery of Clean Power 2030.
Asked by: Steff Aquarone (Liberal Democrat - North Norfolk)
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 Cabinet colleagues on the potential impact of signal issues on smart meters on reducing energy bills.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is working closely with the Data Communications Company (DCC) - the organisation responsible for the smart metering network in Great Britain - to ensure that connectivity can be extended to the small minority of unserved properties as soon as possible.
One such solution, currently being rolled out, is Virtual WAN which involves using customers’ broadband connections (with consent) to carry smart metering communications.
Smart Meters are helping millions of consumers save money (households saved an estimated £700 million on bills in 2025 by managing energy usage using smart meters), whilst also supporting the delivery of Clean Power 2030.
Asked by: Steff Aquarone (Liberal Democrat - North Norfolk)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the cost to the public purse was of advertising the digital ID consultation on a) Spotify, b) Apple Podcasts and c) Audible.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Podcasts are not bought at partner level, so we’re not able to provide this information. I refer the Hon Member to PQ126891 for details on costs.
Asked by: Steff Aquarone (Liberal Democrat - North Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate her Department has made of the UK’s capacity to (a) process and (b) recycle electric vehicle batteries over the next 20 years.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra has not formally made this estimate, however as part of the department’s ongoing review of the UK batteries regulations we are considering waste electric vehicle battery arisings and the capacity that will be required to process them.
Under current regulations, take back, treatment and recycling of waste industrial batteries, which includes electric vehicle batteries, are statutory requirements under the Waste Batteries and Accumulators Regulations (2009). Producers of industrial batteries are required to take back waste batteries and must then ensure they are delivered to and accepted by an approved battery treatment operator or an approved battery exporter, for treatment and recycling either in or outside the United Kingdom. Producers must, by law, finance this treatment.
Businesses are taking steps to capture the economic opportunity in recycling electric vehicle batteries, and the Department of Business and Trade’s DRIVE35 funding programme recently awarded £18.5m grant funding to Altilium in Plymouth, who expect to be able to process 24,000 electric vehicle batteries per year.
Asked by: Steff Aquarone (Liberal Democrat - North Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what proportion of electric vehicle batteries were (a) reused, (b) recycled and (c) disposed of via landfill or incineration in the UK in the most recent 12-month period for which data are available.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra does not currently collect this data. Current statutory reporting requirements for waste batteries do not distinguish between reuse and recycling, or between different types of industrial battery, which includes electric vehicle batteries. It is against the law to dispose of waste industrial batteries in a landfill or by incineration.
Taking into account the expected increases in end-of-life electric vehicle batteries over the coming years and to support optimal end-of-life outcomes for waste electric vehicle batteries, Defra is currently engaging with industry and other stakeholders to inform a review of the UK batteries regulations.
Asked by: Steff Aquarone (Liberal Democrat - North Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether Specialist Resource Bases and Alternative Provisions are eligible for funding from the free breakfast clubs scheme.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
All state-funded schools with primary aged pupils, including those with specialist units, special schools and alternative provision schools, are in scope for the free breakfast clubs programme.
Through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, all state-funded schools with primary-aged pupils will be required to offer a free breakfast club and will be funded to do so.
We are undertaking national roll out of free breakfast clubs to these schools in phases, with 2,000 starting in the 2026/2027 financial year. We will share details regarding how schools can join the programme in future years, in due course.
Asked by: Steff Aquarone (Liberal Democrat - North Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make it her policy to delay departmental decisions on academy closures or mergers in Norfolk until after the 2026 local elections.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
In line with the Cabinet Office May 2026 elections guidance, during the three weeks preceding local authority elections, the department will take special care in relation to decisions, announcements and other public actions which could have a bearing on the elections.
Asked by: Steff Aquarone (Liberal Democrat - North Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what progress has been made in increasing the number of digital and data professionals in the civil service.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
In April 2025, the Prime Minister made the commitment that one in 10 civil servants will work in technology and digital roles by 2030. When like-for-like roles are compared over the 6-months from April to October 2025, the digital workforce has grown by 0.3% of the civil service - from 4.9% to 5.2%. However, for the first time, we are now also able to report on cyber and other digital roles (the majority of which are included in the one in 10 definition), which uplifts the October figure to 5.7%
The next workforce commission will take place in April 2026, in which we hope to see further growth.