Steve Witherden

ECO4 does not award funding to households, it is an obligation set by Government on large energy suppliers to install energy efficiency measures.

To the end of September 2024 (the latest available data by parliamentary constituency and nation), ECO4 has supported: (i) 1,140 households in the Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr constituency, (ii) 18,729 households in Wales, and (iii) 166,258 households in England.

The Department does not hold data on how many listed buildings have received ECO4 measures.

The latest assessments by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the International Energy Agency (IEA) show that the pathway to 1.5°C remains open, but only if urgent action is taken. The UK is a global leader in the fight against climate change, which is why at COP29, the Prime Minister announced the UK’s 1.5°C aligned 2035 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), to reduce economy-wide greenhouse gas emissions by at least 81% by 2035, compared to 1990 levels. This target is estimated to reduce emissions by more than 60% between 2019 and 2035, aligning with the reductions in the IPCC’s global pathways which limit warming to 1.5°C with low or no overshoot. The UK’s commitment to reaching net zero emissions by 2050 is also consistent with these pathways, as confirmed by the UK’s Climate Change Committee in advice provided in June 2019 and December 2020.

The Government will consult on the implementation of its commitment to not issue new oil and gas licences to explore new fields in due course. It does not intend to revoke existing licences.

The Government has announced it will introduce new legislation to restrict the future licensing of new coal mines in Great Britain. The last coal fired power station closed in October 2024.

The Government’s Clean Power 2030 Action Plan paves the way to decarbonising the wider economy by 2050 as it pursues the electrification of heat in buildings, transport, and industry.

As part of the Shared Rural Network, we have recently upgraded and activated two government-funded masts in the Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr constituency, delivering a 4G coverage boost to local businesses and community organisations, with more to come.

Through Project Gigabit, around 70,000 homes and businesses across Wales, including thousands in the Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr constituency, are currently set to benefit from a contract being delivered by Openreach that will deliver gigabit-capable broadband to premises that would otherwise miss out.

Information about the Carbon footprint for the UK is published here : Carbon footprint for the UK and England to 2021 - GOV.UK

Data are available up to 2021.

The total carbon footprint now includes the seven main Greenhouse Gases comprising: CO₂, Methane (CH₄), Nitrous oxide (N₂O), Hydro-flourocarbons (HFC), Perflurocarbons (PFC), Nitrogen trifluoride (NF₃) and Sulphur hexafluoride (SF₆).

We do not hold information on total UK emissions but can provide those associated with consumption. UK consumption emission figures, including those from imported goods, are provided in the table below.

Table 1: Greenhouse gas emissions associated with UK consumption, million tonnes CO2 equivalent, UK, 2010-2021

I regret we are not yet able to comment on next steps regarding Access for All projects at specific stations including at Ruabon railway station. However, please be assured that we are committed to improving the accessibility of the railway and recognise the social and economic benefits this brings to communities. Once we can confirm our approach to the Access for All programme, we will of course ensure that MPs and other stakeholders are informed.

The UK has committed £41 million for UNRWA this financial year, to deliver essential services for civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and to Palestinian refugees across the region. This funding has now been released to United Nations Relief and Work Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) to spend before the end of the financial year. We remain opposed to Israeli legislation against UNRWA, which plays a vital role in delivering humanitarian assistance in Gaza and enabling the broader international response through its logistics and distribution network.

The UK unequivocally condemns all alleged violations and abuses, including sexual violence, and calls for all reports to be fully investigated to ensure justice for victims and survivors. We are deeply concerned by allegations of sexual violence against Palestinian detainees by Israeli forces. We believe it is critical that the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is given regular access to detainees to carry out its independent visiting role, as enshrined within the 1949 Geneva Conventions. Currently, the ICRC cannot fully investigate these reports, as Israel continues to deny it access to places of detention. The UK calls on all parties to the conflict to comply with international law and grant immediate and unfettered access for the ICRC.

During my visit to Al Arish, Egypt on 16 October, where I announced £1 million of UK assistance for Egypt's support to medically evacuated Gazans, I saw that many tonnes of lifesaving aid continue to be denied entry into Gaza by Israel. As the Foreign Secretary said on 16 October, Israel must do more to get aid into Gaza. We continue to press Israel to allow aid to flow freely into and through Gaza; the Prime Minister stressed this during his 19 October discussion with Prime Minister Netanyahu.

The UK continues to play a leading role in alleviating the suffering in Gaza. We provide significant funding to partners to support those most in need, including agreeing to match up to £10 million of public donations to the Disasters Emergency Committee's Middle East humanitarian appeal.

Consular services are only open to British nationals (funded by a premium on all British passports), and the UK Government is unable directly to assist non-UK citizens in Lebanon. However, immediate family members of British citizens and those settled in the UK who wish to come and live in the UK can apply under one of the existing family visa routes, through the usual channels. Any application for a UK visa will be assessed against the requirements of the Immigration Rules.

The UK has been calling for an immediate ceasefire between Lebanese Hizbollah and Israel and has announced £15 million of life-saving aid to Lebanon since 25 September. This funding will respond to the mass displacement of people and the growing number of civilian casualties, as well support access to clean water, sanitation and health and nutrition supplies through UNICEF.

The government will introduce the UK Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) on 1 January 2027.

The UK CBAM will ensure highly traded, carbon intensive products from overseas face a comparable carbon price to those produced here so that UK decarbonisation efforts lead to a true reduction in global emissions rather than simply displacing carbon emissions overseas.

The CBAM will apply to all imports of relevant goods into the UK, and will have indirect differential regional impacts due to the location of impacted sectors. Both nationally and in Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr, the CBAM will give industry confidence to invest in decarbonising knowing their efforts will not be undermined by carbon leakage. An assessment of CBAM impacts on the economy and businesses will be provided when the policy is final or near final, in the form of a tax information and impact note.

The Government currently provides VAT reliefs to aid the purchase of defibrillators. For example, when an AED is purchased with funds provided by a charity and then donated to an eligible body, no VAT is charged. Furthermore, all state schools in England have been fitted with AEDs.

A key consideration for any potential VAT relief is whether savings would be passed on to the consumer. Evidence suggests that businesses only partially pass on any savings from lower VAT rates.

The Home Office is currently reviewing the role of the Independent Adviser on Political Violence and Disruption through the Counter-Extremism sprint.

Any decisions arising from this review will be announced in the normal was in due course.

We are monitoring the deeply concerning situation in Lebanon closely and keeping all existing pathways under review.

Lebanese nationals who wish to join family members in the UK can do so via the existing range of routes available.

Any application for a UK visa will be assessed against the requirements of the Immigration Rules. Immediate family members of British citizens and those settled in the UK who wish to come and live in the UK can apply under one of the existing family visa routes.

We understand that Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) applicants often face difficult circumstances where it is not always easy to request a review of a decision finding their application ineligible within 90 days of receiving an outcome letter. Where an individual has compelling circumstances that prevented them from meeting this deadline, a late review request may be considered. This is assessed on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the specific circumstances of each individual.

This policy remains unchanged following the announcement of the Afghan Resettlement Programme (ARP), which will draw Afghan resettlement into a single delivery pipeline whilst retaining the current eligibility criteria of individual schemes such as ARAP.

The full policy and process regarding ARAP reviews is published online and can be found on Government web pages.

The National Planning Policy Framework is clear that planning policies and decisions should contribute to, and enhance, the natural and local environment.

The revised Framework published on 12 December last year maintains the expectation that where significant development of agricultural land is demonstrated to be necessary, areas of poorer quality land should be preferred to those of a higher quality.

The government are considering what further changes might be made to make it quicker for farmers to build farm buildings, barns and other infrastructure needed to boost their food production.

The animal welfare considerations for buildings and accommodation used for farmed animals are set out in The Welfare of Farmed Animals (England) Regulations 2007 with further guidance set out in the relevant species-specific welfare code of practice.

Applicants to the Community Ownership Fund (COF) were required to submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) form as a first stage and have this approved before being able to submit a full application in the next available round of the Fund.

Drenewydd Actif received an outcome regarding their EOI on 11 April 2024 after the last round of funding had closed.

Communities will rightly be seeking clarity regarding the future of the Community Ownership Fund. We recognise uncertainty is challenging for groups seeking to save vital community assets; the Government is carefully considering all available options and will confirm plans in due course.