Asked by: Steve Witherden (Labour - Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to help improve mobile phone coverage in rural areas.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Shared Rural Network continues to deliver 4G connectivity where there is limited or no coverage. Beyond this, our ambition is for all populated areas, including rural communities, to have higher quality standalone 5G by 2030.
We are working with Ofcom and the industry to ensure we have the right policy and regulatory framework to support investment and competition in the market.
Ofcom have written to me confirming that their improved online coverage checker will go live in the second half of June, which will better reflect people’s real experience. A copy of my letter and their letter has been deposited in the libraries of both houses.
Asked by: Steve Witherden (Labour - Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of widening the eligibility criteria for organisations seeking to engage with the HMRC Wealthy External Forum.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Wealthy External Forum (WEF) is a joint forum between HMRC and a cross-section of professional bodies representing wealthy individuals.
The WEF is focused on discussing the operational processes and technical tax issues that impact wealthy customers. It is not a decision-making body.
Details of the forum, its membership and records of meetings are published on gov.uk: Wealthy External Forum - GOV.UK
The Wealthy External Forum is one of a number of HMRC Stakeholder Forums. This network of forums ensures that HMRC consults with a wide range of external stakeholders.
Asked by: Steve Witherden (Labour - Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 22 April 2025 to Question 44809 on Local Housing Allowance: Wales, what (a) metrics, (b) data points and (c) analysis were used to determine the impacts of Local Housing Allowance rates referenced his Answer; and whether the effect on the number of households becoming homeless was factored into that analysis.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The impacts referenced in the previous answer were determined using a wide variety of metrics, data and analysis. These included:
As covered in the previous answer, the causes of homelessness are multi-faceted and interact dynamically. This makes it very difficult to isolate the relative importance of individual factors such as individual benefit rates. But interactions with key measures such as Temporary Accommodation were considered with input from the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government.
At Autumn Budget the Government prioritised a downpayment on poverty, by introducing a Fair Payment Rate for Universal Credit (UC) customers with deductions to retain more of their benefit award. We have invested £1bn in extending the Household Support Fund and maintaining Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) at current levels (including Barnett impacts) for 2025/26.
We continue to work across Government on the development of the Homelessness and Rough \Sleeping strategy in England. Housing and homelessness policy is devolved to Wales.
Any future decisions on LHA policy will be taken in the context of the Government’s missions, goals on housing and the fiscal context.
DHPs are available from local authorities and can be paid to those entitled to Housing Benefit or Universal Credit who face a shortfall in meeting their housing costs.
Asked by: Steve Witherden (Labour - Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of (a) the Vrynwy Frankton pylon project and (b) other pylon projects on farm animals.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Developers of electricity network projects in England & Wales must assess the impacts of their proposals in line with the National Policy Statement for electricity network infrastructure (NPS EN-5). Alongside this, developers undertake Environmental Impact Assessments which can include considerations related to farm animals if there are impacts on agricultural land. The Government does not make assessments of specific projects until they come to the Secretary of State for a final planning decision.
Asked by: Steve Witherden (Labour - Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Vrynwy Frankton pylon project on net zero.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Electricity networks are a critical enabler for net zero, linking new low-carbon generation to electricity demand. To accommodate both the generation needed for clean power as well as increasing demand as heating, transport and industry electrification will require an expansion of electricity networks at a scale and pace not seen for decades, at both transmission and distribution level. Though the department does not conduct analysis for individual projects, the Vrynwy Frankton pylon project is part of this transformation.
Asked by: Steve Witherden (Labour - Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of (a) the Vyrnwy–Frankton pylon project and (b) other pylon projects on local businesses that rely on tourism.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Developers of electricity network projects in England & Wales must assess the impacts of their proposals in line with the National Policy Statement for electricity network infrastructure (NPS EN-5). Government assesses specific projects only once they come to the Secretary of State for a final planning decision. Businesses with pylons sited on their land are entitled to compensation for the value of their land, as well as for any losses or expenses incurred. Acquiring authorities are also able to offer extra discretionary payments.
Government published relevant guidance in March 2025 outlining how communities should benefit from new transmission infrastructure.
Asked by: Steve Witherden (Labour - Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she plans to publish an assessment of the potential impact of the Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper, published on 18 March 2025, on Wales.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Information on the impacts of the Pathways to Work Green Paper will be published in due course, and some information was published alongside the Spring Statement. Future publications will include some information on people in Wales affected.
These publications can be found in ‘Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper’(opens in a new tab).
A further programme of analysis to support development of the proposals in the Green Paper will be developed and undertaken in the coming months.
Asked by: Steve Witherden (Labour - Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of extending eligibility for The Ambulance Service (Emergency Duties) Long Service and Good Conduct Medal to paramedics employed by air ambulance charities.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
No assessment has been made and there are no current plans to extend the eligibility of the Ambulance Service (Emergency Duties) Long Service and Good Conduct Medal to paramedics employed by air ambulance charities.
Asked by: Steve Witherden (Labour - Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to support employers to employ more (a) people with sight loss and (b) disabled people.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department for Work and Pensions and Department for Health and Social Care are committed to supporting disabled people and people with health conditions, including people with sight loss, with their employment journey.
The Disability Confident Scheme encourages employers to create disability inclusive workplaces and to support disabled people to get work and get on in work. A digital information service for employers, (Support with Employee Health and Disability), has been developed to offer guidance on making reasonable adjustments, supporting employees to remain in work, and understanding legal requirements.
Earlier this year, we formed an independent academic panel, building on the Buckland Review, to enhance neurodiversity awareness and inclusion at work. The panel's recommendations are expected to include actions for employers to support neurodivergent individuals in recruitment and daily workplace practices.
In addition to this work, the Secretaries of State for Work and Pensions and Business and Trade have launched the Keep Britain Working Review. This review will consider how to support and enable employers to recruit and retain more disabled people and people with health conditions; promote healthy workplaces and support more people to stay in or return to work from periods of sickness absence.
Asked by: Steve Witherden (Labour - Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how her Department will determine which claimants will be exempt from the new baseline expectation of engagement or work-related requirements once the Work Capability Assessment is scrapped.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
We recognise that some people may not be able to engage with new baseline expectations. We are consulting on how we should determine who should be subject to attend meetings only rather than also have wider conditionality requirements, and how we should determine which individuals or groups of individuals should be exempt from requirements completely.