Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
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 Ofgem’s RIIO-3 draft determinations for the electricity transmission, gas distribution and gas transmission sectors on energy bills from April 2026.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Ofgem, as the independent regulator, sets funding and investment allowances for gas and electricity transmission, and gas distribution networks through its RIIO-3 price control process. Final Determinations for RIIO-3 will be confirmed by Ofgem in December.
Ofgem has a statutory responsibility to maintain security of supply while incentivising efficiency and protecting consumers from excessive costs.
Following the energy crisis, Ofgem introduced capital adequacy rules to strengthen the financial resilience of suppliers and the stability of the retail market.
The Department will continue engaging with Ofgem to ensure RIIO-3 delivers the investment needed to maintain energy security through this period.
Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when she intends to publish the Circular Economy Growth Plan; and what opportunity stakeholders will have to formally respond to plan.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This Government remains committed to transitioning towards a circular economy and driving economic growth. This is why we will publish our Circular Economy Growth Plan in the new year that sets out how government will deliver a more circular and more prosperous economy. The Circular Economy Taskforce has undertaken extensive engagement with industry leaders, trade associations, and other key stakeholders to ensure that the circular transition reflects the needs and insights of all. We will engage stakeholders, including through consultation, on the interventions set out in the Growth Plan after publication.
Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if his Department will publish modelling undertaken by Ofgem on how suppliers may respond to projected Transmission Use of System charge increases over the 2026-31 price control period.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Ofgem, as the independent regulator, sets funding and investment allowances for gas and electricity transmission, and gas distribution networks through its RIIO-3 price control process. Final Determinations for RIIO-3 will be confirmed by Ofgem in December.
Ofgem has a statutory responsibility to maintain security of supply while incentivising efficiency and protecting consumers from excessive costs.
Following the energy crisis, Ofgem introduced capital adequacy rules to strengthen the financial resilience of suppliers and the stability of the retail market.
The Department will continue engaging with Ofgem to ensure RIIO-3 delivers the investment needed to maintain energy security through this period.
Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
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 Ofgem’s RIIO-3 draft determinations for the electricity transmission, gas distribution and gas transmission sectors on the (a) financial resilience of energy suppliers and (b) risk of market disruption.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Ofgem, as the independent regulator, sets funding and investment allowances for gas and electricity transmission, and gas distribution networks through its RIIO-3 price control process. Final Determinations for RIIO-3 will be confirmed by Ofgem in December.
Ofgem has a statutory responsibility to maintain security of supply while incentivising efficiency and protecting consumers from excessive costs.
Following the energy crisis, Ofgem introduced capital adequacy rules to strengthen the financial resilience of suppliers and the stability of the retail market.
The Department will continue engaging with Ofgem to ensure RIIO-3 delivers the investment needed to maintain energy security through this period.
Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether they have made an assessment of the adequacy of the four-month notice period given to suppliers to recover additional costs under RIIO-3.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Ofgem, as the independent regulator, sets funding and investment allowances for gas and electricity transmission, and gas distribution networks through its RIIO-3 price control process. Final Determinations for RIIO-3 will be confirmed by Ofgem in December.
Ofgem has a statutory responsibility to maintain security of supply while incentivising efficiency and protecting consumers from excessive costs.
Following the energy crisis, Ofgem introduced capital adequacy rules to strengthen the financial resilience of suppliers and the stability of the retail market.
The Department will continue engaging with Ofgem to ensure RIIO-3 delivers the investment needed to maintain energy security through this period.
Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department has taken to ensure that participants in the Contracts for Difference auction process do not source solar panels or components linked to forced labour in the Uyghur Region.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is committed to tackling forced labour in solar supply chains, including in Xinjiang.
The Government is strengthening due diligence requirements through the implementation of the Procurement Act 2023 and by reviewing Section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act.
In addition, the Solar Roadmap, published in the summer, outlines actions to build ethical, resilient supply chains, including support for the Solar Stewardship Initiative, which is conducting independent audits of manufacturers.
CfD Projects over 300MW must submit a Supply Chain Plan demonstrating steps to prevent modern slavery and labour exploitation, which the Department monitors throughout delivery.
Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, which Minister in his Department is responsible for eating disorder services.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Women’s Health and Mental Health (Baroness Merron) has ministerial responsibility for eating disorder services.
Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will take steps to establish a (a) clear pathway and (b) timeframe for transition plan disclosure to become mandatory for large UK companies.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The government ran a consultation seeking views on how to implement transition plan requirements ran from June to September 2025 which has now closed. We are reviewing responses and will respond in due course.
Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of the lack of sorting requirements of collected materials under Simpler Recycling on recycling rates.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
As part of the Simpler Recycling reforms, the Government has made an exemption in regulations to allow local authorities and other waste collectors to co-collect plastic, metal and glass in the same container. This applies in all circumstances without the need to produce a written assessment, based on the evidence that co-collection does not significantly affect the potential for those materials to be recycled.
The decision to allow dry materials to be co-collected has been taken based on evidence to indicate that simplifying the number of bins can help increase participation in recycling. Evidence also suggests that fully co-collecting systems (with one mixed dry recycling bin) have the highest levels of contamination (for example, broken glass stuck on paper or soggy paper from the liquid from bottles and cans), and that paper and card are particularly vulnerable to cross-contamination, which will affect the recycling rate. By default, therefore, paper and card should be separately collected from all other dry materials so their potential to be recycled is not reduced.
Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions her Department has had with PackUK on the role of the Producer Responsibility Organisation in setting expectations for (a) the sorting of collected materials and (b) mechanisms which could support consistent recovery across different local authorities and MRFs.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Department is working with PackUK to appoint a Producer Responsibility Organisation (PRO) which will be responsible for administering certain elements of the pEPR scheme. The sorting of collected materials and consistent collections is not within PackUKs remit, so no discussions have taken place so far on the involvement of the PRO in this area.
We are working with WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme) and waste industry representatives to support MRF (Materials Recovery Facility) readiness for the Simpler Recycling requirements in England.