Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment she has made of the potential (a) merits and (b) impact on vulnerable groups of dynamic energy pricing.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Smarter technologies, tariffs, and services, including potentially dynamic energy pricing, can bring benefits for many consumers.
At the same time, we recognise that we must have the right consumer protection framework in place, particularly for vulnerable consumers.
In February, the Department launched a Call-for-Evidence on Default Tariffs which explores how default tariffs should evolve to work in a future, more dynamic, market. More information can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/66019a0065ca2fa78e7da7dc/future-default-tariffs-for-households-call-for-evidence.pdf
Additionally, in their future work plan, Ofgem have committed to look at consumer protection in the future market and update their vulnerability strategy, alongside their ongoing work to protect vulnerable consumers.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps her Department (a) is taking and (b) plans to take to (i) support and (ii) enhance the domestic solar manufacturing sector.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Solar is a mature technology with established global supply chains. Whilst we have no plans for the UK to become self-sufficient in the manufacture of solar panels, supply chain development is a government priority.
Government encourages renewable developers accessing its Contracts for Difference scheme to grow the supply chain through the Supply Chain Plan process and supports supply chain innovation through the Energy Entrepreneurs Fund and initiatives funded by UK Research and Innovation.
Further actions needed to develop resilient, sustainable and innovative supply chains, as identified by the UK Solar Taskforce, will be outlined in the forthcoming Solar Roadmap.
Asked by: Tim Loughton (Conservative - East Worthing and Shoreham)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many Perinatal Mortality Review Tool reviews into (a) stillbirths and (b) baby deaths had an external panel member in the last year.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
This information is not held in the format requested. On 14 December 2023, Mothers and Babies: Reducing Risk through Audits and Confidential Enquiries across the UK published their fifth annual Perinatal Mortality Review Tool report. The report presents data from the 4,111 reviews conducted between March 2022 to February 2023. The report sets out that an external member was present in 45% of reviews, which is an increase from only one in three involving an external member from the previous year. An external panel member is strongly recommended due to the importance of providing fresh eyes to support the review.
Asked by: Caroline Lucas (Green Party - Brighton, Pavilion)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 25 March 2024 to Question 18876 on Offshore Industry: Employment, on what date OEUK shared the underlying data with her Department; and if she will place a copy of that data in the House of Commons Library.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson
Offshore Energies UK (OEUK) have shared underlying data pertaining to their workforce estimates at various points in time. Most recently, in December 2023, OEUK has shared a workbook listing regional breakdowns of the oil and gas sector workforce compiled by Experian. The underlying data is commercially sensitive and owned by Experian. Sharing of this data is a matter for them.
Asked by: Navendu Mishra (Labour - Stockport)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the ending Disability Cost of Living Payments on people with disabilities.
Answered by Mims Davies - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Government has no plans to extend the Disability Cost of Living Payments past the 2023/24 round. Cost of Living Payments enabled us to target further support quickly during the rising cost of living pressures.
As of March 2024, the rate of inflation has slowed, and the Government has also implemented uprating to other benefits to reflect increased costs.
An evaluation of the Cost of Living Payments is underway. This will seek to understand their effectiveness as a means of support for low-income and vulnerable households.
Asked by: Matt Hancock (Independent - West Suffolk)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many Information Commissioner's Office employees were seconded to the Digital Regulation Cooperation Forum in the 2022-23 financial year.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Costs for the Digital Regulation Cooperation Forum (DRCF) budget were split equally between the DRCF member organisations. The Information Commissioner's Office contribution to the DRCF's budget for 2022-23 financial year was £81,754. This does not include costs for DRCF secondee roles funded by the ICO.
The Information Commissioner's Office provided three employee secondee roles to the DRCF over the 2022-23 financial year.
Asked by: Stephen Farry (Alliance - North Down)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will list Heritage Lottery Fund Northern Ireland grants in each of the last five years.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Information on grants are publicly available on the National Lottery Database, found at https://nationallottery.dcms.gov.uk/data.
Between 26 March 2019 and 21 February 2024, 215 grants were awarded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, totalling £25,962,712.
Of these awards, 7 were made in the North Down constituency, with awards ranging from £4,700 to £1,048,020.
Asked by: Matt Hancock (Independent - West Suffolk)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how much funding the Information Commissioner's Office provided to the Digital Regulation Cooperation Forum in the 2022-23 financial year.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Costs for the Digital Regulation Cooperation Forum (DRCF) budget were split equally between the DRCF member organisations. The Information Commissioner's Office contribution to the DRCF's budget for 2022-23 financial year was £81,754. This does not include costs for DRCF secondee roles funded by the ICO.
The Information Commissioner's Office provided three employee secondee roles to the DRCF over the 2022-23 financial year.
Asked by: Lilian Greenwood (Labour - Nottingham South)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how her Department plans to use Section 95 (3) 251ZA Information Standards (Compliance) of the Health and Care Act 2022 to ensure that NHS providers meet the communication needs of patients set out in the Accessible Information Standard.
Answered by Maria Caulfield - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade) (Minister for Women)
The Department plans to implement Section 95 later this year. This will be subject to Parliament’s approval of the regulations setting out the procedure for preparing and publishing mandatory information standards, on which the Department has recently consulted.
Once Section 95 is in force and compliance with information standards becomes mandatory, the Department will use section 251ZA, where appropriate, to monitor compliance with information standards, including by requiring National Health Service providers and others to whom information standards apply, to provide information for this purpose.
NHS England is responsible for the Accessible Information Standard (AIS), and plans to update the AIS to take account of the statutory approach to information standards in due course. NHS England has also completed a review of the AIS to help ensure that the communication needs of people with a disability, impairment, or sensory loss are met in health and care provision. One of the aims of the review was to strengthen assurance of implementation of the AIS, and a self-assessment framework has been developed to support providers of NHS and social care services to measure their performance against the AIS, and develop improvement action plans to address gaps in implementation.
NHS England will publish a revised AIS in due course. Following publication, NHS England will continue work to support its implementation with awareness raising, communication and engagement, and updated e-learning modules on the AIS, to ensure NHS staff are better aware of the standard, and their roles and responsibilities in implementing it.
Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to help improve digital inclusion for people who are unable to access the internet.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government recognises that access to the internet is increasingly essential for full participation in society and has taken steps to ensure households across the UK are able to access fast, reliable mobile and broadband services.
The Government has worked closely with the telecoms industry to ensure superfast broadband connections extend to over 97% of the UK. Similarly, 4G mobile coverage is available to 99% of the population from at least one network provider. The Government is also investing £5 billion through our flagship Project Gigabit programme to bring gigabit broadband to reach hard-to-reach communities.
We recognise that infrastructure is only part of the story. To support those for whom cost may be a barrier, the Government has worked closely with the telecoms industry to ensure market provision of broadband and mobile social tariffs. These low-cost, commercial products are available from 28 different providers, across 99% of the UK and start at just £10 per month.