Andrew Bowie MP: written questions 2025
235 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Hospitality Industry and Retail TradeDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 1 Dec 2025AnsweredUIN 95911More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether the work of the new Retail and Hospitality Envoy will extend to Scotland; and whether the Envoy will be engaging with representative bodies such as the Scottish Retail Consortium.
Answer: At the recent Budget, the Government announced its intention to appoint a Retail and Hospitality Envoy to champion the sector across Government. The detail of the role is being finalised, the Envoy will be expected to work collaboratively with Government ...
Answered 9 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordWind Power: Mingyang Smart EnergyDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 24 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 93916More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of Ming Yang opening a wind turbine manufacturing plant in the UK on energy security.
Answer: We cannot comment on individual investment cases, but maintaining a secure energy supply is a key priority for the UK Government. Investment into the energy sector is subject to the highest levels of national security scrutiny, and we will continue to wor...
Answered 2 Dec 2025
Original Parliament recordMeat Products: PreservativesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 11 Nov 2025AnsweredUIN 89562More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the minutes of the Food Standards Agency’s Committee on Toxicity meeting of 25 March 2025; and whether he plans to hold
Answer: The Food Standards Agency (FSA) review of nitrates and nitrites as food additives is an important piece of work and will not be withdrawn. Its purpose was to summarise recent evidence from human studies to inform policy decisions, rather than to provide a...
Answered 26 Nov 2025
Original Parliament recordRetail Trade: ScotlandScotland OfficeTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 78426More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether his Department has had discussions with the Scottish Government on (a) joining or (b) contributing to the work of the Retail Industry Leadership Group.
Answer: The Scotland Office is not a member of the Retail Industry Leadership Group, which is co-chaired by Ministers of the Scottish Government. The Group was established by the Scottish Government in 2022. The Scotland Office maintains close contacts with indus...
Answered 20 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordEthnic Groups: ScotlandScotland OfficeTabled 11 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 76616More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on (a) promoting the safety of ethnic minority groups, (b) raising awareness of antisemitism and (c) protecting Jews in Scotland.
Answer: Public safety is devolved to the Scottish Government. The Scotland Office regularly engages with Police Scotland on the safety of all our communities. The Government is clear that there is no place or justification for antisemitism.
Answered 19 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordScottish Government: IsraelScotland OfficeTabled 11 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 76615More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether he has had discussions with the Scottish Government on their statements on Israel.
Answer: Foreign Affairs and Defence Policy is reserved to the UK Government. Since day one, this Government has been clear that we need to see an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages cruelly detained by Hamas, better protection of civilians, significa...
Answered 19 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordOil: RefineriesDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 70839More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the closure of the Prax Lindsey oil refinery on the domestic price of (a) diesel, (b) aviation fuel, and (c) heating oil for off-grid ho
Answer: The Government continually monitors fuel supplies across the country and has robust, tried and tested plans in place to ensure these supplies are maintained at all times. We continue to work closely with industry to monitor the situation. The prices of fu...
Answered 8 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordOil: RefineriesDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 70838More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of extending the period to find a buyer for the Prax Lindsey oil refinery.
Answer: The Official Receiver (OR) decided to cease refining operations at Prax Lindsey Oil Refinery on 21 July 2025. However, the sales process continued to be run in parallel, and the OR has received a range of proposals - from specific asset acquisition to acq...
Answered 8 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordOil: RefineriesDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 70837More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he has had discussions with the Official Receiver on the inability to find a buyer for the Prax Lindsey oil refinery.
Answer: The Official Receiver (OR) decided to cease refining operations at Prax Lindsey Oil Refinery on 21 July 2025. However, the sales process continued to be run in parallel, and the OR has received a range of proposals - from specific asset acquisition to acq...
Answered 8 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordOil: RefineriesDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 70836More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department is taking steps to ensure the delivery of crude oil stocks to the Prax Lindsey oil refinery site.
Answer: The Official Receiver (OR) decided to cease refining operations at Prax Lindsey Oil Refinery on 21 July 2025. However, the sales process continued to be run in parallel, and the OR has received a range of proposals - from specific asset acquisition to acq...
Answered 8 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordOil: RefineriesDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 70835More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what discussions he has had on the continued purchase of crude oil stocks not already held at the Prax Lindsey oil refinery site to allow the refinery to continue operating.
Answer: The Official Receiver (OR) decided to cease refining operations at Prax Lindsey Oil Refinery on 21 July 2025. However, the sales process continued to be run in parallel, and the OR has received a range of proposals - from specific asset acquisition to acq...
Answered 8 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordOil: RefineriesDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 70834More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how much was paid for crude oil stocks to allow the Prax Lindsey Oil Refinery to continue operating.
Answer: The Official Receiver (OR) decided to cease refining operations at Prax Lindsey Oil Refinery on 21 July 2025. However, the sales process continued to be run in parallel, and the OR has received a range of proposals - from specific asset acquisition to acq...
Answered 8 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordOil: RefineriesDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 70833More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what discussions he has had with the Official Receiver at the Prax Lindsey Oil Refinery on the purchase of crude oil to allow the site to continue operating.
Answer: The Official Receiver (OR) decided to cease refining operations at Prax Lindsey Oil Refinery on 21 July 2025. However, the sales process continued to be run in parallel, and the OR has received a range of proposals - from specific asset acquisition to acq...
Answered 8 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordOffshore Industry: North SeaDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 70832More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his Department’s policies of Shell and ExxonMobil’s divestments in the North Sea.
Answer: DESNZ is unable to comment on the specifics of any individual project or the investment decisions of individual operators while the regulatory process is underway. This is a matter for the North Sea Transition Authority.
Answered 8 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordOffshore Industry: North SeaDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 70831More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what discussions he has had with the North Sea Transition Authority on Shell and ExxonMobil’s divestments in the North Sea.
Answer: Details of Ministers’ meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK.
Answered 8 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordNatural Gas: North SeaDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 70830More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his Department’s policies of Viaro Energy controlling 5 per cent of the UK’s total gas production.
Answer: DESNZ is unable to comment on the specifics of any individual project or the investment decisions of individual operators while the regulatory process is underway. This is a matter for the North Sea Transition Authority.
Answered 8 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordNatural Gas: North SeaDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 70829More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what discussions he has had with the North Sea Transition Authority on the purchase of eleven Shell-operated gas fields by Viaro Energy in the Southern North Sea.
Answer: Details of Ministers’ meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK.
Answered 8 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordForeign Relations: ScotlandScotland OfficeTabled 21 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69384More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether (a) his Department and (b) the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office are informed when Scottish government Ministers meet foreign diplomats; whether permission is sought for such meetings; and whe
Answer: The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has regular engagement with the Scottish Government across a range of issues, including its engagement with diplomatic representatives. The terms of the International Relations Concordat of 2013 – agreed be...
Answered 2 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordForeign Relations: ScotlandScotland OfficeTabled 21 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69383More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what discussions he has had with the Scottish Government on their meetings with foreign ambassadors.
Answer: Foreign diplomats based within the UK are able to meet a wide range of stakeholders across the UK, without the need for permission from the Government.This principle is consistent with how we expect our own diplomats working overseas to be able to operate...
Answered 2 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordForeign Relations: ScotlandScotland OfficeTabled 21 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69382More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether he has had discussions with the Scottish Government on their role in international affairs.
Answer: International relations is, and will remain, a matter reserved solely to the UK Government. The terms of the International Relations Concordat of 2013 – agreed between the UK Government and Ministers of the devolved Governments (DGs) – reaffirm that the D...
Answered 2 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordHong Kong: OppressionForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 17 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 68813More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many bountied Hong Kongers living in the UK (a) she and (b) her Department have consulted while updating the Defending Democracy Taskforce.
Answer: The safety and security of Hong Kongers in the UK is, and always will be, a priority. Owing to the sensitive nature of this topic and the need to protect individuals who may be at threat, it would be inappropriate to provide further detail of any specific...
Answered 30 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordPhotovoltaics: ChinaDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 15 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 67942More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to (a) mitigate the effects of market dumping of and (b) reduce strategic dependency on imported photovoltaic inverters from China.
Answer: Solar goods and services are global commodities, and it is likely that we will continue to require imports in the short to medium term. The UK has a strong electrical manufacturing sector and there is an opportunity to scale this up through our ambitious ...
Answered 23 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordElectricity: LicensingDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 15 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 67941More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what his Department’s planned timeline is for reviewing the electricity licensing regime to address the use of equipment from high-risk foreign vendors.
Answer: The protection and security of the energy sector is a priority for this Government, including manging risks from supply chains. DESNZ will continue to work closely with cross-government counterparts alongside industry to explore what further proportionate...
Answered 23 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordEnergy: DatabasesDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 15 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 67940More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential for energy usage data collected by smart grid components to be exploited for (a) strategic and (b) military intelligence purposes by foreign state
Answer: Recognising the importance of renewable and smart energy systems for flexibility and decarbonisation, the Department is working to ensure these systems are developed in a way that is secure by design, protecting energy supply, infrastructure and consumers...
Answered 23 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordPhotovoltaicsDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 15 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 67939More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to ensure that firmware updates to photovoltaic inverters connected to the UK grid cannot be used as a vector for cyber or physical disruption.
Answer: Maintaining security of energy supplies is a key priority and critical energy operators are required to meet a minimum standard of cyber security and resilience, through the Network and Information Systems Regulations 2018. The Department works continuall...
Answered 23 Jul 2025
Original Parliament record
Published records only — not a full account of an MP’s work. How we work →