Ben Goldsborough MP: written questions 2026
54 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Arts: IndustryDepartment for Digital, Culture, Media and SportTabled 1 Sept 2026AnsweredUIN 26289More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her department has made of a) the current value and b) the potential value of the creative industry sector in a) the UK, b) London, and c) Norfolk.
Answer: The Creative Industries generated £145.8 billion in gross value added (GVA) in the UK in 2024, accounting for 5.5% of total UK GVA. The sector continues to grow, with Creative Industries GVA growing by 2.9% in the three months to June 2026 compared to 0.4...
Answered 8 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordArts: IndustryDepartment for Digital, Culture, Media and SportTabled 1 Sept 2026AnsweredUIN 26288More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps the department is taking to support high growth-potential businesses in the creative industry sector in the East of England.
Answer: Creative industries clusters across the UK, including in Norwich, play a crucial role in delivering the growth agenda. Our Creative Industries Sector Plan published last year includes a strong universal offer to drive growth in the creative industries in ...
Answered 21 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordFood: StandardsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 24497More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what metrics the Government plans to use to measure progress towards the commitment that 50% of publicly procured food should be local or produced to higher environmental standards.
Answer: The Government remains committed to its ambition that 50% of all food sourced by public bodies is locally produced or grown to higher environmental standards. However, information on the origin and sustainability of food in public sector supply chains is ...
Answered 7 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordPublic Sector: FoodDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 24496More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, in what way the reforms to public procurement announced on 5 August 2026 will contribute to the Government's commitment that 50% of food purchased by the public sector will be local or
Answer: The Government’s new social value rules mean that, from 1 January 2027, businesses bidding for government contracts - a market worth £90bn per year - will be judged on their commitment to creating high-quality British jobs, tackling local skills shortages...
Answered 4 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordHeating: HousingDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 24495More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of Building Regulations preventing the reinstallation of higher-carbon heating appliances on vulnerable, elderly and low-income consumers
Answer: Low carbon heating systems are already an effective way to reduce household energy bills and are widely deployed across Government grant schemes to support low-income households. Analysis suggests a typical home could save around £130 a year compared with...
Answered 8 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordHeating: HousingDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 24494More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what consumer protections are in place for vulnerable and low-income households unable to afford electrical heating solutions where Building Regulations prevent the reinstallation of higher-c
Answer: Tackling high energy costs is a central priority for the Government. We are removing VAT from domestic electricity bills from 1 October, building on the average £150 reduction in energy bills announced at the last Budget. Around 6 million families are ben...
Answered 8 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordHeat Pumps: StandardsDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 24493More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what consumer protections are in place where newly installed heat pumps do not adequately meet consumers' heating needs and Building Regulations prevent the reinstallation of higher-carbon he
Answer: All government supported heat pump installations are required to be certified by the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS). This provides consumers with access to additional redress routes within the MCS framework. In the first instance, all consumer...
Answered 8 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordAgricultural Products: Import ControlsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 28 Aug 2026AnsweredUIN 24492More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 16 July 2026 to Question 17560, how much money from the Border Biosecurity Campaign in 2027/28 will be allocated to a) visible information campaigns in major
Answer: Up to £1,000,000 from the Cabinet Office Integrated Security Fund will be managed by Defra in financial year 2027-2028, to deliver an integrated biosecurity communications campaign at borders. Work is taking place during this financial year (2026-2027) to...
Answered 9 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordBuilding Regulations: EnergyMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 15 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 19232More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps the department is taking to ensure building energy standards are kept up to date in line with technological advancements in energy-saving technology.
Answer: The Government published the Future Homes and Buildings Standards (FHBS) on 24 March 2026. New homes built to these standards will have high levels of energy-efficiency, excellent insulation, and low carbon heating, such as heat pumps and heat networks. T...
Answered 3 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordEnergy: ConservationDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 15 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 19231More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps the department is taking to ensure the Standard Assessment Procedure is kept up to date in line with technological advancements in energy-saving technology.
Answer: The Government is taking steps to ensure that the Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) continues to recognise innovative energy- saving technologies and remains fit for purpose during the transition to the Home Energy Model. We have strengthened KPIs in ou...
Answered 7 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordEnergy: ConservationDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 15 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 19230More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment the department has made of the effectiveness of the Standard Assessment Procedure when applied to new energy-saving technologies.
Answer: The Government recognises that there are opportunities to improve how the Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) accommodates and recognises new energy-saving technologies and is taking steps to address these as part of the transition to the Home Energy Mode...
Answered 7 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordEnergy: HousingDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 15 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 19229More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate the department has made of the comparative performance of predicted and actual energy performance of homes.
Answer: The Department has funded evidence on the relationship between predicted and actual home energy performance through its publicly available EPC Accuracy Research. The research identified differences between modelled EPC energy use and metered household ene...
Answered 7 Sept 2026
Original Parliament recordImports: CustomsHome OfficeTabled 9 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 17563More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what consideration her department has given to the merits of implementing amnesty bins for prohibited personal imports prior to customs clearance.
Answer: The Home Office works internally and with Government departments who own policy responsibility for the importation of specific types of prohibited and restricted goods. Border controls are implemented in line with legislation and government policy and ini...
Answered 14 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordAgricultural Products: Import ControlsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 9 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 17562More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her department will take steps to introduce an official, categorised level-rating for biosecurity risk to the UK.
Answer: The Government’s National Risk Register provides a structured assessment of the most serious risks facing the UK, including for biosecurity. The latest version is available at www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-risk-register-2025
Answered 16 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordAgricultural Products: Import ControlsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 9 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 17561More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her department has made of the biosecurity threat posed by personal imports.
Answer: Defra monitors animal disease outbreaks worldwide and assesses the risk of them entering Great Britain, including via personal imports. Preliminary outbreak assessments and qualitative risk assessments are available at www.gov.uk/government/collections/an...
Answered 16 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordAgricultural Products: Import ControlsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 9 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 17560More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 13 January 2026 to questions 99362 and 99361, what further consideration her department has given to implementing public awareness campaigns regarding a) bios
Answer: Defra has subsequently secured up to £1.2m from the Cabinet Office's Integrated Security Fund to deliver a UK Border Biosecurity Campaign in 2027/28, in partnership with other government departments.
Answered 16 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordHeating: TechnologyDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 9 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 17559More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to support the safe storage and disposal of oil and gas assets removed following a change in heating technology, in the context of the aim to deploy 450,000 cl
Answer: The Environment Agency does not oversee the deployment of clean heating systems. However, where oil tanks, boilers etc. are removed, waste producers and contractors must comply with their legal Waste Duty of Care and ensure waste is managed appropriately,...
Answered 14 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordHeating: TechnologyDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 9 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 17558More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of redundant oil and gas assets following installation of new heating technologies such as heat pumps on the environment.
Answer: When replacing a fossil fuel heating system with a heat pump or other low carbon technology, the expectation and rules for waste disposal are the same as like-for-like replacements. Guidance for the disposal of appliances varies by product categorisation....
Answered 17 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordHeating: WasteDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 9 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 17557More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of trends in the level of waste created as a result of consumers changing heating technologies.
Answer: When replacing a fossil fuel heating system with a heat pump or other low carbon technology, the expectation and rules for waste disposal are the same as like-for-like replacements. Guidance for the disposal of appliances varies by product categorisation....
Answered 17 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordGeneral Practitioners: Rural AreasDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 8 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 901009More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to improve GP services in rural areas.
Answer: This government is improving GP access across the country, including in rural communities. Over the last two years, we have invested an extra £1.6 billion in general practice, recruited over 2,000 more GPs, and extended online services throughout core ho...
Answered 14 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordHousing: GardensMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 1 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15173More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will make an assessment of policy options to deliver adequately sized, high-quality gardens of 200 square metres as part of the Government's pledge to build 1.5 million new
Answer: The National Planning Policy Framework emphasises the importance of a network of high quality, open spaces for the health and wellbeing of communities and the environment. This is supported by national design guidance, which explains the contribution of p...
Answered 20 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordRecreation SpacesMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 1 Jul 2026AnsweredUIN 15172More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of access to high-quality green spaces across the UK.
Answer: The government is committed to ensuring everyone lives within a 15-minute walk of a green or blue space. In response to this commitment, earlier this year Defra published official statistics in development showing that 80% of people are within this range,...
Answered 9 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordProperty: IncomeTreasuryTabled 29 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 14165More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 15 June 2026 to Question 7262, what proportion of taxpayers reporting a gross property income greater than £1,000 claimed property allowance, and at what cost to the treasury.
Answer: The proportion of taxpayers reporting a gross property income greater than £1,000 that claimed property allowance in the latest available financial year (2023/24) is estimated to be 8%. An estimate of the Exchequer cost is not readily available as Landlor...
Answered 7 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordVideo GamesDepartment for Culture, Media and SportTabled 29 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 14164More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent assessment she has made of trends in the levels of video games studio closures, and what steps she is taking to support the long-term sustainability of the UK video games development
Answer: This Government has committed to supporting the video games sector as part of the Creative Industries Sector Plan, published last year, which sets out support for the industry in order to address the challenges it faces. In April, we launched the £30 mill...
Answered 6 Jul 2026
Original Parliament recordVideo Games: Tax AllowancesTreasuryTabled 29 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 14163More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the proportion of qualifying expenditure for Video Games Expenditure Credit (VGEC) from 80 per cent to 100 per cent.
Answer: The Government recognises the importance of the creative industries, including the contribution made by the UK’s video games sector to growth and innovation. Video games companies already benefit from a generous Video Games Expenditure Credit (VGEC) of 34...
Answered 7 Jul 2026
Original Parliament record
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