Wera Hobhouse MP: written questions
71 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Great Western Main Line: FaresDepartment for TransportTabled 15 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 9654More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if her Department will publish data on unregulated fare movements by GWR since the regulated freeze was announced on the Bath Spa to London Paddington route.
Answer: The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) publishes annual statistics on changes in rail fares, for both regulated and unregulated fares. The most recent data covers 2024-25 and is available on the ORR website at https://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/statistics/finance/r...
Answered 23 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordDeposit Return SchemesDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 15 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 9653More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she if taking to help ensure that the digital infrastructure underpinning the Deposit Return Scheme includes next-generation barcodes and digital product information.
Answer: Exchange for Change, a not-for-profit, industry-led organisation, has been appointed to design and deliver the UK’s Deposit Return Scheme across England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, including the specifics of the digital infrastructure and labelling re...
Answered 22 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordRenewable Energy: Supply ChainsDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 10 Jun 2026AnsweredUIN 8668More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the timetable for auction being brought forward on large renewable projects that have had their Contracts for Difference AR8
Answer: The Contracts for Difference Scheme (CfD) runs annually. For Allocation Round 8, the Government confirmed in March it would open the round in July (in AR7, the round opened in August). The Supply Chain Plan (SCP) process opened in April, with results now ...
Answered 19 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordWorking HoursDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 29 May 2026AnsweredUIN 4566More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, in respect of guaranteed hours provisions what assessment has been made of the potential impact of a 12 week reference period on employers whose staffing needs vary significantly over the year.
Answer: The Department has published a comprehensive assessment of the potential impacts of the zero hours contract measures and will publish further analysis in due course.The government has also now published its consultation. The government has stated a prefer...
Answered 8 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordWorking HoursDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 29 May 2026AnsweredUIN 4565More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment has been made of how different low hours thresholds and different reference period lengths in respect of guaranteed hours provisions may impact workforce flexibility.
Answer: The Department has published a comprehensive assessment of the potential impacts of the zero hours contract measures and will publish further analysis in due course as we implement these measures.The consultation includes specific questions on the potenti...
Answered 8 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordHospitality Industry and Retail Trade: Working HoursDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 29 May 2026AnsweredUIN 4564More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what evidence the Department has used to inform the proposed definition of low hours for the purposes of the guaranteed hours provisions; and whether an impact assessment will be published for the reta
Answer: The Department has published a comprehensive assessment of the potential impacts of the zero hours contract measures and will publish further analysis in due course. This includes an assessment of the impact of different hours thresholds and the impacts o...
Answered 8 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordWorking HoursDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 29 May 2026AnsweredUIN 4563More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether the Department has considered setting the definition of low hours for the purposes of the guaranteed hours provisions at 8 hours per week or below.
Answer: In its consultation, the government has expressed a preference for an hours threshold for the right to guaranteed hours of between 8 and 20 hours per week, on the basis that this is likely to offer the best balance of costs and benefits. The consultation ...
Answered 8 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordZero Hours ContractsDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 29 May 2026AnsweredUIN 4562More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of extending the guaranteed hours provisions beyond zero-hours contracts to include low-hours contracts on workers; and what steps he is taking to he
Answer: The government has published impact assessments for the zero hours contract measures in the Employment Rights Act.The government has assessed that extending the right to guaranteed hours to workers who already have some hours guaranteed could improve inco...
Answered 8 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordUkraine: Foreign RelationsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 29 May 2026AnsweredUIN 4561More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if the UK will encourage allocation of resources for Ukraine local government support at the forthcoming Ukraine Recovery Conference in Gdansk.
Answer: The UK remains steadfast in our support to Ukraine, having provided £21.8 billion in military and non-military assistance since the start of the full scale invasion. This includes support for Ukraine's recovery and reconstruction, including through our £5...
Answered 8 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordUkraine: Foreign RelationsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 29 May 2026AnsweredUIN 4560More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether there are plans to deliver Pillar 9.5 of the UK-Ukraine 2025 Partnership Agreement.
Answer: Delivery of Pillar 9, paragraph 5 of the 100 Year Partnership Agreement is progressing. We want more local authorities to twin with Ukrainian counterparts to enable cooperation that delivers material benefits for people in the UK and Ukraine. Local author...
Answered 8 Jun 2026
Original Parliament recordHospitality Industry and Retail Trade: Zero Hours ContractsDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 27 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 129875More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what evidence his Department has used to inform the proposed definition of low hours for the purposes of the guaranteed hours provisions; and whether an impact assessment will be published for the reta
Answer: It has not proved possible to respond to the Hon Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Answered 29 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordZero Hours ContractsDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 27 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 129874More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of extending the guaranteed hours provisions beyond zero-hours contracts to include low-hours contracts on affected people; and what step
Answer: It has not proved possible to respond to the Hon Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Answered 29 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordElectric Vehicles: MotorcyclesDepartment for TransportTabled 13 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 126659More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions her Department has had with industry stakeholders on the potential impact of the expiry of the Plug-in Motorcycle Grant on future investment in the UK market.
Answer: My officials have been in contact with the industry since the decision to close the grant was shared with them in February 2025. The Government will continue to work with industry to monitor the development of the zero emission motorcycle market and the n...
Answered 20 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordElectric Vehicles: FinanceDepartment for TransportTabled 13 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 126658More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how her Department intends to ensure consistency in support across different types of zero emission vehicles following the withdrawal of the incentives for motorcycles.
Answer: The Government’s £3 billion zero emission vehicle funding package supports eligible cars, vans, trucks, and wheelchair accessible vehicles.Working with industry, we will continue to monitor the development of the zero emission motorcycle market and the ne...
Answered 20 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordElectric Vehicles: MotorcyclesDepartment for TransportTabled 13 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 126657More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate the department has made of the net economic impact of removing the Plug-in Motorcycle Grant.
Answer: Ending the £500 Plug-in Motorcycle Grant is not expected to have a significant impact on uptake of zero emission motorcycles or on riders. The Government, working with industry, will monitor the development of the zero emission motorcycle market and the n...
Answered 20 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordCetaceans: Faroe IslandsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 10 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 125563More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Animal Welfare Strategy published on 22 December 2025, if she will extend the strategy to include the welfare of marine mammals hunted in the Faroe Islands that a
Answer: We remain committed to meeting our international obligations and continue to have concerns about the welfare and sustainability of these hunts. In December 2025 we published the UK Cetacean Conservation Strategy with devolved governments. This includes sp...
Answered 21 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordCetaceans: Faroe IslandsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 10 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 125562More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the implications of Faroese cetacean hunting for (a) international marine conservation and (b) biodiversity agreements.
Answer: We remain committed to meeting our international obligations and continue to have concerns about the welfare and sustainability of these hunts. In December 2025 we published the UK Cetacean Conservation Strategy with devolved governments. This includes sp...
Answered 21 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordSeafood: Faroe IslandsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 10 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 125561More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Government consultation response of 12 June 2025 on fairer food labelling, whether she has assessed the potential merits of mandating country-of-origin labelling
Answer: Food labelling rules require country of origin information for some fish products. The Government has not undertaken a specific assessment of mandating country of origin labelling requirements for fish or seafood products imported from the Faroe Islands i...
Answered 20 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordFaroe Islands: DolphinsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 10 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 125559More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has conducted diplomatic discussions with (a) the Government of the Faroe Islands, (b) the Government of Denmark and (c) other international partners on the impac
Answer: The UK strongly opposes the hunting of cetaceans other than limited activities by indigenous people for defined subsistence needs. UK ministers and officials continue to advocate for the end of cetacean hunts in the Faroe Islands at every appropriate oppo...
Answered 20 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordGeothermal Power: Heat NetworksDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 10 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 125558More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he plans to take steps with the Coal Authority to use mine water heat for heat networks.
Answer: Mine water heat is already used in some heat networks. The Gateshead Heat Network and Seaham Garden Village have been supported through the Green Heat Network Fund (GHNF) and Heat Network Investment Project respectively. We are in touch with the Coal Auth...
Answered 20 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordHeat Networks: FinanceDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 10 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 125557More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to the recommendations on the use of long-term revenue support mechanisms such as Regulated Asset Base models and Contracts for Difference within the of the ADE: Heat Networks'
Answer: A Regulated Asset Base (RAB) model allows a regulated monopoly to earn an agreed level of revenue, as used in sectors such as water. Planned Heat Network Zoning Regulations will deliver a similar effect by granting zone developers exclusive rights within ...
Answered 20 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordHeat NetworksDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 10 Apr 2026AnsweredUIN 125556More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of designating areas with high conservation status, such as Bath, as priority areas for early zoning.
Answer: The Department invites strategic and local authorities in England to help identify the next tranche of zones for our future pipeline. Each potential zone will be assessed against quantitative (scale, quality and affordability), and qualitative metrics (re...
Answered 20 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordBreast Cancer: ScreeningDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 24 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 123262More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when NHS England will be able to provide robust breast screening data on all protected characteristics.
Answer: NHS England is currently building and rolling out new services for breast screening. The future breast screening service is expected to improve the consistency and completeness of demographic and equality data capture, which should support more robust rep...
Answered 7 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordBreast Cancer: ScreeningDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 24 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 123261More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether future breast screening service specifications will include details and standards outlining the on-site support, equipment, and reasonable adjustments screening units must be able to provid
Answer: The NHS Breast Screening Programme takes equality of access and opportunity for breast screening seriously. There is guidance in place to support breast screening services to address specific needs that people may have in order to attend their breast scre...
Answered 7 Apr 2026
Original Parliament recordSolar PowerDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 23 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 122851More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the revised Contracts for Difference eighth allocation round timetable on large solar projects that are unable to bid into the pre-quali
Answer: The Government recognises the importance of providing clarity and certainty for investors and developers participating in the Contracts for Difference scheme, which is why we have confirmed we intend to open the next Allocation Round in July. We will conf...
Answered 31 Mar 2026
Original Parliament record
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