Wera Hobhouse MP: written questions 2025
85 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Nuclear Power Stations: Artificial IntelligenceDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 14 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 67420More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department has undertaken a risk assessment of the potential impact of (a) Artificial General Intelligence and (b) Artificial Super Intelligence on the (i) safety and (ii) securit
Answer: The Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) as the UK’s independent regulator is responsible for assessing the safety and security of UK civil nuclear sites and Artificial Intelligence (AI) is considered in their regulatory approach. The ONR are collaborating...
Answered 22 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordAnimal ExperimentsDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 8 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 65837More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions his Department has had with experts on (a) transitional science and (b) change management on the roadmap to phase out animal testing.
Answer: The Labour Manifesto commits to “partner with scientists, industry, and civil society as we work towards the phasing out of animal testing”. This transition must be science-led and the Government has been consulting industry, academia and civil society as...
Answered 16 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordEnergy: BusinessDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 30 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 63700More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of taking steps to help tackle hidden commission fees charged by energy brokers on costs for businesses; and whether he has considered in
Answer: The Government has consulted on introducing a regulatory regime for the TPI market. This would raise standards, protect businesses from harmful practices, and improve consumer confidence in responsible TPIs. Earlier this month, the Government published a ...
Answered 8 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordEnergy: PricesDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 30 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 63699More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps (a) his Department and (b) Ofgem are able to take to help tackle misconduct by Third-Party Intermediaries in the energy market.
Answer: The Government has consulted on introducing a regulatory regime for the TPI market. This would raise standards, protect businesses from harmful practices, and improve consumer confidence in responsible TPIs. Earlier this month, the Government published a ...
Answered 8 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordBreast Cancer: ScreeningDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 25 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 62691More
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 University of Manchester’s research entitled Assessing risk of breast cancer in young women to facilitate early dia
Answer: The Department welcomes the University of Manchester’s research on assessing risk of breast cancer in young women. It is a priority for the Government to support the National Health Service to diagnose cancer, including breast cancer, as early and as quic...
Answered 28 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordBreast Cancer: ScreeningDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 24 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 62257More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to increase access to breast cancer risk assessment for women under 50.
Answer: National Health Service breast cancer risk assessments are undertaken to identify the risk of having an inherited tendency of developing breast cancer. Breast screening is offered to women under the age of 50 years old according to nationally recommended ...
Answered 30 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordOffshore Industry: TaxationTreasuryTabled 24 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 62223More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans to increase taxes on oil and gas companies to help fund investment in (a) clean energy, (b) home insulation and (c) other climate measures.
Answer: The oil and gas industry is currently subject to a headline tax rate of 78%, which includes the 38% Energy Profits Levy, following reforms announced by the government at Autumn Budget 2024. At the Autumn Budget 2024, the Government announced it would incr...
Answered 2 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordCarbon Emissions and Public ExpenditureTreasuryTabled 24 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 62222More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she has taken to ensure that the Spending Review 2025 is compatible with the UK’s (a) net zero target and (b) interim carbon budgets.
Answer: HM Treasury has established processes to assess the climate and environmental impacts of major spending bids These impacts informed, alongside other policy considerations, decisions made at Spending Review 2025. In total, the Government committed £63bn in...
Answered 2 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordYouTube: Hate CrimeDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 23 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 61835More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he has had recent discussions with YouTube on tackling extreme misogynistic content.
Answer: The Online Safety Act gives online platforms new duties to put in place systems and processes to remove illegal content on their services, including extreme misogynistic content. Ofcom has a broad range of powers to assess and enforce compliance with the ...
Answered 1 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordYouTube: SafetyDepartment for Science, Innovation and TechnologyTabled 23 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 61817More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that YouTube is compliant with the Online Safety Act 2023.
Answer: The Online Safety Act gives online platforms new duties to put in place systems and processes to remove illegal content on their services, including extreme misogynistic content. Ofcom has a broad range of powers to assess and enforce compliance with the ...
Answered 1 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordFood: WasteDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 23 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 61803More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the introduction of mandatory food waste reporting.
Answer: The Secretary of State has regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues on a range of issues. No recent discussions have taken place between the Secretary of State and Cabinet colleagues on the subject of mandatory food waste reporting. This Government has...
Answered 30 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordCommunity EnergyDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 23 Jun 2025AnsweredUIN 61802More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what his planned timetable is for the work his Department has commissioned on removing barriers to local supply faced by community energy schemes.
Answer: The Government recognises that local energy will play an important role in achieving the mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower by 2030, and some electricity suppliers are already working with community energy groups to support local supply. We...
Answered 1 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordElectric Bicycles: Manufacturing IndustriesDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 30 May 2025AnsweredUIN 55236More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has made an assessment of the resilience of the folding e-bike industry in the UK.
Answer: The Department engages with the folding e-bike industry as part of its broader support for UK manufacturing and innovation. Through the Government’s Industrial Strategy, targeting key growth levers such as boosting scaleups, revitalising high streets, imp...
Answered 6 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordElectric Bicycles: ChinaDepartment for TransportTabled 30 May 2025AnsweredUIN 55235More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the lifting of tariffs on non-folding e-bikes from China.
Answer: The Secretary of State for Business and Trade took a decision on 6 February 2025 to extend the anti-dumping and countervailing measures on folding e-bikes only. This followed an evidence-based review led by the UK’s independent Trade Remedies Authority. N...
Answered 5 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordRenewable Transport Fuel ObligationDepartment for TransportTabled 30 May 2025AnsweredUIN 55204More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of including renewable electricity supplied to EVs within the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation.
Answer: I refer the Honourable Member to my answer given on 19 May to PQ UIN 52503.
Answered 5 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordEskdalemuir Seismological ArrayMinistry of DefenceTabled 30 May 2025AnsweredUIN 55154More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate his Department has made of the number of potential development sites for onshore wind which fall within the vicinity of the Eskdalemuir Seismological Array (ESA) in Scotland.
Answer: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is a statutory consultee in the UK planning systems to safeguard operational defence sites. As such, the MOD is consulted on all wind farm planning applications within 50km of the Eskdalemuir Seismological Array. The MOD cann...
Answered 9 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordClean EnergyDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 30 May 2025AnsweredUIN 55153More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to maintain (a) optionality and (b) competition in the Clean Power Plan.
Answer: Table 1 of the Clean Power Action Plan sets out a range of potential installed capacity levels for different technologies in 2030. This reflects the Government’s commitment to maintaining optionality by supporting a diverse mix of technologies capable of ...
Answered 9 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordWind Power: ScotlandDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 30 May 2025AnsweredUIN 55152More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of capacity allocation in the Clean Power Plan for Scottish onshore wind between 2031 and 2035.
Answer: The 2035 capacity number for Scotland is based on National Energy System Operator's Future Energy Scenarios, which present credible pathways to decarbonise our energy system as we strive towards the 2050 target. We therefore consider the capacity allocati...
Answered 9 Jun 2025
Original Parliament recordActive TravelDepartment for TransportTabled 19 May 2025AnsweredUIN 53131More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of trends in the size of vehicles on the uptake of active travel by (a) young and (b) other people.
Answer: There are no current plans to make an assessment of the potential impact of vehicle sizes on active travel uptake. Active Travel England is working with local authorities across England to support the development of safe and accessible walking and cycling...
Answered 23 May 2025
Original Parliament recordEnergy Company ObligationDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 19 May 2025AnsweredUIN 53130More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of removing the social housing obligation from future iterations of the Energy Company Obligation scheme on the retrofit measures provide
Answer: We are committed to meeting fuel poverty and Net Zero targets, and we are currently considering what policy mix will best achieve that, including what role energy company obligations should play post-2026.
Answered 28 May 2025
Original Parliament recordDrax Power Station: SubsidiesDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 9 May 2025AnsweredUIN 51136More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, for what reason The Contracts for Difference (Miscellaneous Amendments) (No. 2) Regulations 2025 do not include time limits on extended subsidies to Drax.
Answer: The Government agreed Heads of Terms with Drax for short-term support from 2027-2031 to ensure UK security of security, as outlined in the ministerial statement in February. This represents a step-change in arrangements and Drax will provide power only wh...
Answered 15 May 2025
Original Parliament recordHydrogen: Carbon EmissionsDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 7 May 2025AnsweredUIN 50549More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he is taking steps to develop a strategic framework to enable the integration of hydrogen into future net zero energy systems.
Answer: Hydrogen will be key in reaching net zero, helping decarbonise industrial processes and heavy transport where it’s harder or more expensive to electrify, complementing wider electrification efforts. Hydrogen to power was identified in our December Clean P...
Answered 16 May 2025
Original Parliament recordElectricity InterconnectorsDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 7 May 2025AnsweredUIN 50548More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to support interconnector infrastructure.
Answer: Interconnector development is a developer-led process in GB. Projects are given regulatory approval through Ofgem, a process with no formal role for Government. We welcome Ofgem’s decision to approve five new interconnector projects, including two Offshor...
Answered 16 May 2025
Original Parliament recordEating Disorders: DeathDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 29 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 49020More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure the accurate recording of deaths related to eating disorders; and what steps he is taking with the (a) National Medical Examiner, (b) Office for Nation
Answer: It is important that all deaths are recorded accurately, and it is right that the extent to which eating disorders and other factors have caused or contributed to deaths should be explored further, in collaboration with stakeholders including the National...
Answered 13 May 2025
Original Parliament recordAnimal ExperimentsHome OfficeTabled 29 Apr 2025AnsweredUIN 49019More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress she has made on ending the use of forced swim tests since writing to the (a) Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and (b) UKRI requesting expedited research to find validate
Answer: The Home Office wrote to the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology and the UKRI in February 2024 to consider the recommendation to request further research into non-animal methods to replace the Forced Swim Test (FST).The Home Office Regulator ...
Answered 8 May 2025
Original Parliament record
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