Wera Hobhouse MP: written questions 2026
58 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Zero 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 recordSolar PowerDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 23 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 122850More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to the revised timeline for the Contracts for Difference eighth allocation round, what steps his Department is taking to support large solar projects that have begun planning f
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 recordRenewable EnergyDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 23 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 122849More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the alignment between the new timings for Contracts for Difference eighth allocation round and statutory planning decisions for large re
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 recordState Retirement Pensions: British Nationals AbroadDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 18 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 121764More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether consideration was given to laying the provision maintaining the frozen pensions policy, currently within the Social Security Up-Rating Regulations 2026 laid on the 6 March, as a standalone instr
Answer: The Social Security Benefits Up-rating Regulations 2026 are in general consequential on the Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order 2026 and can only be laid once the Up-rating Order has been approved by Parliament. The Up-rating Regulations were laid on...
Answered 24 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordState Retirement Pensions: British Nationals AbroadDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 18 Mar 2026AnsweredUIN 121763More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if his Department will set out what criteria is used to determine whether provisions relating to the frozen overseas state pensions policy are laid under the Negative rather than Affirmative procedure.
Answer: The provisions in the Social Security Benefits Up-rating Regulations 2026 cannot be included in the Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order 2026 because the powers on which the Up-rating Order relies are insufficiently wide to include these provisions. T...
Answered 24 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordEnergy: HousingMinistry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentTabled 23 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 115022More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the Future Homes Standard on the delivery of high-quality, future-proofed homes that reduce energy bills for re
Answer: Homes built under the Future Homes Standard will be future proofed with low carbon heating and high levels of energy efficiency, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and cutting consumer energy bills. A full impact assessment will be published in due course....
Answered 3 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordJoint ReplacementsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 23 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 115010More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he is taking steps to help ensure that the merging of ICBs will not result in wider use of BMI as a pre-requisite for joint replacement surgery in England.
Answer: It is the responsibility of individual integrated care boards (ICBs) to determine clinical commissioning policies, such as eligibility for joint replacement surgery, for their local areas, including when an ICB is the result of a merger.As with all surger...
Answered 3 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordRheumatology: RecruitmentDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 23 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 115009More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help increase the number of rheumatologists working in England.
Answer: We set out in the 10-Year Health Plan for England that over the next three years we will create 1,000 new specialty training posts, with a focus on specialties where there is greatest need. We will set out next steps in due course.This Government is commi...
Answered 3 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordIntegrated Care Boards: StandardsDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 23 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 115008More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many integrated care boards have activity management plans in place; and which integrated care boards have activity management plans in place for planned care.
Answer: NHS England does not hold this information centrally. Integrated care boards have contractual powers to manage activity by providers, which were enhanced in 2025/26 with central support for setting and managing activity. The NHS Standard Contract includes...
Answered 3 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordEating Disorders: ResearchDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 20 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 113693More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department are taking to help support the Eating Disorders Genetic Initiative UK, including to improve understanding of the genetic and environmental factors associated with such con
Answer: The Department funds research on health and social care through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into any aspect of human health and care including eating disorders.Through the...
Answered 2 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordEating Disorders: Mental Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 20 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 113692More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the Royal College of Psychiatrists' report entitled National Audit of Eating Disorders Service Mapping Report 2025, published in December 2025, what assessment he has made of the
Answer: While no such specific assessment has been made, we recognise the devastating impact an eating disorder can have on someone’s life, and that the earlier treatment is provided, the greater the chance of recovery. We are carefully considering the findings o...
Answered 3 Mar 2026
Original Parliament recordMental Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 20 Feb 2026AnsweredUIN 113691More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department will take forward the recommendations of the report entitled Mental health clinically-led review of standards - Models of care and measurement: consultation response, publish
Answer: Following the clinically-led review, data is now available showing the number of referrals for urgent mental health crisis care (specifically Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment Teams), by level of urgency, and the number responded to within the appropri...
Answered 3 Mar 2026
Original Parliament record
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