Wera Hobhouse MP: written questions
214 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Infrastructure: ProcurementDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 23 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 84657More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he plans to accept the recommendation by the Office of Value for Money to lay a Command Paper with a Strategy and Delivery Plan for specific mega projects before Parliament.
Answer: Where projects within the Department are designated as megaprojects, the recommendations of the Office for Value for Money study will be considered as appropriate. Having been defined a mega project by the study, a Strategy and Delivery Plan for Sizewell ...
Answered 31 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordDevelopment AidTreasuryTabled 13 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 81354More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of the reduction of ODA budget on UK (a) jobs and (b) trade income.
Answer: The overall economic impact of policy measures is set out in the OBR’s economic and fiscal forecast. The OBR’s March 2025 outlook provides details of the impacts of policy changes including the ODA reduction.
Answered 21 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordAarhus ConventionDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 78428More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, under what circumstances would she consider withdrawing from the Aarhus Convention.
Answer: The United Kingdom Government is committed to the effective implementation of its international obligations and has no plans to withdraw from the Aarhus Convention.
Answered 20 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordDevelopment AidTreasuryTabled 10 Oct 2025AnsweredUIN 78427More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans to take steps to enable an increase in the Official Development Assistance budget.
Answer: To enable the government to invest more on security and defence, while remaining committed to our fiscal rules, the Prime Minister has taken the difficult decision to reduce Official Development Assistance (ODA) to the equivalent of 0.3% of GNI by 2027. T...
Answered 20 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordLiterature: CurriculumDepartment for EducationTabled 4 Sept 2025AnsweredUIN 75068More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the Curriculum and Assessment Review will consider mandating a gender balance in the authors of texts students study for GCSE English Literature.
Answer: The selection of set texts for examination in GCSE English Literature is down to the exam boards. Schools are given the freedom of choice to select works that fulfil the aims of the national curriculum for English Literature, which aims to ensure that all...
Answered 3 Oct 2025
Original Parliament recordGambling: TaxationTreasuryTabled 29 Aug 2025AnsweredUIN 70840More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions her Department has had with representatives of the British racing industry on the potential impact of her Department's remote gambling tax harmonisations proposals on the sport.
Answer: The Government consultation on proposals to simplify the current gambling tax system by merging the three current taxes that cover remote (including online) gambling into one closed on 21 July 2025. Responses are now being analysed and a response to the c...
Answered 5 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordElectricity: PricesDepartment for Energy Security and Net ZeroTabled 21 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 69440More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will undertake a cost benefit analysis of wholesale electricity market reform options as soon as possible.
Answer: We have taken a decision on the Review of Electricity Market Arrangements reform options based on a range of evidence and come to a judgement on the best route to deliver a fair, affordable, secure and efficient energy system. We will publish updated anal...
Answered 4 Sept 2025
Original Parliament recordMental Health ServicesDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled 16 Jul 2025AnsweredUIN 905338More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department plans to take to improve access to mental health services.
Answer: This Government is investing an extra £688 million this year to improve access to mental health services by hiring more staff, delivering more early interventions and getting waiting lists down.We will transform mental health services into 24/7 neighbourh...
Answered 24 Jul 2025
Original Parliament recordNuclear 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 record
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