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1668514

	registered interest
	date	08/11/2023
	answering body	Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
	answering dept id	215
	answering dept short name	Energy Security and Net Zero
	answering dept sort name	Energy Security and Net Zero
	hansard heading	Energy: Consumers
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to her Department's policy paper entitled Powering Up Britain: Energy Security Plan, published in March 2023, when she plans to consult on options for a new approach to consumer protection.
	tabling member constituency	Manchester, Withington
	tabling member printed	Jeff Smith
	uin	835
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/11/2023 answer text <p>As set out in Powering Up Britain: Energy Security Plan, we are exploring the best approach to consumer protection, as part of wider retail market reforms. The government continues to monitor the situation and will keep options under review, including with respect to the most vulnerable households.</p> answering member constituency Derby North answering member printed Amanda Solloway question first answered 14/11/2023 07:29:59 answering member 4372 label Biography information for Amanda Solloway
	tabling member	4456 label Biography information for Jeff Smith

1668533

	registered interest
	date	08/11/2023
	answering body	Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
	answering dept id	215
	answering dept short name	Energy Security and Net Zero
	answering dept sort name	Energy Security and Net Zero
	hansard heading	Ayrton Fund
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how much funding has been allocated to clean energy research, development and demonstration projects from the Ayrton Fund as of 8 November 2023.
	tabling member constituency	Manchester, Withington
	tabling member printed	Jeff Smith
	uin	836
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/11/2023 answer text <p>The UK Government has committed up to £1 billion for the Ayrton Fund to support the research, development, and demonstration of clean energy innovations for developing countries, between April 2021 and March 2026, delivered via a portfolio managed by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the Departments for Energy Security and Net Zero and for Science, Innovation and Technology.</p><p> </p><p>As of 8 November 2023, Ayrton funding of £595 million has been approved and allocated to 29 programmes. The Departments are working on the design of further new and scaled-up programmes, including some expected to be announced at COP28 in December.</p> answering member constituency Beverley and Holderness answering member printed Graham Stuart question first answered 17/11/2023 07:35:53 answering member 1482 label Biography information for Graham Stuart
	tabling member	4456 label Biography information for Jeff Smith

1668534

	registered interest
	date	08/11/2023
	answering body	Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
	answering dept id	215
	answering dept short name	Energy Security and Net Zero
	answering dept sort name	Energy Security and Net Zero
	hansard heading	Ayrton Fund
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to her Department's published guidance on the Ayrton Fund, how much funding was allocated to each of the 23 RD&D projects that that fund supported in its first two years.
	tabling member constituency	Manchester, Withington
	tabling member printed	Jeff Smith
	uin	837
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 17/11/2023 answer text <p>In its first two years (April 2021 to March 2023) the UK Government spent £146 million through the 23 Ayrton Fund programmes, listed on the Gov.uk website, delivering international clean energy research, development, and demonstration.</p> answering member constituency Beverley and Holderness answering member printed Graham Stuart question first answered 17/11/2023 07:33:23 answering member 1482 label Biography information for Graham Stuart
	tabling member	4456 label Biography information for Jeff Smith

1662069

	registered interest
	date	19/09/2023
	answering body	Department for Education
	answering dept id	60
	answering dept short name	Education
	answering dept sort name	Education
	hansard heading	Childcare: Manchester Withington
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 14 September 2023 to Question 198639 on Childcare, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure the adequacy of (a) trained staff, (b) safe premises and (c) registered places in Manchester Withington constituency by the start of September 2025 to offer eligible children aged nine months and above to access 30 hours a week of free childcare for 38 weeks each year until the end of the term before they start at primary school.
	tabling member constituency	Manchester, Withington
	tabling member printed	Jeff Smith
	uin	200542
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 19/10/2023 answer text <p>Having enough staff in place to deliver high-quality education and care will be key to ensuring the successful delivery of our record expansion of early years entitlements. Driving up interest in early years careers and ensuring there are enough opportunities for career development is a priority for this government.</p><p>In the government’s Spring Budget 2023, my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, announced transformative reforms to childcare for parents, children and the economy. By 2027/28, this Government will expect to be spending in excess of £8 billion every year on free hours and early education, helping working families with their childcare costs. This represents the single biggest investment in childcare in England ever.</p><p>The department is developing a range of new workforce initiatives including the launch of a new national campaign, planned for the beginning of 2024, to boost interest in the sector and support the recruitment and retention of talented staff. To increase interest in early years, we are working to remove unnecessary barriers to entering the sector as well as considering how to make early years qualifications more accessible, coordinated and relevant.</p><p>Over the summer the department launched a competition for Early Years Skills Bootcamps with a pathway to an accelerated level 3 Early Years Educator apprenticeship, and we will consider degree apprenticeship routes so everyone from junior staff to senior leaders can easily move into or indeed enhance their career in the sector. We are also working across government to boost early years career awareness by collaborating with the Department for Work and Pensions and Careers &amp; Enterprise Company to promote the importance and value of a career in early years.</p><p>Regarding safe premises, with a growing number of staff joining the sector, the safety of our youngest children remains as important as ever. All new and existing early years providers must keep children safe and promote their welfare. The Early Years Foundation Stage statutory framework sets the standards that all early years providers in England must meet to ensure that children are kept healthy and safe. More information can be found here: <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1170108/EYFS_framework_from_September_2023.pdf" target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1170108/EYFS_framework_from_September_2023.pdf</a>.</p><p>Under these requirements, all owners and managers of childcare settings have a responsibility to ensure that their premises, including overall floor space and outdoor spaces, are fit for purpose and suitable for the age of children cared for and the activities provided on the premises. All providers must also comply with the requirements of health and safety legislation, including fire safety and hygiene requirements. At all times when children are present, at least one person who has a current paediatric first aid certificate must be on the premises.</p><p>Under Section 6 of the Childcare Act 2006, local authorities are responsible for ensuring that the provision of childcare is sufficient to meet the requirements of parents in their area. Part B of the Early education and childcare statutory guidance for local authorities highlights that local authorities should report annually to elected council members on how they are meeting their duty to secure sufficient childcare, and to make this report available and accessible to parents. More information can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-education-and-childcare--2" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-education-and-childcare--2</a>.</p><p>The Department has regular contact with each local authority in England about their sufficiency of childcare and any issues they are facing. Where local authorities report sufficiency challenges, we discuss what action the local authority is taking to address those issues and where needed support the local authority with any specific requirements through our childcare sufficiency support contract.</p> answering member constituency Wantage answering member printed David Johnston grouped question UIN 200257 200283 200288 200294 200540 200541 200550 question first answered 19/10/2023 13:12:38 answering member 4761 label Biography information for David Johnston
	tabling member	4456 label Biography information for Jeff Smith

1658251

	registered interest
	date	05/09/2023
	answering body	Home Office
	answering dept id	1
	answering dept short name	Home Office
	answering dept sort name	Home Office
	hansard heading	Educational Visits: France
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent progress her Department has made on removing barriers to (a) school and (b) other group travel between the UK and France.
	tabling member constituency	Manchester, Withington
	tabling member printed	Jeff Smith
	uin	197839
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/09/2023 answer text <p>All visitors to the United Kingdom are expected to hold a valid passport and visa where necessary. France has its own rules on entry requirements.</p><p>As part of an overall agreement on migration reached with France during the March Leaders’ Summit between the Prime Minister and the French President, we committed to easing travel between our two countries for school children on organised trips. Work is now under way to operationalise these arrangements.</p> answering member constituency Newark answering member printed Robert Jenrick question first answered 11/09/2023 13:41:25 answering member 4320 label Biography information for Robert Jenrick
	tabling member	4456 label Biography information for Jeff Smith

1656735

	registered interest
	date	01/09/2023
	answering body	Department for Culture, Media and Sport
	answering dept id	217
	answering dept short name	Culture, Media and Sport
	answering dept sort name	Culture, Media and Sport
	hansard heading	Cultural Heritage: Grants
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department plans to review the level of grant-in-aid for heritage institutions, in the context of rises in inflation.
	tabling member constituency	Manchester, Withington
	tabling member printed	Jeff Smith
	uin	196475
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 11/09/2023 answer text <p>The UK’s heritage institutions play a vital part in our nation's rich history and cultural life.</p><p>Just as we supported it through the challenges of the pandemic, HM Government has made support available to mitigate increasing costs for the whole heritage sector, not just those bodies which receive grant-in-aid. The Energy Bills Discount Scheme was implemented from 1 April 2023, a key component of which is the higher level of support being provided to energy and trade-intensive industries. Heritage was recognised as one of these industries and therefore receives a higher level of discount on energy volumes and will be subject to the maximum discount for gas and electricity bills.</p><p>The Department for Culture, Media and Sport continues to work with its arm’s-length bodies and other Government Departments to support the sector’s resilience – and to deliver the Government’s promise to halve inflation this year to ease the cost of living and give people financial security.</p> answering member constituency Maldon answering member printed Sir John Whittingdale question first answered 11/09/2023 13:44:11 answering member 39 label Biography information for Sir John Whittingdale
	tabling member	4456 label Biography information for Jeff Smith

1654480

	registered interest
	date	19/07/2023
	answering body	Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
	answering dept id	211
	answering dept short name	Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
	answering dept sort name	Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
	hansard heading	Housing: Solar Power
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, with reference to CPRE, the countryside charity’s report entitled Shout from the rooftops: delivering a common sense solar revolution, published in May 2023, whether he plans to ensure that the Future Homes Standard requires roof space-mounted solar arrays to be installed on new homes.
	tabling member constituency	Manchester, Withington
	tabling member printed	Jeff Smith
	uin	195186
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 06/09/2023 answer text <p>Renewable energy, such as that generated from solar panels, is a key part of our strategy to get to net zero.</p><p>Not all homes are suitable for solar panels. For instance, some homes are heavily shaded due to nearby buildings or trees.</p><p>Under the Future Homes Standard, the Building Regulations will continue to set performance-based standards. Our approach to achieving higher standards will remain technology-neutral, to provide flexibility to choose the most appropriate and cost-effective solutions.</p> answering member constituency North East Derbyshire answering member printed Lee Rowley question first answered 06/09/2023 10:56:17 answering member 4652 label Biography information for Lee Rowley
	tabling member	4456 label Biography information for Jeff Smith

1651887

	registered interest
	date	11/07/2023
	answering body	Treasury
	answering dept id	14
	answering dept short name	Treasury
	answering dept sort name	Treasury
	hansard heading	Self-assessment
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an equalities impact assessment of proposals for a points-based penalty regime for late submissions of tax returns.
	tabling member constituency	Manchester, Withington
	tabling member printed	Jeff Smith
	uin	193420
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 18/07/2023 answer text <p>A new points-based penalty system was brought in on 1 January 2023 for all VAT-registered businesses. The Government published the associated screening equality impact assessment on 23 March.</p><p> </p><p>An equalities impact assessment covering the new penalty system for Income Tax Self-Assessment taxpayers will be published during its introduction.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Louth and Horncastle answering member printed Victoria Atkins question first answered 18/07/2023 14:36:10 answering member 4399 label Biography information for Victoria Atkins
	tabling member	4456 label Biography information for Jeff Smith

1643700

	registered interest
	date	12/06/2023
	answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
	answering dept id	208
	answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
	answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
	hansard heading	Iran: Guided Weapons
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of Iran's ballistic missile capabilities.
	tabling member constituency	Manchester, Withington
	tabling member printed	Jeff Smith
	uin	189006
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/06/2023 answer text <p>Iran's ballistic missile programme destabilises the region and threatens European security. UN Security Council Resolution 2231 (UNSCR 2231) calls on Iran not to undertake any activity related to ballistic missiles designed to be capable of delivering nuclear weapons, including launches using such technology. Alongside France and Germany, we have written regularly to the UN Secretary-General to draw attention to Iranian missile activity inconsistent with UNSCR 2231, most recently on 12 June. We urge Iran to fully abide by UNSCR 2231 and all other relevant resolutions.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 20/06/2023 10:41:56 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	4456 label Biography information for Jeff Smith

1643701

	registered interest
	date	12/06/2023
	answering body	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
	answering dept id	208
	answering dept short name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
	answering dept sort name	Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
	hansard heading	Iran: Palestinians
	house id	1
	legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
	question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the extent of Iran's influence on the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.
	tabling member constituency	Manchester, Withington
	tabling member printed	Jeff Smith
	uin	189007
	answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 20/06/2023 answer text <p>The UK Government regularly assesses the impact of Iran's activity throughout the Middle East, including its political, financial and military support to several militant and proscribed groups. We work closely with our partners to deter destabilising Iranian activity in the region, including through a range of sanctions designations. We are aware of the activities of Iranian-backed militant organisations and we are working hard to de-escalate tensions in order to achieve a peaceful negotiated solution for Israel and the Palestinians.</p> answering member constituency Macclesfield answering member printed David Rutley question first answered 20/06/2023 10:44:06 answering member 4033 label Biography information for David Rutley
	tabling member	4456 label Biography information for Jeff Smith