It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Dissolution. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. I have therefore asked the Authority to respond.

The Department would not intervene in determining what price to the National Health Service liothyronine would need to fall below in order for the restriction on its prescription to be lifted.

Liothyronine is only appropriate for a certain group of patients and the South Regional Medicines Optimisation Committee advice sought to provide further clinical guidance on this matter. Whilst NHS England and NHS Improvement will regularly review its guidance, at present, there are no plans to revisit the specific recommendations for liothyronine unless new clinical evidence comes to light.

The UK is the G20 leader in reducing the carbon intensity of its economy, and is using a range of policy levers – including spending and taxes – to support the UK’s transition to a low-carbon economy.

The Clean Growth Strategy set out significant investment by the Government in decarbonisation including £2.5 billion to support low carbon innovation from 2015-2021, £4.5bn to support development of renewable and low carbon heating through the Renewable Heat Incentive and £1 billion to support the uptake of ultra-low emissions vehicles. In addition, government has supported the deployment of renewable electricity projects, with annual consumer support now reaching over £10bn.

HMT has accepted the Committee on Climate Change’s (CCC) recommendation to conduct a review into the costs and benefits of transitioning to a net zero economy. The Review will consider how to achieve this transition in a way that works for households, businesses and public finances.

Carbon pricing has helped to drive down UK emissions, in particular from the power sector, and will continue to play an important role to help meet the UK’s legally binding carbon reduction commitments, which are unaffected by leaving the EU.

The government is considering long-term options for carbon pricing including the possibility of linking a UK greenhouse gas emissions trading system with the EU ETS. As announced at Budget 2018, in the event the UK leaves the EU without a deal, the Carbon Emissions Tax would be introduced.

We are looking carefully at the analysis in the UK Steel report. The Government is committed to minimising energy costs for businesses to ensure our economy remains strong and competitive. Our policies include providing electricity cost compensation and exemption support to maintain the UK’s reputation as an attractive location for energy intensive industries including steel. The £315 million Industrial Energy Transformation Fund will also support businesses with high energy use to cut their bills and emissions.

The Government recognises the importance to businesses and households of having access to an affordable, secure and sustainable supply of energy. The UK’s exit from the EU will not alter the fact that our energy system is resilient and secure and drawn from a number of sources.

Many factors impact energy prices including fuel prices, exchange rates and generation mix. Great Britain will remain physically linked to the EU post-exit through electricity and gas interconnectors. We expect that any change in electricity prices in Great Britain as a result of changes to interconnector trading arrangements would fall within the normal range of market volatility. For gas markets, the mechanisms of cross-border trade are not expected to fundamentally change after exit. The UK gas market is one of the world’s most developed and provides security through supply diversity, most of which is not dependent on the EU.

Energy regulators in Ireland and Northern Ireland have set out that the Single Electricity Market (SEM) will continue to operate immediately after Brexit, including in a No Deal scenario. The SEM is designed to put downward pressure on consumer electricity prices, facilitate the integration of renewables and provide continued security of supply. The UK is committed to seeking to maintain the SEM in any scenario and will therefore take all possible measures to do so.

The Government has taken steps to enable electricity and gas trade to continue and maintain the effectiveness of domestic regulation, providing legal clarity for industry on the future operations of Great Britain and Northern Ireland’s energy markets.

Energy policy is largely devolved to Northern Ireland, including energy price regulation. Across the island of Ireland the Single Electricity Market (SEM) is designed to put downward pressure on consumer electricity prices, facilitate the integration of renewables and provide continued security of supply.

The Government is committed to ensuring fair energy prices for consumers and has a range of policies in Great Britain. The Domestic Gas and Electricity (Tariff Cap) Act requires the energy regulator to cap standard variable and default energy tariffs. Ofgem estimate this could save consumers around £75-100 per year.

There are around 60 domestic suppliers in the GB energy market with a range of innovative tariffs for consumers to choose from. Switching in early 2019 hit historic highs, with the total number of domestic switches in the 12 months up to July 2019 was 10% higher than over the same period last year. In August 2019, customers could save up to £408 a year by switching.

Over 2 million low income and vulnerable households receive £140 off their electricity bills each winter through the Warm Home Discount.

Improving the energy efficiency of a home is the best way of reducing energy bills for the long-term. Since 2013, over 2 million homes, including those with electric heating, have had their energy efficiency improved under the Energy Company Obligation.

The reimbursement arrangements in place for medicines in Scotland is a matter for the devolved administration. Assessments of the effectiveness of the arrangements for individual medicines in non-United Kingdom countries are not always straightforward as they have different population needs, health systems, and processes. Reimbursement arrangements are also often subject to commercial agreements that may be confidential.

T7

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Kerry McCarthy (Bristol East) (Lab):

Yellowhammer identified possible food shortages and food price rises that would have a disproportionate impact on vulnerable groups. What work are Ministers doing with schools, hospitals and frontline charities to make sure this is not an issue?

I am very grateful to the hon. Lady. I know how seriously she takes these issues. Through the XO Committee, we are working with local resilience forums and with the Department for Education, the Department of Health and Social Care and the Department for Work and Pensions to ensure that vulnerable groups are protected come what may.

HM Treasury routinely monitors economic conditions and risks, and the Government has a range of mechanisms available to support vulnerable people from price rises in food. We stand ready to take appropriate action in the event the UK exits the EU without a deal.

Furthermore, officials estimate the direct impact of spending decisions on household living standards, and would continue to do so in any no deal response. This is a central consideration when allocating public funds.

The temporary tariff regime, as confirmed on 8 October, took into account, amongst other things, the need to help mitigate any price rises that could affect UK consumers and supply chains. This was a key consideration when setting tariffs on all goods, including food.

The best way of avoiding no deal is for the—[Interruption.] The hon. Gentleman shakes his head, but this is common sense: the best way to avoid no deal is to vote for a deal.

Does the Secretary of State accept the Food and Drink Federation’s analysis that, with a complex and confusing no-deal tariff schedule, investment made right across the supply chain in preparing for a no-deal Brexit means that food prices will likely increase?