It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

We are consulting to 14 October on whether a Regulated Asset Base (RAB) model could be applied for future nuclear projects as an alternative funding model to Contract for Differences (CfDs).

Our intention is that consumer affordability would be considered and assessed for any project prior to granting a nuclear RAB licence. We will reflect on responses to the consultation before deciding next steps for a nuclear RAB and its design.

The Government has been clear that leaving the EU with a deal is its preferred option.

The Government has put in place contingency plans for a range of exit scenarios. These contingencies ensure that the Department can continue to provide our vital services and that individuals will continue to be able to access benefits and services on the same basis as they do now.

The Government is committed to providing a strong safety-net through the welfare system. We continue to spend over £95 billion a year on benefits for people of working age. The Department continues to monitor the effects of EU exit on the economy. Rates of benefits continue to be reviewed in line with the relevant legislation for uprating.

The Government has been clear that leaving the EU with a deal is its preferred option.

The Government has put in place contingency plans for a range of exit scenarios. These contingencies ensure that the Department can continue to provide our vital services and that individuals will continue to be able to access benefits and services on the same basis as they do now.

The Government is committed to providing a strong safety-net through the welfare system. We continue to spend over £95 billion a year on benefits for people of working age. The Department continues to monitor the effects of EU exit on the economy. Rates of benefits continue to be reviewed in line with the relevant legislation for uprating.

This analysis only applies to England as agricultural policy is devolved.

As part of our preparations to leave the EU, we have carried out a rigorous programme of analytical work that has assessed the impact of various EU exit scenarios on the UK farming sector.

Part of that programme has included modelling work co-funded by the four UK agricultural departments. In August 2017, the Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute (FAPRI-UK) published this analysis in the report “Impacts of Alternative Post-Brexit Trade Agreements on UK Agriculture: Sector Analyses Using the FAPRI-UK Model”. It considers the impact of different trading scenarios on many farming commodity sectors. The full report is available on the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute website here:

https://www.afbini.gov.uk/sites/afbini.gov.uk/files/publications/FAPRI-UK%20Brexit%20Report%20-%20FINAL%20Clean.pdf

In addition, the evidence and analysis paper which accompanied the publication of the Agriculture Bill (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-future-for-food-farming-and-the-environment-policy-statement-2018) provides analysis of the various ways farmers are likely to be affected by the movement from the area based payments of the Common Agricultural Policy to being rewarded for the public goods they produce under Environmental Land Management.

The UK has a high level of food security built upon a diverse range of sources including strong domestic production and imports from other countries. This will continue to be the case whether we leave the EU with or without a deal. While we are making sensible preparations for all eventualities, there are no plans for the Government to either store food or reroute supplies. The expertise, capability and levers to plan for and respond to food supply disruption lies with the industry. This includes looking at alternative supply routes and suppliers.

The Government has well established ways of working with the food industry on food supply chain issues and we are using these to support preparations for leaving the EU. This includes working with Defra’s long established Food Chain Emergency Liaison Group, which allows Government and industry to work together to plan for and respond to any food supply disruption.

The most important drivers of change in the cost of food on an ongoing basis are commodity prices, exchange rates and oil prices. This will continue to be the case once the UK has left the EU; the UK Government has no direct control of these factors.

We are acutely conscious that the best possible market is one driven by competition. As we take forward our huge investment to ensure a better connected country, one of our key long-term aspirations will be to develop greater competition.

A number of my constituents are stuck with a single broadband provider, which is in a monopoly position, so it is charging very high prices for very poor service. What steps are the Government taking to ensure greater competition, which will drive down prices and improve the service?

The Government recognises the importance to businesses and households of having access to an affordable, secure and sustainable supply of energy. The Yellowhammer Reasonable Worst Case Planning Assumptions are not based on a single forecast of expected prices. Many factors impact electricity prices including factors such as fuel prices, exchange rates and generation mix.

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.

We assume in this Reasonable Worst Case Planning Assumption that the Single Electricity Market (SEM) shared between Northern Ireland and Ireland may not be able to continue. If this is the case we would expect higher and more volatile electricity prices in Northern Ireland as a result of losing benefits from the more efficient, shared market. By far the best outcome for electricity in Northern Ireland is to maintain the SEM and the Government remains committed to seeking to maintain the SEM in any scenario.

The Government believes that it is essential that consumers get a fair deal and that a competitive market is the best way to keep prices low. Fuel pricing is subject to UK competition law, and I expect the Competition and Markets Authority to keep the market under review.

Government provides support to help low income households with their energy costs. Over 2 million low income and vulnerable households will receive a rebate of £140 off their winter energy bill through the Warm Home Discount. In addition all pensioner households receive a Winter Fuel Payment of up to £300. Support to upgrade the energy performance of homes is also available through the Energy Company Obligation. Since 2018 this £640m per year scheme has been focused on low income and vulnerable households.

The price of crude oil, traded through liquid international markets, is the main driver of changes in the national average retail prices of fuels such a petrol, diesel and heating fuels. Other factors include currency exchange rates and the balance of supply and demand for these fuels in the wholesale petroleum products markets. The UK benefits from a diverse range of import sources alongside UK domestic production and will continue to do so after we leave the EU.

BEIS analysis is that changes in the price of crude oil are the main driver of changes in the national average retail prices of fuels such a petrol and diesel. Other factors include currency exchange rates and the balance of supply and demand for these fuels in the wholesale petroleum products markets.

Crude oil and petroleum products are traded through liquid international markets. The UK benefits from a diverse range of import sources alongside UK domestic production and will continue to do so after we leave the EU.

The most important drivers of change in the cost of food to consumers are global food commodity prices, currency exchange rates and oil prices. This will continue to be the case once the UK has left the EU and the UK Government has no direct control of these factors. However, we work closely with industry to promote transparency for consumers, and internationally to promote open global markets.

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 and fuel.

Furthermore, officials estimate the direct impact of spending decisions on household living standards, and this is a central consideration when allocating public funds.

As part of a responsible government, the Department is doing everything appropriate to prepare for European Union exit. We want to reassure patients that our plans should ensure the supply of medicines and medical products when we leave the EU on 31 October.

The Department, in consultation with the devolved administrations, has been working with trade bodies, product suppliers, and the health and care system in England to make detailed plans that should ensure continuation of the supply of medicines to the whole of the United Kingdom and its Crown Dependencies.

On 26 June, we wrote to suppliers of medicines to the UK from or via the EU or European Economic Area setting out our continuing multi-layered approach to support continuity of supply of medicines and medical products from 31 October.

Further details can be found at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/medicines-and-medical-products-supply-government-updates-no-deal-brexit-plans

Ahead of 31 October, all necessary funding will be made available to support our preparations. On 31 July, HM Treasury announced an additional £434 million made available to help ensure continuity of supply of vital medicines and medical products, including through freight capacity, warehousing and stockpiling.

Patients, hospitals and community pharmacies do not need to and should not undertake any stockpiling. Separate guidance issued to all National Health Service trusts, pharmacies and general practices has informed them of our plans and advising them that they can expect to be able to continue accessing medicines through their existing supply routes when the UK leaves the EU.

The Department’s Medicine Supply Team has well established procedures to deal with medicine shortages and works closely with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, the pharmaceutical industry, NHS England and others operating in the supply chain to help prevent shortages and to ensure that the risks to patients are minimised when they do arise.

Both the 2019 Voluntary Scheme for Branded Medicines Pricing and Access and the statutory branded medicines pricing scheme have detailed arrangements for how companies can request an increase to the NHS list price for a product.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.