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What funding his Department is providing for road resurfacing.
What funding his Department is providing for road resurfacing.
The Government are firmly on the side of drivers, which is why we are using funding reallocated from the HS2 programme to improve the condition of the country’s local highways network. Our record funding increase of £8.3 billion for local highways maintenance in England over the next decade will enable highways authorities to resurface roads and fix thousands of potholes across the country.
As my right hon. Friend knows, Shropshire’s road network is the fifth longest in all the English local authority areas. Last autumn, he made a welcome announcement about a significant increase in funding—£150 million—to repair and improve roads, and he made another in February about the HS2 reallocation of £136 million. Will he explain to me, and to other Shropshire Members, what that will mean in practical terms for the amount to be spent on roads during the next Parliament?
As my right hon. Friend knows, Shropshire’s road network is the fifth longest in all the English local authority areas. Last autumn, he made a welcome announcement about a significant increase in funding—£150 million—to repair and improve roads, and he made another in February about the HS2 reallocation of £136 million. Will he explain to me, and to other Shropshire Members, what that will mean in practical terms for the amount to be spent on roads during the next Parliament?
My right hon. Friend is correct: Shropshire County Council will receive two pots of money, a minimum uplift of £153 million from 2023 to 2034 for highway maintenance and a further £136 million under the new local transport fund, starting next year and continuing for seven years. Those figures represent a significant increase on what the council would otherwise have received. We will provide more detail shortly about the guidance on how the money should be used and, as I have said in response to earlier questions, Members of Parliament will be involved in setting those priorities.
Q7
.
Philip Dunne (Ludlow) (Con):
As a member of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, I am delighted that the Prime Minister found time yesterday to ignite the light of liberation at the start of its journey to Normandy to commemorate the sacrifices made for the liberation of Europe. In this War Graves Week, will my right hon. Friend join me in confirming that standing up to tyrants who bring about war in Europe is as much in our national interest today as it was 80 years ago?
Q7
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Philip Dunne (Ludlow) (Con):
As a member of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, I am delighted that the Prime Minister found time yesterday to ignite the light of liberation at the start of its journey to Normandy to commemorate the sacrifices made for the liberation of Europe. In this War Graves Week, will my right hon. Friend join me in confirming that standing up to tyrants who bring about war in Europe is as much in our national interest today as it was 80 years ago?
I thank my right hon. Friend for his work as a commissioner on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. He raises an important point about authoritarian states with different values from ours becoming increasingly assertive. It is right that we build our security in uncertain times to defend and protect our country, our values and our interests. That is why we made the generational decision to increase our defence spending. It is crystal clear that only the Conservative party can be trusted with our nation’s security.
If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 15 May.
If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 15 May.
As the Minister has already said, the environment is a devolved matter, but nobody seems to have told the River Wye, which rises in Wales and crosses the border to merge into the River Severn in England. I very much welcome the River Wye action plan, which the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs announced recently. Has my hon. Friend seen any action taken by the Welsh Government to match the UK Government’s commitment to cleaning up the polluted River Wye?
As the Minister has already said, the environment is a devolved matter, but nobody seems to have told the River Wye, which rises in Wales and crosses the border to merge into the River Severn in England. I very much welcome the River Wye action plan, which the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs announced recently. Has my hon. Friend seen any action taken by the Welsh Government to match the UK Government’s commitment to cleaning up the polluted River Wye?
In the interests of time, I will give my right hon. Friend a very short answer: no. The Welsh Government have failed to come to the table time and time again on this issue, which is close to my heart as a constituency MP for the River Wye. That has been the missing piece of the puzzle, and it is why we are seeing no action in Wales.
What discussions he has had with the Welsh Government on the River Wye Action Plan.
What discussions he has had with the Welsh Government on the River Wye Action Plan.
I thank my right hon. Friend for his work as Chair of the Environmental Audit Committee. The UK Government’s River Wye action plan will halt ongoing decline of the River Wye to preserve and restore that treasured river to the rating of favourable condition.
What discussions he has had with the Welsh Government on the River Wye Action Plan.
What discussions he has had with the Welsh Government on the River Wye Action Plan.
As the Secretary of State is aware, the Environmental Audit Committee inquiry into decarbonising the economy has heard evidence that no newly commissioned nuclear capacity—even from small modular reactors—is able to come on stream until 2035. New energy projects given planning consent today are unlikely to connect to the grid before 2030, and the scale of the necessary grid network roll-out to reach our 2035 target is already huge. What does my right hon. Friend make of the feasibility, let alone the cost that she has highlighted today, of the fantasy pipe dream of official Labour party policy to decarbonise by 2030?
As the Secretary of State is aware, the Environmental Audit Committee inquiry into decarbonising the economy has heard evidence that no newly commissioned nuclear capacity—even from small modular reactors—is able to come on stream until 2035. New energy projects given planning consent today are unlikely to connect to the grid before 2030, and the scale of the necessary grid network roll-out to reach our 2035 target is already huge. What does my right hon. Friend make of the feasibility, let alone the cost that she has highlighted today, of the fantasy pipe dream of official Labour party policy to decarbonise by 2030?
I thank my right hon. Friend for his question. The plans that we have set out represent the largest expansion of nuclear in 70 years, with radical reforms to the grid. However, it does take time to build things. Labour’s 2030 policy is mad, bad and downright dangerous. I have yet to meet a serious expert or a single person in the industry who believes it is possible. We have a record to be proud of, becoming the first major economy to halve our emissions, but Labour’s plans would heap costs on to taxpayers, in stark contrast to our pragmatic and proportionate approach.
What recent estimate she has made of the cost of decarbonising the grid by (a) 2030 and (b) 2035.
What recent estimate she has made of the cost of decarbonising the grid by (a) 2030 and (b) 2035.
Our plans to decarbonise the grid by 2035 are ambitious but achievable, and have been assessed as realistic by the Climate Change Committee. They will build on the UK’s achievement in becoming the first major economy to have halved emissions. According to independent analysis, securing a net zero grid by 2030 would cost taxpayers £116 billion, and it would mean a “made in China” transition.
Q5
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Philip Dunne (Ludlow) (Con):
Does my right hon. Friend share my enthusiasm about Monday’s announcement of 27 new potential bathing water sites across the country, including three in Shropshire: two
on the River Severn at Ironbridge and Shrewsbury, and one on the River Teme at Ludlow? How will those very welcome designations improve the quality of rivers in Shropshire and in the other areas under consideration?
Q5
.
Philip Dunne (Ludlow) (Con):
Does my right hon. Friend share my enthusiasm about Monday’s announcement of 27 new potential bathing water sites across the country, including three in Shropshire: two
on the River Severn at Ironbridge and Shrewsbury, and one on the River Teme at Ludlow? How will those very welcome designations improve the quality of rivers in Shropshire and in the other areas under consideration?
On Monday we launched a consultation on the largest ever roll-out of new bathing water sites: 27 potential new bathing waters in England, including an extra one on the River Teme in Ludlow in my right hon. Friend’s constituency. He is right that substantial improvements have been made in recent years. Almost 90% of designated bathing waters in England now meet the higher standards of good or excellent, up from just 76% in 2010; all part of our plan for water which, alongside those on the Conservative Benches voting for the strictest storm overflow targets and plans for unlimited penalties for polluting water companies, was opposed by the Labour party.
If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 28 February.
If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 28 February.
Would my right hon. Friend the Minister be willing to meet me to discuss the challenges faced by leisure centres in local authority areas facing budgetary pressures, such as Shropshire? He mentioned the swimming pool fund, but there might be other opportunities to sustain these vital resources for local people, including those in Shropshire.
Would my right hon. Friend the Minister be willing to meet me to discuss the challenges faced by leisure centres in local authority areas facing budgetary pressures, such as Shropshire? He mentioned the swimming pool fund, but there might be other opportunities to sustain these vital resources for local people, including those in Shropshire.
It sounds as if I need to have a cross-Shropshire meeting to discuss facilities in that area. We have been clear about the funding provided for
swimming pools. As part of our strategy and determination to get more people active, we will be doing a piece of work to understand the location of black spots where we need to do more to provide more facilities and what those facilities should be to address local needs.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if she will make an estimate of the number of households (a) connected to mains electricity only and (b) in fuel poverty.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if she will make an estimate of the number of households (a) connected to mains electricity only and (b) in fuel poverty.
I refer my Hon Friend to the answer I gave on 1 February to Question 11454 and 11455. These figures are published in Table 10 of the Fuel Poverty Statistics here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/fuel-poverty-statistics#2022-Statistics
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if she will make an estimate of the proportion of households that are (a) dual fuel, (b) connected to mains gas only and (c) connected to mains electricity only.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if she will make an estimate of the proportion of households that are (a) dual fuel, (b) connected to mains gas only and (c) connected to mains electricity only.
I refer my Hon Friend to the answer I gave on 1 February to Question 11454 and 11455. These figures are published in Table 10 of the Fuel Poverty Statistics here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/fuel-poverty-statistics#2022-Statistics
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if she will have discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the potential impact of the work of the energy efficiency taskforce on the 2024 Budget.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if she will have discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the potential impact of the work of the energy efficiency taskforce on the 2024 Budget.
The Energy Efficiency Taskforce concluded in 2023. The Department has regular conversations with the Treasury about energy efficiency.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether she plans to publish outputs produced by the energy efficiency taskforce.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether she plans to publish outputs produced by the energy efficiency taskforce.
The Energy Efficiency Taskforce was established to support the Government with its target to reduce total UK energy demand by 15% from 2021 levels by 2030. The Secretary of State, after careful deliberation, concluded that the draft work could be streamlined into other Government activity. No finalised document was produced.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what policy recommendations her Department received from the energy efficiency taskforce.
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what policy recommendations her Department received from the energy efficiency taskforce.
The Energy Efficiency Taskforce was established to support the Government with its target to reduce total UK energy demand by 15% from 2021 levels by 2030. The Secretary of State, after careful deliberation, concluded that the draft work could be streamlined into other Government activity.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many cases were (a) submitted to and (b) completed by the residential property division of the First-Tier Tribunal in each of the last five years.
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many cases were (a) submitted to and (b) completed by the residential property division of the First-Tier Tribunal in each of the last five years.
HMCTS information about the annual number of appeals received and disposed in the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber), Residential Property Division, is published at: Tribunals statistics quarterly: July to September 2023 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he has made an estimate of the number of applications under the Section 13 process in the Renters Reform Bill in each of the first 3 years after its passage.
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he has made an estimate of the number of applications under the Section 13 process in the Renters Reform Bill in each of the first 3 years after its passage.
We are working closely with the Ministry of Justice and the First-tier Tribunal so the courts and tribunals are fully prepared for the changes introduced by the Renters (Reform) Bill on the justice system.
Justice Impact Tests are internal Government documents and are not routinely published.
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will publish the Justice Impact Test for the Renters Reform Bill.
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will publish the Justice Impact Test for the Renters Reform Bill.
We are working closely with the Ministry of Justice and the First-tier Tribunal so the courts and tribunals are fully prepared for the changes introduced by the Renters (Reform) Bill on the justice system.
Justice Impact Tests are internal Government documents and are not routinely published.