The Government recognises that policy costs fall disproportionately on electricity bills and are taking forward work to ensure that prices reflect the cheaper wholesale price of clean energy.

On the distribution of costs between electricity and gas, the Government acted at the Autumn Budget to cut electricity costs in a way that makes this distribution fairer. We ended funding for the Energy Company Obligation scheme, as well as removing 75% of costs for the Renewables Obligation scheme from people’s energy bills.

The government also announced in April plans to go further and faster on delinking electricity and gas prices. We will consult later this year on arrangements to offer existing generators a fixed price Contract for Difference for the electricity they generate. In addition, the rate of the Electricity Generator Levy has been increased by 10% to respond to the high prices that generators are benefitting from due to the crisis in the Middle East.

The Government is analysing consultation responses and will publish a formal response in due course.

We do not limit access to Gaelic-medium posts or any other roles that require Gaelic speakers, provided they meet the other requirements of the Skilled Worker route.

We have therefore not had discussions relating to having specific routes for Gaelic speakers, nor have we considered Welsh, Cornish, Irish Gaelic or Scots as the basis of language evaluation on the Skilled Worker immigration route.

We do not limit access to Gaelic-medium posts or any other roles that require Gaelic speakers, provided they meet the other requirements of the Skilled Worker route.

We have therefore not had discussions relating to having specific routes for Gaelic speakers, nor have we considered Welsh, Cornish, Irish Gaelic or Scots as the basis of language evaluation on the Skilled Worker immigration route.

The Government recognises the pressure high energy costs place on businesses. Our Clean Power by 2030 mission will bring down bills, reducing exposure to volatile fossil fuel markets and the risk of carbon leakage.

In the near term, we are acting through the British Industry Supercharger, increasing network charge discounts from 60% to 90% since April 2026 for energy‑intensive industries. In addition, the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme will cut electricity costs by up to £40/MWh for over 10,000 firms in key manufacturing sectors.

This government is focused on creating a stronger business environment by making the UK the best place to start and grow a business, with a culture that supports entrepreneurship.

Through the Small Business Plan, we are tackling late payments, improving access to finance for start-ups, and cutting unnecessary red tape. The new Business Growth Service supports SMEs with digital adoption and facilitates international trade and investment.

As part of the Regulation Action Plan, published in March 2025, we have committed to reducing the administrative burden on businesses by 25% by the end of the Parliament.

The UK and Irish governments regularly discuss our staunch support for countering Russia's aggression in Ukraine, including international efforts to maximise pressure on the Russian war economy. We conduct similar conversations with the EU on a regular basis. We keep all options to put pressure on the Russian war economy under regular review.

Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) is a tax on vehicles used or kept on public roads. Different VED rates apply to cars, vans, and motorcycles, and the rate for each vehicle is calculated according to a range of factors, such as its date of first registration, weight, or CO2 emissions.

Since 2001, the tax system has encouraged the uptake of cars with low carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions to help meet the UK's legally binding climate targets. Cars first registered between 1 March 2001 and 31 March 2017 pay VED annually according to CO2 emissions.

From 1 April 2017, a reformed VED system was introduced for new cars. Under this system, new cars pay a variable first year rate according to the emissions of the vehicle, with the most polluting currently paying over £5,600, and zero emission models currently pay £10. After the first year, most cars move to a standard annual rate, currently set at £200.

The Government annually reviews the rates and thresholds of taxes and reliefs to ensure that they are appropriate and reflect the current state of the economy. The Chancellor makes decisions on tax policy at fiscal events in the context of the public finances.

Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) is a tax on vehicles used or kept on public roads. Different VED rates apply to cars, vans, and motorcycles, and the rate for each vehicle is calculated according to a range of factors, such as its date of first registration, weight, or CO2 emissions.

Since 2001, the tax system has encouraged the uptake of cars with low carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions to help meet the UK's legally binding climate targets. Cars first registered between 1 March 2001 and 31 March 2017 pay VED annually according to CO2 emissions.

From 1 April 2017, a reformed VED system was introduced for new cars. Under this system, new cars pay a variable first year rate according to the emissions of the vehicle, with the most polluting currently paying over £5,600, and zero emission models currently pay £10. After the first year, most cars move to a standard annual rate, currently set at £200.

The Government annually reviews the rates and thresholds of taxes and reliefs to ensure that they are appropriate and reflect the current state of the economy. The Chancellor makes decisions on tax policy at fiscal events in the context of the public finances.

The Department has had wide ranging discussions with animal welfare organisations and other stakeholders on the banning of cages for laying hens.

Teachers, including those who deliver Gaelic-medium education, already have preferential treatment in the Skilled Worker immigration route, with salary requirements based on pay scales in each of the four UK nations. There is no need for a separate dedicated visa route.

The Government is committed to lowering the cost of standing charges and have worked constructively with the regulator, Ofgem, on this issue. At the same time, the Government has taken significant steps to support households with the cost of energy while we transition to cheaper, clean power by 2030.

Domestic gas and electricity, including heating oil, benefit from a reduced VAT rate of five per cent, rather than the standard 20 per cent. This reduced rate cost the Exchequer an estimated £6.5 billion in 2024–25.

Standing charges vary by region because the costs of the transmission and distribution networks differ from place to place; a ‘common tariff’ for the most isolated areas would smooth out those higher local costs so customers there avoid very high prices, but it would also mean more of those costs are shared across the wider customer base, putting some upward pressure on prices elsewhere.

The Government knows that, for many consumers, too much of the burden of the bill is placed on standing charges. We are working constructively with Ofgem to bring down the cost of standing charges.

Through its Cost Allocation and Recovery Review, Ofgem has also been reviewing how ‘fixed’ costs, which tend to be funded through standing charges, should be recovered in the future energy system.

The most recent update on this can be found here: Energy system cost allocation and recovery review - Ofgem - Citizen Space.

Standing charges vary by region because the costs of the transmission and distribution networks differ from place to place; a ‘common tariff’ for the most isolated areas would smooth out those higher local costs so customers there avoid very high prices, but it would also mean more of those costs are shared across the wider customer base, putting some upward pressure on prices elsewhere.

The Government knows that, for many consumers, too much of the burden of the bill is placed on standing charges. We are working constructively with Ofgem to bring down the cost of standing charges.

Through its Cost Allocation and Recovery Review, Ofgem has also been reviewing how ‘fixed’ costs, which tend to be funded through standing charges, should be recovered in the future energy system.

The most recent update on this can be found here: Energy system cost allocation and recovery review - Ofgem - Citizen Space.

The Government recognises that policy costs fall disproportionately on electricity bills and are taking forward work to ensure that prices reflect the cheaper wholesale price of clean energy.

On the distribution of costs between electricity and gas, the Government acted at the Autumn Budget to cut electricity costs in a way that makes this distribution fairer. We ended funding for the Energy Company Obligation scheme, as well as removing 75% of costs for the Renewables Obligation scheme from people’s energy bills.

The government also announced in April plans to go further and faster on delinking electricity and gas prices. We will consult later this year on arrangements to offer existing generators a fixed price Contract for Difference for the electricity they generate. In addition, the rate of the Electricity Generator Levy has been increased by 10% to respond to the high prices that generators are benefitting from due to the crisis in the Middle East.

The Government has announced its intention to introduce new consumer protections in the heating oil market. The Competition and Markets Authority is currently examining how the market is working for consumers, with its final report expected in June.

The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) 2013 specify that the duty to make reports and follow the reporting procedure rests with the Responsible Person, as defined, which is often an employer. The reports must be sent to the relevant enforcing authority.

It is an offence for a person to intentionally make a false entry in a document required by relevant statutory provisions such as RIDDOR, or, with an intent to deceive, use such an entry which he knows to be false.

HSE receives tens of thousands of RIDDOR reports per year and therefore given this very high number of reports, it does not verify the accuracy of each report. To do so could also impose unnecessary burdens on business.

Each RIDDOR report for which HSE is the enforcing authority, is considered for selection for further intervention by HSE. When an incident subject to a RIDDOR report is selected, for example to be investigated, the content of the report is scrutinised by the lead investigator and used to inform investigation planning.

HSE publishes guidance for members of the public, employees, injured people and their representatives, who are concerned that their accident or work-related disease has not been properly reported. They can raise a concern to inform HSE about an incident, or any concerns about risks to health and safety, and HSE will follow up with the business or organisation involved.

Using the Scottish Register of Community Benefits and Shared Ownership, DESNZ estimates that the amount of community benefits paid in Scotland was approximately £30 million in 2025 of which £7 million was paid to communities in the Scottish Highlands. Community benefits were calculated by applying the £/MW benefit rate to the capacity of each operational project and aggregating the results by area.

We are unable to provide a figure for the United Kingdom as there is no UK-wide equivalent register. We recently consulted on changes to how community benefits are managed in the UK to ensure communities receive a fair benefit for hosting nationally important infrastructure. We will publish our response in due course.

The Department for Business and Trade recognises the importance of ensuring that workers injured through contact with construction equipment are able to access relevant support.

The Construction Leadership Council (CLC) launched its Health Safety and Wellbeing Strategy in July 2025 at an industry event attended by over 150 leaders including the then Minister for Industry. The CLC will be publishing its Health, Safety and Wellbeing Action Plan in November 2026.