Written questions by Nichols.

What estimate his Department has made of the health costs caused by AI displacement in the workforce and associated stresses.

Awaiting answer.

What steps the Department is taking to help improve employer-led training and workplace experience within further and higher education, particularly in construction; and what assessment he has made of how local initiatives such as the Warrington and Vale Royal College Construction and Civil Engineering Academy fit within the national approach to tackling construction skills shortages.

Awaiting answer.

Media and Sport, how her Department plans to help ensure that the BBC can continue to a) invest in regional storytelling; and b) support growth in regional creative economies under a new Charter.

As a public service broadcaster that matters hugely to public life, the BBC must be responsive to its viewers and listeners, in order to tell inclusive stories about the lives of all people, in all parts of the UK. This Government wants broadcasters, including the BBC, to be more ambitious in growing our world-leading TV sector outside of London and the South East, and to commission content in every part of the country. We want British storytelling to reflect the full diversity of people, communities and experiences across the UK so that more people can see themselves reflected on screen and as part of our national story. This is an area of focus in the BBC Charter Review as we look to make sure the BBC truly represents and delivers for every person in this country, particularly by ensuring that the BBC’s commissioning, decision-making and budgets are spread across all the nations and regions of the UK.

Media and Sport, what discussions she has had with the BBC on the potential impact on the its ability to host live music events, like the BBC Radio 6 Music Festival, around the UK following the Corporation’s announcement of a £500m cut in its budget.

The BBC is a vital national institution and an engine of the nations and regions. In that context, this news is concerning for the BBC workforce who are facing significant uncertainty, and for the sector as a whole. The BBC is delivering significant savings, which requires difficult decisions to be made independent of the Government. The BBC have stated that there will be more information on their plans later this year. Looking ahead, the Charter Review aims to deliver a BBC that is sustainably funded in a way that sets the BBC on a path to thrive until well into the latter half of this century.

With reference to the Government response to the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs' report, Barriers to Research Part 2: Schedule 1 Controlled Drugs, published on 16 July 2025, whether the Barriers to Research Working Group has met with the new cross-government working group to discuss implementation of those recommendations.

The Government responded to ACMD recommendations on reducing barriers to clinical research with Schedule 1 drugs in July 2025. A cross-government officials group is in place and is developing the policy and has engaged with other departments, agencies, stakeholders and international partners. The Government remains committed to implementing the recommendations and will publish further plans in due course.

With reference to the Government response to the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs' report, Barriers to Research Part 2: Schedule 1 Controlled Drugs, published on 16 July 2025, what progress her Department has made on (a) establishing the proposed pilot scheme to exempt universities and hospitals from the requirement to obtain a Home Office licence for research involving Schedule 1 controlled drugs, (b) creating an exemption for clinical studies with MHRA, HRA and Research Ethics Committee approval, (c) reviewing the domestic and import/export licensing system, and (d) developing the framework to assess the impact of those policy changes.

The Government responded to ACMD recommendations on reducing barriers to clinical research with Schedule 1 drugs in July 2025. A cross-government officials group is in place and is developing the policy and has engaged with other departments, agencies, stakeholders and international partners. The Government remains committed to implementing the recommendations and will publish further plans in due course.

What estimate his Department has made of the increased health costs caused by AI displacement in the workforce and associated stresses; and if he will make a statement.

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

What plans his Department has to support additional large-scale nuclear power stations beyond Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C.

To pursue the option of further potential large-scale nuclear beyond Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C, the government has tasked Great British Energy - Nuclear (GBE-N) with identifying other suitable sites that could potentially host such a project. GBE-N will report back to Ministers by Autumn 2026 on potential sites to inform future decisions in the next Spending Review and beyond.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the scheduled closure of Torness, Hartlepool and Heysham nuclear power stations on baseload electricity supply.

Currently, nuclear generation provides around 15% of total electricity. The four Advanced Gas-cooled Reactor (AGR) stations at these locations are operating beyond their original forecasts, with current expected closures being planned well in advance by the operator (EDF). In September 2025, EDF announced Heysham 1 and Hartlepool power stations are now scheduled to generate until March 2028, an extension of 12 months. Heysham 2 and Torness are both scheduled to generate until March 2030. EDF’s ambition is to continue electricity production at its four generating AGR stations for as long as it is safe and commercially viable to do so and will keep station lifetimes under review. Energy security is a priority for the government, and we work closely with the National Energy System Operator (NESO), Ofgem and key industry stakeholders to constantly monitor electricity supply against forecast demand to ensure electricity operators have the right tools to respond to market signals.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential level of contribution that new large-scale nuclear power stations could make to enhancing the UK's energy security.

Large-scale nuclear power stations, including Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C, will continue to make a vital contribution to our homegrown clean and secure energy mix, complementing small modular reactors. To pursue the option of further potential large-scale nuclear, the government has tasked Great British Energy - Nuclear (GBE-N) with identifying other suitable sites that could potentially host such a project. GBE-N will report back to Ministers by Autumn 2026 on potential sites to inform future decisions in the next Spending Review and beyond.

What assessment his Department has made of the suitability of sites across the United Kingdom for new large-scale nuclear power station development.

To pursue the option of further potential large-scale nuclear beyond Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C, the government has tasked Great British Energy - Nuclear (GBE-N) with identifying other suitable sites that could potentially host such a project.GBE-N will report back to Ministers by Autumn 2026 on potential sites to inform future decisions in the next Spending Review and beyond.

Food and Rural Affairs, if she will take steps with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government to allow the Environment Agency's online reporting tool to also send notification of reports made on the tool to the relevant local authority.

The Environment Agency’s Report an environmental problem service enables members of the public to report environmental issues in a more modern and accessible way. The service can be used for people to report water pollution, smells from waste facilities, industrial sites or farms, illegal fishing, and blocked rivers. The Environment Agency continues to improve the service by adding more types of environmental problems that can be reported online. This year, the Environment Agency plans to enable reporting on environmental problems such as:those from Environment Agency regulated sites, for example noise or dust problemsproblems related to illegal wasteflooding The Environment Agency also plans to investigate how they can improve data sharing. This would enhance situational awareness and make reporting easier for the public. The Environment Agency would welcome collaboration with authorities interested in discussing how this could work.

Pursuant to his answer of 18 March to question 120027, whether he will publish the results of his department's engagement with the judiciary about their personal safety and security associated with the Courts and Tribunals Bill.

We engage regularly with judicial leaders on all matters including security. It is standard practice not to publish or comment on the specifics of discussions between Ministers and the judiciary.

Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the answer of 20 March 2026 to question 120026, if she will make it her policy to make a definitive empirical study specifying UK-wide GDPR impact on productivity.

The Government keeps the impacts of data protection legislation under review. As set out in the answer of 20 March 2026 to Question 120026, there is currently no definitive empirical study that isolates the specific, UK‑wide impact of the UK GDPR on productivity since its adoption. The UK’s data protection framework has been updated through the Data (Use and Access) Act, which makes targeted changes to the UK GDPR and related legislation to make the regime clearer, more proportionate and better suited to supporting responsible data‑driven innovation, while maintaining high standards of protection for individuals. In this context, the Government’s focus is on evaluating the impacts of the UK’s data protection framework as it now operates, including the reforms introduced by the Data (Use and Access) Act. We are committed to building the evidence base on how our data protection and wider data legislation affects businesses, consumers and the economy, including productivity, as part of our ongoing programme of monitoring and evaluation.

Food and Rural Affairs, if her Department will issue guidance to (a) the Environment Agency and (b) local authority officers setting out their respective powers to (i) identify an odour and (ii) take enforcement action against an alleged producer of an odour.

Owners of industrial, trade and business premises are expected to use the best practicable means available to reduce odours, effluvia and other potential sources of statutory nuisance emanating from their place of work in the first place. If this is not happening, then Local Authorities have powers through the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to investigate and issue abatement notices to stop the problem from re-occurring if they determine a statutory nuisance exists. For certain categories of industrial installations regulated under the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016 (EPR), the Environment Agency (EA) and Local Authorities regulate odour pollution through conditions in environmental permits. Operators of these sites have to use appropriate measures or best available techniques (BAT or UKBAT where it exists) to develop management controls to prevent, or, where that is not possible, to reduce odour pollution. The EA uses permitting and enforcement tools to tackle odour pollution from the sites it regulates. These are used on a sliding scale ranging from advice and guidance to criminal prosecutions for serious pollution incidents, principally through powers from the EPRs. Statutory guidance, which is updated from time to time, is already available for the EA and local authorities on how the EPRs should be implemented.

Whether the third Road Investment strategy (RIS3) can include specific funding to enable National Highways to pay its employees the £1,500 Pay Remit Guidance payment (which has been withheld by National Highways since 2022/23).

National Highways is responsible for setting pay awards that are both affordable and aligned within its overall RIS3 budget. During 2022, the organisation awarded a larger pay deal compared to the core Civil Service and as such took the decision to not offer the £1500 non-consolidated payment.

Whether any Department covered by the Pay Remit Guidance had its 2022/23 budget increased or altered to enable the £1,500 Pay Remit Guidance payment to be made.

Decisions on pay below Senior Civil Service are delegated to Departments. Cabinet Office does not have sight of Departments’ budgetary decisions.

Whether judges have been consulted about possible increased personal risks of replacing some jury trials with named judge trials as proposed in the Courts and Tribunals Bill.

The safety and security, welfare, and independence of the judiciary remain paramount. Engagement with the judiciary on the court reform measures in the Courts and Tribunals Bill included consideration of personal safety and security. We will continue to work with the judiciary as the Courts and Tribunals Bill progresses and these measures are implemented.When implemented, judge‑only trials will operate within the existing robust HMCTS security framework. This already includes a range of judicial security policies and procedures, such as the Judicial Harassment Protocol, designed to protect judicial office holders in court, outside of court, and online as a result of their judicial role.Last year, the Department invested over £20 million extra funding in judicial security, and HMCTS is continuing to improve its security procedures. We stand ready to do more if required.

What assessment his Department has made of the level of risk to named judges who replace juries in trials.

The safety and security, welfare, and independence of the judiciary remain paramount. Engagement with the judiciary on the court reform measures in the Courts and Tribunals Bill included consideration of personal safety and security. We will continue to work with the judiciary as the Courts and Tribunals Bill progresses and these measures are implemented.When implemented, judge‑only trials will operate within the existing robust HMCTS security framework. This already includes a range of judicial security policies and procedures, such as the Judicial Harassment Protocol, designed to protect judicial office holders in court, outside of court, and online as a result of their judicial role.Last year, the Department invested over £20 million extra funding in judicial security, and HMCTS is continuing to improve its security procedures. We stand ready to do more if required.

Innovation and Technology, what impact her Department estimates GDPR regulations have had on productivity since they were adopted.

There is currently no definitive empirical study specifying UK-wide GDPR impact on productivity since adoption in 2018.However, UK GDPR strengthened individuals’ rights and trust in digital services, supporting long-term economic growth. The Data (Use and Access) Act is designed to maintain high standards of data protection while reducing unnecessary compliance burdens. Reforms expect to support UK productivity growth by lowering administrative costs for routine data processing, improving regulatory certainty, and enabling responsible data driven innovation. DSIT estimates net impacts of £1.2 billion over ten years from data protection and privacy reforms, including around £300 million in productivity-related gains.