Written questions by Swayne.

What discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the potential impact of the proposed application of electric vehicle pay-per-mile taxation on people living in rural communities in Scotland.

At the Budget, the Chancellor confirmed the introduction of Electric Vehicle Excise Duty from April 2028 - recognising that electric vehicles contribute to congestion and wear-and-tear on our roads but pay no equivalent to fuel duty. While those living in rural areas tend to drive more than those living in urban areas, they are also more likely to have a dedicated home charger for their electric vehicle - with the lowest charging costs. Our electric vehicles consultation provides further detail on how the duty will work and seeks views on its implementation from stakeholders across the UK.

What assessment he has made of the risk of carbon leakage for refineries before and after January 2028, compared to other industrial sectors.

The UK ETS Authority recently concluded a review into free allocation policy which confirmed refining is at risk of carbon leakage and will continue to be eligible to receive support through free allocation, measured against an efficiency standard. The review also determined that the efficiency standard used to set free allocations would be maintained in 2027, providing operators in the sector with the necessary certainty to plan for the forthcoming allocation period. This will provide continuity and additional time for industrial sectors to plan for future benchmark updates, which are expected in 2028. Ahead of this the UK ETS Authority will perform and assessment of impacts on businesses, including those in the Refining sector.

If he will grant EII status to the Horticulture Sector in the Energy Intensive Industries exemption scheme.

Currently, the Controlled Environment Horticulture (CEH) sector is ineligible for the British Industry Supercharger, which the Energy Intensive Industry (EII) Exemption Scheme is a part of. The CEH sector does not meet the necessary thresholds of electricity and trade intensity, nor does it have an eligible Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code to be classed as an EII. The Department for Business and Trade intends to review and publicly consult on the sector eligibility for the British Industry Supercharger in 2026. I encourage the CEH sector to engage with this consultation when the opportunity arises.

If she has plans to include the horticultural sector in the CBAM from January 2028.

The government is introducing a Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) from 1 January 2027. It will apply to imported goods from the aluminium, cement, fertiliser, hydrogen, and iron and steel sectors. When considering which sectors should be included in the scope of the CBAM, the government looked primarily at three factors: inclusion in the UK Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), carbon leakage risk, and feasibility and effectiveness of applying the CBAM. It has been considered that currently the horticultural sector does not meet these factors. The sectoral scope of the CBAM will be kept under review beyond 2027 as new evidence comes to light to reflect methodological and technological advances.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of UK carbon pricing on the refinery sector; and whether her has made an assessment of the potential merits of carbon price linkage to the EU.

The UK’s refining capacity is very important to our energy security, resilience, as an industrial base to the continued growth of our regions. This government recognises the wider challenges facing the sector and know that tackling these together is vitally important.Under the UK Emissions Trading Scheme, free allocations are provided to the refining sector to mitigate the risk of carbon leakage and reduce exposure to the carbon price.Linking the UK ETS and EU ETS is expected to bring significant economic benefits to the UK, including a cheaper path towards decarbonisation by providing businesses with access to a larger, stable carbon market and creating the conditions for mutual CBAM exemptions, removing a major barrier to trade and lowering costs for UK firms.

If he will amend the electricity fixed-cost banding rule to permit evidence-based band migration based on actual usage and capacity within the permitted band limits.

By law, network charging is a matter for Ofgem, the independent regulator.Fixed charge banding rules, including migration, are set out in the DCUSA industry code (Schedule 32). They limit migration to exceptional circumstances, including significant change in capacity or consumption. There are some proposals to change banding rules (DCPs 412, 420, 454, and 466), which will be subject to final Ofgem approval. The DCUSA Secretariat can provide information about these rules/ proposals.Ofgem has launched the Cost Allocation and Recovery Review (CARR), which is assessing whether there are more efficient and fairer ways to allocate and recover system costs.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of reports of attacks on places of worship for Christian communities in Ethiopia.

We remain concerned about attacks on places of worship in Ethiopia, and their impact on civilians. We note the 4 November statement of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Ethiopia condemning recent attacks on Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Muslim communities. We continue to call on all parties to engage in dialogue to address the underlying causes of conflict. Through our Human Rights and Peacebuilding Programme, the UK supports dialogue efforts by local peacemakers, women's groups and the Inter-Religious Council of Ethiopia. The UK also supports the investigative capacity of Ethiopian Human Rights Commission to follow up on reports of violations affecting civilians.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the proposed visit to China later this month is planned to be proceeded with irrespective of the outcome of His Majesty’s Government’s determination of the planning application for China’s new embassy.

The Prime Minister's travel will be confirmed in the usual way.This Government is taking a consistent, long term and strategic approach to managing the UK's relations with China, rooted in UK and global interests. We will co-operate where we can and challenge where we must.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Government is taking in collaboration with the Government of Nigeria to address violence and discrimination affecting Christians in northern Nigeria.

I refer the Hon Member to the written ministerial statement published on 27 November 2025 (HCWS1105).

If she will make proposals to support pupils with medical conditions, including allergies.

Section 100 of the Children and Families Act 2014 places a duty on maintained schools, academies and pupil referral units to make arrangements for supporting pupils with medical conditions. Schools should ensure they are aware of any pupils with medical conditions and have policies and processes in place to ensure these can be well managed. Any member of school staff providing support to a pupil with medical needs should have received suitable training.The government has committed to reviewing the statutory guidance on Supporting Pupils with Medical Conditions at School (2015), and we intend to consult on revised guidance. The current guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/supporting-pupils-at-school-with-medical-conditions--3.Our aim is to ensure that schools are better equipped to support all pupils with medical conditions as part of our wider ambition to create more inclusive schools through the forthcoming Schools White Paper.

Under the provisions of the Employment Rights Bill, in what circumstances will responsibility for providing guaranteed hours to an agency worker default from the end hirer to the employment agency.

The government will consult on the details of the measures to end exploitative zero hours contracts to inform regulations. Decisions on the circumstances in which regulations might place the duty to offer agency workers guaranteed hours on the agency or another intermediary in the supply chain, as opposed to the end hirer, will depend on the outcome of this consultation.

What assessment his Department has of the potential impact of removing the waiting period for statutory sick pay on the number of claims made by agency workers; and what steps he plans to take to ensure that the removal of the waiting period does not result in fraudulent or duplicate claims from agency workers.

Strengthening Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) is part of the Government’s commitment to implement our Plan to Make Work Pay. The Government conducted a Regulatory Impact Assessment here on the impact of the SSP measures, including the removal of the waiting period in the Employment Rights Bill. Whilst this is not a specific assessment on the impact on recruitment agencies or agency workers, the Government believes that the SSP measures strike the right balance between providing financial security to employees and limiting additional costs to employers, including agencies. The Bill ensures that people who work through employment agencies and employment businesses have comparable rights and protections to their counterparts who are directly employed. Employers, including those in the recruitment sector, are best placed to manage sickness absences and ensuring employees receive appropriate support. If employers have the right policies and practices in place, risks of inappropriate absenteeism can be mitigated. The Government intends to conduct a post-implementation review (PIR) of the Employment Rights Bill within five years of implementation. The impact of the measures to strengthen Statutory Sick Pay will be monitored on employers and employees alike. This can include considering the impact on workers in the agency sector.

If he has made an assessment of how reasonable notice periods may vary for agency workers in sectors that require high levels of flexibility or short notice.

The government understands that what should be considered reasonable notice will differ depending on different sectors and circumstances. Regulations will specify how much notice should be ‘presumed reasonable’ as well as other factors that should be considered when determining whether the notice was reasonable or not, as opposed to setting a single notice period to be deemed reasonable in all cases. Decisions on these regulations will depend on the outcome of the forthcoming consultation on the details of the measures to end exploitative zero hours contracts.

Whether his Department has conducted international comparisons on the definition of low hours to inform how the threshold for low hours is set and the reference periods used to calculate guaranteed hours for temporary and agency workers.

The definition of the hours threshold and the length and frequency of reference periods will depend on the outcome of the forthcoming consultation on the details of the measures to end exploitative zero hours contracts. We have considered international examples of employment rights in developing this consultation. Many countries have taken steps to restrict or prohibit zero-hours contracts altogether. For example, New Zealand and Norway have banned their use, while Ireland allows them only in limited circumstances, and both the Netherlands and Finland require employers to offer contracts on equivalent terms to workers who regularly work a consistent shift pattern.

Whether it is his policy to seek UK participation in the Security Action for Europe instrument.

As outlined in the Minister for Cabinet Office’s Written Ministerial Statement on 1 December, we entered good-faith negotiations on SAFE participation, but no agreement was possible that met our national interest. UK industry retains access under third-country terms. We will continue to explore cooperation with the EU that strengthens European Security and underpins our NATO First policy. The UK has a long history of collaborating with our European partners on major defence projects, which will continue, regardless of participation in SAFE. This year, we have struck a £10 billion deal with Norway, secured an £8 billion agreement with Türkiye, and signed an agreement with Germany to pursue joint export campaigns for jointly produced equipment like Boxer armoured vehicles.

When she plans to publish the Integrated National Transport Strategy.

The Integrated National Transport Strategy will be published early next year and set the long-term vision for domestic transport across England.

What engagement she has had with organisations representing motorcyclists in preparation for the Integrated National Transport Strategy.

The department has conducted extensive research and engagement with stakeholders and members of the public to inform the strategy. We have heard directly from motorcyclists and motorcycle representative groups, including the Motorcycle Action Group, through our Call for Ideas which closed with 6,340 responses and an 11-stop Regional Roadshow across England. The insights gathered through our engagement activities have been analysed and are directly informing the strategy as it continues to evolve. The strategy will seek to address the main barriers people face in accessing good transport that were identified through our engagement. Officials also met bilaterally with the Motorcycle Action Group on 29 August 2025 to respond to a range of matters of concern to motorcyclists which included an update on the development of the strategy. An update was also provided at the most recent meeting of the officials-led Motorcycle Strategic Focus Group on 15 September, chaired by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions she has had with her Nigerian counterpart on the recent abduction of students and teachers from St. Mary’s Catholic Primary and Secondary School in Papiri; and what diplomatic steps she is taking to help ensure their release.

I refer the Hon Member to the Written Ministerial Statement of 27 November 2025.

What estimate she has made of the level of fuel duty that is now outstanding following the closure of the the Lindsey oil refinery.

HMRC cannot comment on specific businesses due to taxpayer confidentiality.

If she will take steps to ensure that Pupil Premium Plus is not absorbed into school budgets but is spent spent specifically on adopted the children that qualified for the payment.

The pupil premium grant provides funding to schools to improve educational outcomes for disadvantaged pupils. ‘Pupil premium plus’ (PP+) refers to the portion of the pupil premium grant for children who are looked after by the local authority or were previously looked after by a local authority or other state care.Pupil premium funding, including PP+, is not a personal budget for individual pupils. It is for schools to decide how to allocate the funding after assessing the needs of their disadvantaged cohort, including looked after and previously looked after children. Statutory guidance is clear that the school’s designated teacher should ensure the specific needs of the PP+ cohort are understood by the school’s staff and reflected in how the school uses PP+ to support these children. They should encourage parents and guardians’ involvement in deciding how the PP+ is used.Maintained schools and academies must publish strategy statements setting out their planned use of pupil premium.