Written questions by Cross.

How many acres of agricultural land of (a) Grade 1, (b) Grade 2, (c) Grade 3a and (d) Grade 3b have had planning applications for energy projects, including related, incidental, or facilitative infrastructure, approved since 5 July 2024; and if he will provide details of the acreages per land grade for each energy technology.

The Department does not hold the data requested, but when each individual planning decision is made, the information about the extent and grade of any agricultural land being utilised is set out in as part of the published decision. The revised National Planning Policy Framework, which was published on 12 December 2024, is clear that where significant development of agricultural land is demonstrated to be necessary, areas of poorer quality land should be preferred to those of a higher quality. This will, where relevant, be a material consideration in planning decisions, including those made by the Secretary of State.

Food and Rural Affairs, what precautions his Department is taking regarding the ongoing avian influenza outbreak to prevent its spread among (a) commercially kept birds, (b) domestically kept birds and (c) wild birds.

Defra’s approach to avian influenza is set out in the Notifiable Avian Disease Control Strategy for Great Britain supported by the Mitigation Strategy for Avian Influenza in Wild Birds in England and Wales. Swift and humane culling of birds on infected premises coupled with good biosecurity are used to prevent disease spread. Avian Influenza Prevention Zones (AIPZ) mandating enhanced biosecurity are in force across the UK The AIPZs apply to all bird keepers whether they have pet birds, commercial flocks or just a few birds in a backyard flock. In addition, mandatory housing for kept birds is in force in England across the unitary authorities of the East Riding of Yorkshire, the unitary authority of York, the City of Kingston upon Hull and all districts in Cheshire, Herefordshire, Merseyside, Lancashire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, North Yorkshire, Shropshire Suffolk and Worcestershire and all areas of Northern Ireland to mitigate the risk of further outbreaks of disease occurring. Additional biosecurity measures also apply in disease control zones in force surrounding infected premises. Certain higher risk bird gatherings have also been prohibited. Guidance for keepers on maintaining scrupulous biosecurity to protect their flocks has been published at gov.uk/bird-flu.

How companies can access the £1.8 billion allocated in the National Wealth Fund for the upgrade of port infrastructure and supply chain facilities.

The National Wealth Fund has financial capacity totaling £27.8 billion, of which at least £5.8 billion will be committed over this Parliament to the five priority sectors that the Chancellor announced at the International Investment Summit, including ports.There are no unique or additional criteria for accessing this funding as it will be deployed in line with the National Wealth Fund’s standard approach, an overview of which can be found here: https://www.nationalwealthfund.org.uk/how-we-invest-principles-and-approach.This capital is available now - and will be targeted into investable projects that meet the National Wealth Fund’s investment criteria and mandate – driving growth, clean energy and creating the jobs of the future.Anyone with a potentially investable project can contact the National Wealth Fund via its website.

Innovation and Technology, what steps the Government is taking to increase the uptake of broadband provision (a) across the country and (b) in rural areas.

The government is committed to delivering 2030 nationwide gigabit connectivity coverage, with 86% of premises now able to access a gigabit-capable connection thanks to a pro-competition regulatory environment. Take-up is just as important as roll-out. This is primarily the responsibility of industry, but the government is encouraged to see increasing levels of gigabit take-up, and in particular the positive effects of the industry launch of the One Touch Switch (OTS) and terminology changes from Ofcom last year. We continue to work with industry towards greater roll-out and take-up.

What funding his Department plans to allocate to Phase 4 of the Energy Company Obligation 4 (ECO4) scheme.

ECO4 is not a Government funded scheme, but a legal obligation placed on energy suppliers to delivery energy efficiency support to eligible households. The obligated suppliers fund the upfront costs of those installations and recoup the funds through their domestic consumers’ energy bills under the energy price cap. The legal obligation is divided across energy suppliers and based on their respective shares of the domestic gas and electricity market. Energy suppliers are permitted to deliver their obligation at their preferred pace throughout the scheme. The total value of ECO4 is £4 billion across the four years of the scheme.

When the Government plans to publish its full response to the Law Commission’s report Building Families Through Surrogacy: A New Law, published in March 2023, following its interim response on 8 November 2023.

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Patient Safety, Women’s Health and Mental Health will be writing to the Chairs of the Law Commissions of England, Wales, and Scotland shortly, to follow up their meeting on 5 November. A Government response to the commission’s report will be published as time allows.The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Patient Safety, Women’s Health and Mental Health met with the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority senior team on 20 July 2024. Regulatory oversight of surrogacy was discussed as part of a broader introductory discussion.

What steps he is taking to ensure that the skilled workforce can shift to (a) Carbon Capture, Utilisation, and Storage and (b) other low-carbon technologies in the Scottish Cluster.

The Office for Clean Energy Jobs (OCEJ) has been created to ensure that clean energy jobs are abundant, high quality, paid fairly, and have favourable terms and good working conditions. The OCEJ is engaging widely with industry, experts, and trade unions for a clear assessment of the skills opportunities and challenges. The Office has worked with industry and Scottish government to launch a ‘skills passport’ in January, to help oil and gas workers access opportunities in clean energy jobs – initially helping to identify routes into several roles in offshore wind. CCUS could support up to 50,000 jobs as the sector matures into the 2030s, creating opportunities for skilled workers. Further decisions for future CCUS deployment, including in the Scottish Cluster, will be taken in due course.

Whether business planning development work will be a qualifying activity to access the £1.8 billion allocated in the National Wealth Fund for the upgrade of port infrastructure and supply chain facilities.

The National Wealth Fund has financial capacity totaling £27.8 billion, of which at least £5.8 billion will be committed over this Parliament to the five priority sectors that the Chancellor announced at the International Investment Summit, including ports.There are no unique or additional criteria for accessing this funding as it will be deployed in line with the National Wealth Fund’s standard approach, an overview of which can be found here: https://www.nationalwealthfund.org.uk/how-we-invest-principles-and-approach.This capital is available now - and will be targeted into investable projects that meet the National Wealth Fund’s investment criteria and mandate – driving growth, clean energy and creating the jobs of the future.Anyone with a potentially investable project can contact the National Wealth Fund via its website.

When the £1.8 billion allocated in the National Wealth Fund for the upgrade of port infrastructure and supply chain facilities will be open for applications.

The National Wealth Fund has financial capacity totaling £27.8 billion, of which at least £5.8 billion will be committed over this Parliament to the five priority sectors that the Chancellor announced at the International Investment Summit, including ports.There are no unique or additional criteria for accessing this funding as it will be deployed in line with the National Wealth Fund’s standard approach, an overview of which can be found here: https://www.nationalwealthfund.org.uk/how-we-invest-principles-and-approach.This capital is available now - and will be targeted into investable projects that meet the National Wealth Fund’s investment criteria and mandate – driving growth, clean energy and creating the jobs of the future.Anyone with a potentially investable project can contact the National Wealth Fund via its website.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department plans to ban the use of neonicotinoids in UK agriculture.

Three neonicotinoids – clothianidin, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam – have not been authorised for general use as pesticides since 2018 because of the risks they pose to pollinators. An application for emergency use of the neonicotinoid pesticide Cruiser SB, containing thiamethoxam, on sugar beet in England in 2025 was not approved. Both during our election campaign and while in office, this Government has given a commitment to end emergency authorisations for these three pesticides. The next steps towards delivering this commitment were set out in a published policy statement and in a written statement to Parliament on 6 January.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of proposed changes to the Energy Profits Levy on inward investment in the United Kingdom Continental Shelf.

At Autumn Budget 2024 the Government confirmed that from 1 November 2024, the Energy Profits Levy (EPL) rate would increase by 3 percentage points to 38%, the EPL investment allowance would be abolished and the EPL decarbonisation allowance rate would be adjusted to 66%. The duration of the levy was extended from 31 March 2029 until 31 March 2030. To support jobs in future and existing industries, including in the supply chain, the Government also decided to make no additional changes to the availability of capital allowances in the EPL. In addition, to support long-term stability and predictability in the oil and gas fiscal regime, the Government has committed to publish a consultation this year on how taxation of oil and gas profits will respond to price shocks after the EPL ends. The Government has carefully considered the impact of the Autumn Budget changes to the EPL. Treasury publishes impacts in summary form for tax measures in tax information and impact notes (TIINs) alongside the Finance Bill. The summary of impacts from the EPL changes can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/energy-profits-levy-reforms-2024

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of proposed changes to the Energy Profits Levy on inward investment in the United Kingdom Continental Shelf.

At Autumn Budget 2024 the Government confirmed that from 1 November 2024, the Energy Profits Levy (EPL) rate would increase by 3 percentage points to 38%, the EPL investment allowance would be abolished and the EPL decarbonisation allowance rate would be adjusted to 66%. The duration of the levy was extended from 31 March 2029 until 31 March 2030. To support jobs in future and existing industries, including in the supply chain, the Government also decided to make no additional changes to the availability of capital allowances in the EPL. In addition, to support long-term stability and predictability in the oil and gas fiscal regime, the Government has committed to publish a consultation this year on how taxation of oil and gas profits will respond to price shocks after the EPL ends. The Government has carefully considered the impact of the Autumn Budget changes to the EPL. Treasury publishes impacts in summary form for tax measures in tax information and impact notes (TIINs) alongside the Finance Bill. The summary of impacts from the EPL changes can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/energy-profits-levy-reforms-2024

What steps she is taking to ensure that people impacted by the McCloud remedy receive their entitlements promptly.

The McCloud remedy took effect from October 2023 and will deliver a full remedy to all affected public service pension scheme members. Schemes and responsible departments are making progress to ensure the remedy is delivered as quickly as possible. All affected members will receive a remediable service statement setting out the details of their pension entitlements and there are a range of other communication resources available to members. Pensioner members can make their remedy choice on receipt of this statement and active and deferred members will make their choice at retirement. The remedy has been estimated to increase pension entitlements by around £17bn. This will be paid out over many decades and in September 2024 the OBR forecast that spending on public service pensions will fall from 1.9 per cent of GDP at present to 1.4 per cent over the long term (50 years).

What estimate she has made of the total cost of implementing the McCloud remedy; and how she plans to fund this.

The McCloud remedy took effect from October 2023 and will deliver a full remedy to all affected public service pension scheme members. Schemes and responsible departments are making progress to ensure the remedy is delivered as quickly as possible. All affected members will receive a remediable service statement setting out the details of their pension entitlements and there are a range of other communication resources available to members. Pensioner members can make their remedy choice on receipt of this statement and active and deferred members will make their choice at retirement. The remedy has been estimated to increase pension entitlements by around £17bn. This will be paid out over many decades and in September 2024 the OBR forecast that spending on public service pensions will fall from 1.9 per cent of GDP at present to 1.4 per cent over the long term (50 years).

What assessment she has made of the adequacy of the planned funding allocations for International Climate Finance in (a) 2024-25 and (b) 2025-26; and via which Departmental budgets will this be distributed.

The Prime Minister has confirmed that Official Development Assistance (ODA) is being reduced to 0.3% of GNI by 2027 to support increases to defence and security spending. Implications of the planned ODA reduction will be determined through Phase 2 of the Spending Review.

Whether her Department has issued new impact assessments on (a) Agricultural Property Relief and (b) Business Property Relief since Autumn Budget 2024; what schedule her Department has for publishing future impact assessments; and what data sources her Department used to determine the estimate of 2,000 affected estates per year.

The Government believes its reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief from 6 April 2026 get the balance right between supporting farms and businesses, and fixing the public finances. The reforms reduce the inheritance tax advantages available to owners of agricultural and business assets, but still mean those assets will be taxed at a much lower effective rate than most other assets. Despite a tough fiscal context, the Government will maintain very significant levels of relief from inheritance tax beyond what is available to others and compared to the position before 1992. Information from claims is not recorded to enable regional breakdowns of the number of estates expected to be affected. However, the reforms are expected to result in up to 520 estates claiming agricultural property relief, including those also claiming business property relief, in 2026-27 paying more inheritance tax. Almost three-quarters of estates claiming agricultural property relief, including those that also claim for business property relief, will not pay any more tax as a result of the changes in 2026-27, based on the latest available data. The Government has also set out that around 1,500 estates across the UK only claiming business property relief are expected to be affected in 2026-27, with around 1,000 of these expected to only hold shares designated as “not listed” on the markets of recognised stock exchanges, such as the Alternative Investment Market. The remaining 500 estates will include business assets from sectors across the economy that are eligible for business property relief. Around three-quarters of estates claiming business property relief in 2026-27 (excluding those only relating to holding shares designated as “not listed”) will not pay any more inheritance tax in 2026-27. The tax base consists of all estates subject to inheritance tax that are projected to claim agricultural property relief or business property relief across the scorecard period. The tax base is estimated using HMRC administrative data, and is grown over the forecast in line with the Office for Budget Responsibility’s forecast for inheritance tax receipts. More detail on the Government’s estimates, including why these projections should be viewed as a maximum, are also available in a letter from the Chancellor of the Exchequer to the Chair of the Treasury Select Committee in November 2024, which is available at committees.parliament.uk/publications/45691/documents/226235/default/. In accordance with standard practice, a tax information and impact note will be published alongside the draft legislation before the relevant Finance Bill.

Whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of changes to (a) Agricultural Property Relief and (b) Business Property Relief on trends in (a) employment levels, (b) business succession arrangements and (c) gross value added in (i) Scotland and (ii) the United Kingdom.

The Government believes its reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief from 6 April 2026 get the balance right between supporting farms and businesses, and fixing the public finances. The reforms reduce the inheritance tax advantages available to owners of agricultural and business assets, but still mean those assets will be taxed at a much lower effective rate than most other assets. Despite a tough fiscal context, the Government will maintain very significant levels of relief from inheritance tax beyond what is available to others and compared to the position before 1992. Information from claims is not recorded to enable regional breakdowns of the number of estates expected to be affected. However, the reforms are expected to result in up to 520 estates claiming agricultural property relief, including those also claiming business property relief, in 2026-27 paying more inheritance tax. Almost three-quarters of estates claiming agricultural property relief, including those that also claim for business property relief, will not pay any more tax as a result of the changes in 2026-27, based on the latest available data. The Government has also set out that around 1,500 estates across the UK only claiming business property relief are expected to be affected in 2026-27, with around 1,000 of these expected to only hold shares designated as “not listed” on the markets of recognised stock exchanges, such as the Alternative Investment Market. The remaining 500 estates will include business assets from sectors across the economy that are eligible for business property relief. Around three-quarters of estates claiming business property relief in 2026-27 (excluding those only relating to holding shares designated as “not listed”) will not pay any more inheritance tax in 2026-27. The tax base consists of all estates subject to inheritance tax that are projected to claim agricultural property relief or business property relief across the scorecard period. The tax base is estimated using HMRC administrative data, and is grown over the forecast in line with the Office for Budget Responsibility’s forecast for inheritance tax receipts. More detail on the Government’s estimates, including why these projections should be viewed as a maximum, are also available in a letter from the Chancellor of the Exchequer to the Chair of the Treasury Select Committee in November 2024, which is available at committees.parliament.uk/publications/45691/documents/226235/default/. In accordance with standard practice, a tax information and impact note will be published alongside the draft legislation before the relevant Finance Bill.

What progress she has made on implementing the McCloud remedy since July 2024; and what steps she is taking to ensure (a) full and (b) timely delivery.

The McCloud remedy took effect from October 2023 and will deliver a full remedy to all affected public service pension scheme members. Schemes and responsible departments are making progress to ensure the remedy is delivered as quickly as possible. All affected members will receive a remediable service statement setting out the details of their pension entitlements and there are a range of other communication resources available to members. Pensioner members can make their remedy choice on receipt of this statement and active and deferred members will make their choice at retirement. The remedy has been estimated to increase pension entitlements by around £17bn. This will be paid out over many decades and in September 2024 the OBR forecast that spending on public service pensions will fall from 1.9 per cent of GDP at present to 1.4 per cent over the long term (50 years).

What steps she plans to take to communicate with people affected by the McCloud remedy to ensure that they are (a) informed of changes to their pensions and (b) provided with regular updates on when they will receive any monies owed.

The McCloud remedy took effect from October 2023 and will deliver a full remedy to all affected public service pension scheme members. Schemes and responsible departments are making progress to ensure the remedy is delivered as quickly as possible. All affected members will receive a remediable service statement setting out the details of their pension entitlements and there are a range of other communication resources available to members. Pensioner members can make their remedy choice on receipt of this statement and active and deferred members will make their choice at retirement. The remedy has been estimated to increase pension entitlements by around £17bn. This will be paid out over many decades and in September 2024 the OBR forecast that spending on public service pensions will fall from 1.9 per cent of GDP at present to 1.4 per cent over the long term (50 years).

What steps she has taken to improve communications with people affected by the McCloud remedy; and what further steps she plans to take to ensure transparency.

The McCloud remedy took effect from October 2023 and will deliver a full remedy to all affected public service pension scheme members. Schemes and responsible departments are making progress to ensure the remedy is delivered as quickly as possible. All affected members will receive a remediable service statement setting out the details of their pension entitlements and there are a range of other communication resources available to members. Pensioner members can make their remedy choice on receipt of this statement and active and deferred members will make their choice at retirement. The remedy has been estimated to increase pension entitlements by around £17bn. This will be paid out over many decades and in September 2024 the OBR forecast that spending on public service pensions will fall from 1.9 per cent of GDP at present to 1.4 per cent over the long term (50 years).