Written questions by Medi.

What recent discussions she has had with the Welsh government on the (a) implementation of and (b) planned timelines for the McCloud remedy for public sector pensions in Wales.

The McCloud remedy under the Public Service Pensions and Judicial Offices Act 2022 took effect from October 2023 and will deliver a full remedy to all affected public service pension scheme members. Schemes are currently implementing the remedy. As part of this, all affected members are receiving a remediable service statement setting out the details of their pension entitlements and some members will also receive a Remediable Pension Savings statement in respect of their annual allowance position during the remedy period. Scheme managers are responsible for supplying members with these statements and for setting out timetables for sending out the remaining statements. HM Treasury encourages schemes to complete this process as quickly as possible and regularly discusses McCloud remedy progress and timetables with responsible authorities, including the Welsh Government, which has responsibility for the Firefighters’ pension scheme in Wales.

When she plans to issue remaining (a) Remediable Service Statements and (b) Remedial Pension Saving Statements to people affected by the McCloud remedy.

The McCloud remedy under the Public Service Pensions and Judicial Offices Act 2022 took effect from October 2023 and will deliver a full remedy to all affected public service pension scheme members. Schemes are currently implementing the remedy. As part of this, all affected members are receiving a remediable service statement setting out the details of their pension entitlements and some members will also receive a Remediable Pension Savings statement in respect of their annual allowance position during the remedy period. Scheme managers are responsible for supplying members with these statements and for setting out timetables for sending out the remaining statements. HM Treasury encourages schemes to complete this process as quickly as possible and regularly discusses McCloud remedy progress and timetables with responsible authorities, including the Welsh Government, which has responsibility for the Firefighters’ pension scheme in Wales.

On what date his Department will announce plans for the deployment of new nuclear generation projects at (a) Wylfa and (b) Oldbury.

Great British Energy – Nuclear purchased the sites at Wylfa and Oldbury in 2024. As sites which have previously hosted a nuclear power station, both have positive attributes for new nuclear. No decisions have yet been taken on any projects to be deployed at either site. Our plans will be set out in due course

What recent assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the increase in employers' National Insurance contributions on levels of business (a) investment and (b) closures in Wales.

A Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) was published alongside the introduction of the Bill containing the changes to employer National Insurance contributions (NICs) announced at Autumn Budget 2024. The TIIN sets out the impact of the policy on the exchequer, the economic impacts of the policy, and the impacts on individuals, businesses, and civil society organisations, as well as an overview of the equality impacts. The Government decided to protect the smallest businesses from these changes by increasing the Employment Allowance from £5,000 to £10,500. This means that this year, 865,000 employers will pay no NICs at all, and more than half of all employers will either gain or will see no change.

What estimate his Department has made of (a) the percentage of electricity supplied to the national grid from renewable forms of energy and (b) how much of this is generated from sources in Wales.

Data for electricity generated in Wales, England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, by fuel, is published in Energy Trends: December 2024, special feature article - Electricity generation and supply in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England, 2019 to 2023 - GOV.UK. Data for 2024 will be published on 18th December 2025.

If he will make an estimate of the proportion of electricity supplied to the national grid that was generated in Wales.

Data for electricity generated in Wales, England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, by fuel, is published in Energy Trends: December 2024, special feature article - Electricity generation and supply in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England, 2019 to 2023 - GOV.UK. Data for 2024 will be published on 18th December 2025.

With reference to the National Audit Office Report entitled Energy efficiency installations under the Energy Company Obligation, published on 14 October 2025, how many homes in Wales have had defective retrofit work carried out on them under the Energy Company Obligation scheme.

The Government commissioned an independent statistical audit in April 2025. Two random samples of audits of external (EWI) and internal wall installations (IWI), across the household populations of both schemes were commissioned to understand non‑compliance rates. 98% of EWI audits need to be remediated. For IWI, that number is 29%.The samples are not large enough to reliably perform any regional analysis. As we continue with further audits, we will seek to begin to collect this data.

With reference to the National Audit Office Report entitled Energy efficiency installations under the Energy Company Obligation, published on 14 October 2025, what the cost to the public purse is of remediating defective retrofit work carried out under the Energy Company Obligation scheme in Wales.

The remediation costs sit with the original installer and we have been clear that no household should be asked to pay any money to put things right. We expect most remediation for solid wall insulation installed under ECO4 or GBIS to cost between £250 and £6,000 for IWI and £5,000 and £18,000 for EWI. This should be covered by the guarantee should the installer no longer be trading.

What assessment he has made of potential levels of (a) employment opportunities and (b) supply chain investment generated in the South West from the construction of Hinkley Point C.

EDF’s Hinkley Point C Socio-economic Impact Report 2025 [1] states that the project has supported 26,000 direct and indirect jobs across Britain, with around 4,500 people from Somerset working at Hinkley Point C. Further, the Report states 64% of the value of the project is going to British businesses with over £5 billion already being spent with suppliers across the South- West region. [1] https://www.edfenergy.com/energy/nuclear-new-build-projects/hinkley-point-c/realising-socio-economic-benefits

With reference to the Nuclear Industry Association's webpage entitled NIA Jobs Map 2025, what assessment she has made of trends in the number of civil nuclear jobs in Ynys Môn constituency since 2015.

New nuclear projects are expected to create thousands of high-quality jobs across the UK, with the industry-led 2024 Nuclear Workforce Assessment estimating the need for an additional 24,000 employees across civil and defence by the early 2030s.1 The Department is working with the Nuclear Industry Association as part of the Nuclear Skills Plan, a collaborative effort between government, industry and academia to address the sector’s workforce needs.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help prevent nationwide internet blackouts in Afghanistan.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given on 21 October to question 80102.

Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the impact of social media restrictions in Afghanistan on (a) communication between people in the UK and their family members in Afghanistan and (b) the ability of Afghan diaspora communities in the UK to access reliable information about events in Afghanistan.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given on 21 October to question 80102.

Pursuant to the Answer of 9 September 2025 to Question 75166 on Crown Estate: Wales, whether (a) the recruitment campaign has begun for a Crown Estate Commissioner with special responsibility for Wales and (b) a specific date for the appointment of that Commissioner has been decided upon.

The recruitment campaign started on 16 October and will progress in accordance with the Governance Code for Public Appointments. This is also a Crown appointment and as such the Prime Minister will make a recommendation to His Majesty The King and a Royal Warrant issued.

Pursuant to the Answer of 9 September 2025 to Question 75165 on Crown Estate: Wales, if he will publish the full minutes of the meeting between the Financial Secretary to the Treasury, the Welsh Government's Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Welsh Government's Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning on 10 September 2025.

It would not be appropriate to share the minutes of this meeting as it would inhibit open and frank discussion in the development of government policy.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of a new nuclear project at Wylfa on (a) employment and (b) investment benefits in North Wales.

In 2024, Great British Energy – Nuclear acquired the site at Wylfa in 2024, which has previously hosted a nuclear power plant and has positive attributes for new nuclear. No decisions have yet been taken on any projects to be deployed at Wylfa. Our plans will be set out in due course. The government values nuclear energy’s important role in delivering energy security and homegrown clean power while generating investment and supporting thousands of skilled jobs in communities across the country.

What assessment he has made of the implications for his Department’s policies of the report by the Nuclear Industry Association entitled Jobs May 2025, published on 5 December 2024.

New nuclear projects are expected to create thousands of high-quality jobs across the UK. The annual industry-led 2024 Nuclear Workforce Assessment (NWA), published by Cogent Skills, estimates the civil and defence nuclear sector could grow by an additional 24,000 employees by the early 2030s. The Department is working with the Nuclear Industry Association as part of the Nuclear Skills Plan, a collaborative effort between government, industry and academia to address the sector’s workforce needs.

What recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on securing a new nuclear project at Wylfa.

My Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State has regular discussions with Ministerial Colleagues on a number of issues.

Whether his Department plans to make an assessment of the potential impact of the changes to minimum energy efficiency standards on self-catering accommodation in Wales.

Government recently consulted on increasing minimum energy efficiency standards in the domestic private rented sector. The consultation closed on 2nd May and was accompanied by a consultation-stage options assessment. We have engaged widely with stakeholders during the consultation process and a government response with a further impact assessment will be published in due course.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the press notice entitled £214m new funding for Welsh communities to improve neighbourhoods and restore pride, published on 25 September 2025, whether the £34.5million in capital funding for Welsh local authorities will be released (a) directly to local authorities, (b) through Corporate Joint Committees or (c) through the Welsh Government.

The government has announced its flagship Pride in Place programme, supporting 244 of Great Britain’s most in need neighbourhoods with up to £20 million each over the next decade. Nine Local Authorities in Wales will benefit from the new programme. These areas will join five communities where work is already underway, taking the total to fourteen local authorities across Wales sharing £280 million. Local authorities will be invited to propose the communities within their areas to participate in the Pride in Place Programme for UK Government approval with capacity and capital funding to all places from Spring 2026.On top of this every local authority in Wales will receive £34.5 million of capital funding through a new Pride in Place Impact Fund to improve their public spaces, including fixing broken bus shelters, reopening park toilets, more bins to help stop litter and revamping run-down leisure centres. Funding from the Pride in Place Impact Fund will go directly to Local Authorities, who will play a leading role in shaping and delivering projects in partnership with their local communities and MPs. The Pride in Place Impact Fund is a two-year programme ending in March 2027. Each Local Authority will shortly receive its first payment of £750,000 with a second to follow next year.With support from the Wales Office, we will work in partnership with the Welsh Government to implement the new programme to complement the work of their Transforming Towns and Placemaking Initiatives.

Communities and Local Government, what criteria were used to determine how local authorities qualified for funding under the Pride in Place programme.

On 25 September the government announced its flagship Pride in Place Programme, supporting 244 of Great Britain’s most in need neighbourhoods with up to £20 million each over the next decade. This will serve as the cornerstone of this government’s support for communities, incorporating the existing 25 trailblazer areas announced at Spending Review and the 75 Plan for Neighbourhoods programme areas that were announced in March. New areas across England were selected using a robust, metrics-based methodology based on deprivation (the Index of Multiple Deprivation) and community need (the Community Needs Index) to identify areas with the poorest social and economic outcomes. The full list of areas and place selection methodology was published and is set out on gov.uk here.