Written questions by Medi.

Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the current financial value of the Holyhead Border Control Post site; what has been the cost to the public purse of the site since 2016; and whether his Department has made a recent assessment of the future of the site.

The UK Government works closely with the Devolved Governments on a range of border issues, however this specific issue is a devolved matter and the responsibility of the Welsh Government.

Food and Rural Affairs, what comparative assessment he has made of the potential impact of (a) having and (b) not having a Holyhead Border Control Post site on (i) trade, (ii) food safety and (ii) public health.

The UK Government works closely with the Devolved Governments on a range of border issues, however this specific issue is a devolved matter and the responsibility of the Welsh Government.

What the total value of the financial support was that the Government was prepared to offer Hitatchi to develop a new nuclear project at Wylfa in 2019.

The Hitachi-owned Horizon took the decision to withdraw from the nuclear new build project at Wylfa in September 2020. Any and all discussions undertaken by the previous government with Hitachi concerning the financing of the proposed Horizon project at Wylfa are commercially sensitive and confidential.

What recent assessment he has made of the potential merits of rebalancing policy levies between electric and gas bills.

Over this Parliament the Government will be working relentlessly to translate the much cheaper wholesale costs of clean power into lower bills for consumers. This will be core to every decision we make. This is a complex issue and decisions will be made which must be informed by robust research and analysis. We will ensure we keep fairness and affordability at the forefront of our minds throughout this process.

What recent discussions he has had with the Welsh Government on reducing energy bills in Wales.

My Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State has regular discussion with the Devolved Administrations on a wide range of issues.The Government believes that our mission to deliver clean power by 2030 is the best way to break our dependence on global fossil fuel markets and protect billpayers permanently. The creation of Great British Energy will help us to harness clean energy and have less reliance on volatile international energy markets and help in our commitment to make Britain a clean energy superpower by 2030. This, combined with our Warm Homes Plan to upgrade millions of homes to make them warmer and cheaper to run is how we will drive down energy bills and make cold homes a thing of the past We recognise that we need to support households struggling with bills whilst we transition to clean power by 2030. This is why we delivered the Warm Home Discount to around 3 million eligible low-income households last winter. We have recently consulted on the expansion of the Warm Home Discount, giving more eligible households £150 off their energy bills. These proposals would bring around 2.7 million households on a qualifying means-tested benefit into the scheme – pushing the total number of households that would receive the discount next winter up to around 6 million. The consultation closed on 24 March and DESNZ is considering the responses received I have been clear with suppliers that they should do all that they can to support their customers – including vulnerable consumers – who may be struggling with their bills. I would urge any consumers who are struggling to pay their bills to speak to their supplier, local authority, or Citizens Advice who may be able to provide help and support. The Government is continuing to work with Ofgem and energy suppliers to ensure energy bills remain fair and affordable while we transition to clean power by 2030.

If she will make an assessment of the potential merits of moving electricity bill levies into general taxation, in the context of average annual costs of household energy bills.

Energy levies support vital investment to secure the UK’s electricity system with homegrown, clean power. Through public and private investment, the Government is protecting billpayers from volatile international fossil fuel markets. To help those that most need it, the Warm Home Discount provides a £150 discount off electricity bills to around 3 million households. The government has consulted on expanding the scheme to around 6 million households in total for winter 2025/26 and will respond to the consultation in due course.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Spending Review 2025 on businesses in Wales.

Spending Review 2025 (SR25) delivers for businesses UK-wide, including across Wales. Public finance institutions will work in collaboration with the devolved governments and local stakeholders to invest in businesses and technologies, and drive growth across all the nations of the UK. The British Business Bank, National Wealth Fund, and Great British Energy are already investing in businesses across Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The government is due to publish its modern Industrial Strategy setting out how the government will accelerate growth in eight growth-driving sectors and strengthen economic resilience across the UK. The growth-driving sectors – advanced manufacturing, clean energy industries, creative industries, defence, digital and technologies, financial services, life sciences, and professional and business services – are active across the regions and nations, each with their own specialisms. Supporting the success of these sectors, and the places where they are based, will be crucial in delivering high-quality jobs, new opportunities and higher living standards across the whole country. Further detail on what SR25 delivers for businesses across the UK can be found at: Spending Review 2025 document - GOV.UK

What steps her Department is taking to develop a future funding model for local councils in rural areas.

As the hon Member will be aware, Local Government is a devolved matter. The government is absolutely committed to supporting rural communities. This year’s Settlement saw places with a significant rural population on average receive almost a 6% cash increase in their Core Spending Power. We are introducing an improved and updated approach from 2026-27, directing funding to where it is needed most.

If she will make an estimate of the potential impact of planned changes to business property relief on levels of investment made by affected family businesses in (a) Wales and (b) the UK in each of the next three years.

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. Where inheritance tax is due, those liable for a charge can pay any liability on the relevant assets over 10 annual instalments, interest-free. Information from claims is not recorded to enable regional or national breakdowns of the number of estates expected to be affected. However, the Government has set out that around 1,500 estates across the UK only claiming business property relief are expected to pay more inheritance tax 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. These reforms mean that around three-quarters of estates claiming business property relief in 2026-27 (excluding those estates only holding shares designated as “not listed”) will not pay any more inheritance tax in 2026-27. The reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief are forecast to raise a combined £520 million in 2029-30. The independent OBR certified this costing at Autumn Budget 2024 and it does not expect the reforms to have a significant macroeconomic impact.

Food and Rural Affairs, how much of the fishing and coastal growth fund will be allocated to Wales.

The Fishing & Coastal Growth Fund will be investing £360 million over the next 12 years. As part of that fund Ministers committed to working closely with the industry and local communities in order to ensure investment is targeted to where it is needed most. As part of that planned engagement we will work closely with Devolved Governments.

What steps he is taking to support small businesses to develop cyber security investment plans.

Adoption of technologies like cybersecurity is important to protect businesses and increase productivity.The National Cyber Security Centre publishes a range of expert guidance, including the Small Business Guide, which contains practical and affordable advice for businesses to improve their cybersecurity. Small businesses can also benefit from advice and support from the regional Cyber Resilience Centres across England and Wales, which are a police-led collaboration with government, private sector and academia.The industry-led SME Digital Adoption Taskforce will soon publish recommendations on ways to increase SME adoption of digital technology like cybersecurity software. These will inform our upcoming SME Strategy.

What steps he is taking to support small businesses to develop AI investment plans.

Adoption of new digital technology, including AI, can help businesses become more productive – but we know Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) sometimes need additional help and support to do so.The AI Opportunities Action Plan set out a vision for AI to drive economic growth, including through investment. InnovateUK’s BridgeAI programme helps businesses in high growth potential sectors harness AI, offering funding opportunities and expert advice.To go further, the industry-led SME Digital Adoption Taskforce will soon be publishing their final recommendations on ways to help SMEs adopt productivity-enhancing digital technology, which will inform our upcoming SME Strategy.

What steps he is taking to support business confidence in Wales.

Businesses can access complementary, comprehensive support services from both the Department for Business and Trade and the Welsh Government. We work closely with Welsh Government counterparts to improve trading conditions. My department will host a flagship export roadshow in Cardiff on 13 June, focused on the technology sector to help businesses grow. Our landmark deals with the United States and India will improve Welsh business access to important markets. Our new agreement with the European Union will support businesses, backing British jobs. Welsh businesses will benefit significantly from this deal, given 61% of all Welsh goods exports went to EU destinations in 2024.

Whether his Department is taking steps to help support community energy schemes to sell energy to local (a) households and (b) businesses.

The Department is considering a range of reforms to unlock renewable investment and pass through the benefits of cheaper renewables to consumers. This includes potential changes to support local and community energy. The Secretary of State previously commissioned Ofgem to explore policy and regulatory barriers to local supply, including route to market challenges. We are also learning from the responses to the Call for Evidence on barriers to community energy[1], which referenced local supply issues. The Department continues to work with Ofgem and key stakeholders to enhance our community energy offer. We will set out further detail in due course. [1] https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/barriers-to-community-energy-projects

If she will make an assessment of the potential impact of closing the Holyhead PIP Assessment Centre on sick and disabled people in Ynys Môn.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) closed the Holyhead Personal Independence Payment (PIP) Assessment Centre (AC) as part of the Functional Assessment Services (FAS) strategy to bring together all functional health assessment services in a geographical area under one supplier. Consolidating the Holyhead PIP AC into the Work Capability Assessment & Specialist Benefit site in Bangor ensures that all health benefits will be assessed in the same building; this contributes to an easier customer experience when applying for multiple health benefits. DWP is committed to ensuring that everyone can access our services without facing any disadvantages. We have various measures in place to make sure our assessments are accessible to all, in accordance with the Equality Act 2010. DWP meets legal accessibility requirements by ensuring our services are accessible to everyone.We consider the specific needs of individuals who require a particular assessment method due to their health condition or circumstances. At every stage of the claim process, individuals are asked to inform us of any mobility restrictions. If the assessment provider is made aware of these restrictions, they will consider arranging the most appropriate assessment channel.As part of the FAS process, we first consider the feasibility of a paper-based assessment. If a paper-based review isn't possible, individuals will be invited to an assessment.If a customer requires a face-to-face assessment and the journey time to the assessment centre exceeds 90 minutes, individuals may be directed to an alternative centre within the 90-minute travel time if one is available. This ensures that claimants travel no more than 90 minutes (one way) by public transport to their assessments. This 90-minute figure is the maximum, and in most cases, travel time will be much shorter. If travel time exceeds 90 minutes by public transport, we can utilise alternative channels, such as using telephone, video, or home assessments, or assisting with travel costs for taxis.

How many people are employed (a) directly and (b) in supply chains in the nuclear industry in (i) Ynys Mon and (ii) Wales in each year since 2015.

DESNZ do not produce their own figure on the nuclear workforce in Wales.

Communities and Local Government, what her policy is on whether the UK Shared Prosperity Fund will continue as a distinct funding stream beyond the current Spending Review period.

The Government will set out its long-term vision for local growth at the multi-year Spending Review.

Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to take steps to regulate overvaluations of properties by estate agents.

The government is committed to ensuring that consumers are protected from abuse and poor service at the hands of unscrupulous estate agents.All estate agents are legally required to belong to one of two government-approved redress schemes; administered either by The Property Ombudsman or the Property Redress Scheme. This legislation is currently enforced by local authorities and by the National Trading Standards’ Lettings and Estate Agency Team, who have the power to issue warnings and banning orders to rogue estate and letting agents.The previous government committed to regulate the property agent sector in 2018 and asked a working group chaired by Lord Richard Best to advise them on how best to do it.However, they failed to respond to the recommendations set out in the working group’s 2019 Regulation of Property Agents: working group report which can be found on gov.uk here.This government will set out our full position on regulation of estate, letting and managing agents in due course.

Communities and Local Government, with reference to the oral contribution from the Minister for Housing and Planning in response to an question from the hon. Member for Cheltenham on 28 October 2024, Official Report, col 517, when she plans to outline her plans for the regulation of letting, management and estate agents.

The government will set out our full position on regulation of estate, letting and managing agents in due course.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the 10 per cent tariff introduced by the United States on the level of exports from Wales to that country.

We continue to work closely with the Welsh Government to monitor the impacts, and to support Welsh exporters. Additionally on 3 April, we launched a Request for Input from businesses, to help inform the UK’s response to US tariffs. We continue to support businesses of all sizes to grow and export globally, including to the US. Through Great.gov.uk, businesses can access export support programmes including the Export Academy, International Markets Network, Growth Hubs and Help to Grow: Management scheme.