Written questions by Logan.

What figure his Department is using as the average household energy bill for his policy of a £300 cut in energy bills.

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 are delivering the Warm Home Discount to around 3 million eligible low-income households this winter. On 25 February, we published a consultation 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 into the scheme – pushing the total number of households that would receive the discount next winter up to around 6 million. The consultation has now closed and the Department is evaluating the responses.

Food and Rural Affairs, when the Animal Welfare Committee will publish its review on the responsible sourcing of fur.

I refer Seamus Logan to the reply given to Neil Duncan-Jordan on 21 February 2025, PQ 32807.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Animal Welfare Committee will consider the public health risks associated with global fur production in its review on the responsible sourcing of fur.

The remit of the Animal Welfare Committee (AWC) is to provide advice on animal welfare standards relating to animals kept by people. As such, public health matters fall outside of the Committee’s remit. More information on AWC’s terms of reference is available on the AWC gov.uk page (here).

What his Department's original budget was, including Government-backed loans and guarantees, to support the construction of the Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant in (a) real and (b) current terms; how much his Department has provided since the project started; and how much he estimates that it will have provided by the completion of the project.

The financing of Hinkley Point C is the responsibility of EDF (Électricité de France) and China General Nuclear Power Corporation (CGN). The latest update from EDF on costs of Hinkley Point C can be found here (on page 29): https://www.edf.fr/sites/groupe/files/2025-03/annual-results-edf-2024-presentation-2025-03-07.pdf

From what level he plans to reduce energy bills by £300 by 2030.

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 are delivering the Warm Home Discount to around 3 million eligible low-income households this winter. On 25 February, we published a consultation 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 into the scheme – pushing the total number of households that would receive the discount next winter up to around 6 million. The consultation has now closed and the Department is evaluating the responses.

How many Government devices are used to post from the Government's TikTok account; how many other communication applications are used on those devices; how many officials have used this account; and whether he plans to increase the number of Government TikTok accounts.

As per the guidance in the Mobile Device Management policy, we take a careful controlled approach to TikTok usage on government devices to safeguard all government activity. Access is strictly limited to essential purposes only. The existing policy regarding TikTok on government devices remains unchanged.

Whether he plans to implement the recommendations of the report by the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights entitled Concluding observations on the seventh periodic report of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, published on 3 March 2025.

The relevant departments are currently considering the committee’s concluding observations in detail. The Government will give written responses to three priority areas that the committee has identified for specific follow-up by 2027.The Government will respond to the rest of the recommendations before the United Kingdom’s next reporting cycle starts in 2030.

Whether she plans to implement the recommendations of the report by the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights entitled Concluding observations on the seventh periodic report of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, published on 3 March 2025.

Relevant departments are currently considering the Committee’s concluding observations in detail. The Government will give written responses to three priority areas that the Committee has identified for specific follow-up by 2027. The Government will respond to the rest of the recommendations before the UK’s next reporting cycle starts in 2030.

If she will take steps to help increase the affordability of taxis for disabled people.

General policy on taxi and private hire vehicle (PHV) licensing is devolved in Scotland (where PHVs are known as private hire cars), Wales and Northern Ireland. In England, licensing authorities can set maximum taxi fares for journeys within their area to protect passengers hailing taxis in the street or at a rank where passengers have little choice over which vehicle they hire. The setting of fares by private hire vehicle operators is a commercial matter for the company in question; as such services must be pre-booked passengers can shop around, comparing factors such as price, reliability and availability. Disabled people are particularly reliant on taxi and PHV services and, thus, can be especially sensitive to high fares. We encourage licensing authorities to use the government’s Taxi and private hire vehicle licensing best practice guidance for licensing authorities in England which emphasises the importance of licensing authorities continuing to improve the inclusivity of the taxi and PHV services they regulate to ensure services in their area are safe, available, affordable and accessible. The Equality Act 2010 is however clear that operators and drivers cannot charge disabled people, including wheelchair users and assistance dog owners, more for their carriage or for providing assistance required by law. Local authorities in England can also choose to provide an additional scheme to the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS), whereby a person eligible for free bus travel under the ENCTS, may agree with the local authority to surrender their pass in return for alternative travel concessions, such as travel tokens (which may be used on taxi and PHV services) or a railcard.

Whether he plans to bring forward legislative proposals to (a) introduce a common charger for electrical devices and (b) require producers to provide accessible user information for how the charger works that is suitable for disabled people.

The Government considers that it would potentially help businesses and deliver consumer and environmental benefits if we were to introduce standardised charger requirements for mobile phones and certain other portable electrical/electronic devices across the UK. Accordingly, we sought views through a Call for Evidence from manufacturers, importers, distributors, trade associations, and consumers as to whether it would be helpful to do so. This Call for Evidence closed in December 2024. The Government is considering the evidence received and will respond in due course.

Whether she plans to implement the recommendations of the report by the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights entitled Concluding observations on the seventh periodic report of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, published on 3 March 2025.

The Government is fully committed to human rights and to upholding the rule of law. We take our international obligations seriously and valued the opportunity for a dialogue with UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Relevant departments are currently considering the Committee’s concluding observations in detail. The Government will give written responses to three priority areas that the Committee has identified for specific follow-up by 2027. The Government will respond to the rest of the recommendations before the UK’s next reporting cycle starts in 2030.

Whether she plans to implement the recommendations of the report by the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights entitled Concluding observations on the seventh periodic report of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, published on 3 March 2025.

Relevant departments are currently considering the Committee’s concluding observations in detail. The Government will give written responses to three priority areas that the Committee has identified for specific follow-up by 2027. The Government will respond to the rest of the recommendations before the UK’s next reporting cycle starts in 2030.

Whether she plans to implement the recommendations of the report by the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights entitled Concluding observations on the seventh periodic report of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, published on 3 March 2025.

The Home Office keeps all the recommendations from the report by the UN Committee under review, in consultation with a wide range of experts and other stakeholders.Relevant departments are currently considering the Committee’s concluding observations in detail. The department will give written responses to three priority areas that the Committee has identified for specific follow-up by 2027.The Government will respond to the rest of the recommendations before the UK’s next reporting cycle starts in 2030.

Whether the Government plans to implement the recommendations of the report by the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights entitled Concluding observations on the seventh periodic report of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, published on 3 March 2025.

Relevant departments are currently considering the Committee’s concluding observations in detail. The Government will give written responses to three priority areas that the Committee has identified for specific follow-up by 2027. The Government will respond to the rest of the recommendations before the UK’s next reporting cycle starts in 2030.

Whether he plans to implement the recommendations of the report by the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights entitled Concluding observations on the seventh periodic report of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, published on 3 March 2025.

Relevant departments are currently considering the Committee’s concluding observations in detail. The Government will give written responses to three priority areas that the Committee has identified for specific follow-up by 2027. The Government will respond to the rest of the recommendations before the UK’s next reporting cycle starts in 2030.

Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to implement the recommendations of the report by the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights entitled Concluding observations on the seventh periodic report of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, published on 3 March 2025.

Relevant departments are currently considering the Committee’s concluding observations in detail. The Government will give written responses to three priority areas that the Committee has identified for specific follow-up by 2027. The Government will respond to the rest of the recommendations before the UK’s next reporting cycle starts in 2030.

Whether her Department has had discussions with the Scottish government's economy directorates on the staffing needs of the (a) hospitality and (b) tourism sector in the context of the skilled worker visa since 31 January 2020.

The Home Office and Ministers meet regularly with Scottish Government Ministers and officials to discuss all aspects of Home Office business, including immigration and our work linking skills and visa policy to ensure our immigration system works in the interests of the whole of the UK.

Whether her Department has had discussions with (a) NHS Scotland and (b) the Scottish Government's health and social care directorates on health and social care staffing needs in the context of the skilled worker visa since 31 January 2020.

The Home Office and Ministers meet regularly with Scottish Government Ministers and officials to discuss all aspects of Home Office business, including immigration and our work linking skills and visa policy to ensure our immigration system works in the interests of the whole of the UK.

When he plans to respond to the correspondence from the hon. Member for Aberdeenshire North and Moray East sent on 3 February and 24 March 2025, reference SL01756/dw.

I apologise for the delay in responding to the hon. Member’s correspondence about the oil and gas industry in Scotland, reference SL01756/dw. I issued a response to the hon. Member on 23 April.

What discussions her Department has had with the Scottish Government's agriculture and rural economy directorates on the workforce needs of the (a) agriculture, (b) fishing and (c) rural economy sector and the skilled worker visa since 31 January 2020.

The Home Office and Ministers meet regularly with Scottish Government Ministers and officials to discuss all aspects of Home Office business, including immigration and our work linking skills and visa policy to ensure our immigration system works in the interests of the whole of the UK.