Every parliamentary written question tabled by Wera Hobhouse this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 1–20 of 159 · this parliament
What evidence the Department has used to inform the proposed definition of low hours for the purposes of the guaranteed hours provisions; and whether an impact assessment will be published for the retail and hospitality sectors.
Awaiting answer.
In respect of guaranteed hours provisions what assessment has been made of the potential impact of a 12 week reference period on employers whose staffing needs vary significantly over the year.
Awaiting answer.
What assessment he has made of the potential impact of extending the guaranteed hours provisions beyond zero‑hours contracts to include low‑hours contracts on workers; and what steps he is taking to help ensure that measures do not unintentionally restrict flexible low‑hours work.
Awaiting answer.
Whether the Department has considered setting the definition of low hours for the purposes of the guaranteed hours provisions at 8 hours per week or below.
Awaiting answer.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether there are plans to deliver Pillar 9.5 of the UK-Ukraine 2025 Partnership Agreement.
Awaiting answer.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if the UK will encourage allocation of resources for Ukraine local government support at the forthcoming Ukraine Recovery Conference in Gdansk.
Awaiting answer.
What assessment has been made of how different low hours thresholds and different reference period lengths in respect of guaranteed hours provisions may impact workforce flexibility.
Awaiting answer.
What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of extending the guaranteed hours provisions beyond zero‑hours contracts to include low‑hours contracts on affected people; and what steps he is taking to help ensure that measures intended to tackle exploitative zero‑hours arrangements protect genuinely flexible low‑hours work.
It has not proved possible to respond to the Hon Member in the time available before Prorogation.
What evidence his Department has used to inform the proposed definition of low hours for the purposes of the guaranteed hours provisions; and whether an impact assessment will be published for the retail and hospitality sectors.
It has not proved possible to respond to the Hon Member in the time available before Prorogation.
What discussions her Department has had with industry stakeholders on the potential impact of the expiry of the Plug-in Motorcycle Grant on future investment in the UK market.
My officials have been in contact with the industry since the decision to close the grant was shared with them in February 2025. The Government will continue to work with industry to monitor the development of the zero emission motorcycle market and the need for any further interventions on an ongoing basis
What estimate the department has made of the net economic impact of removing the Plug-in Motorcycle Grant.
Ending the £500 Plug-in Motorcycle Grant is not expected to have a significant impact on uptake of zero emission motorcycles or on riders. The Government, working with industry, will monitor the development of the zero emission motorcycle market and the need for any further interventions on an ongoing basis.
How her Department intends to ensure consistency in support across different types of zero emission vehicles following the withdrawal of the incentives for motorcycles.
The Government’s £3 billion zero emission vehicle funding package supports eligible cars, vans, trucks, and wheelchair accessible vehicles.Working with industry, we will continue to monitor the development of the zero emission motorcycle market and the need for any further interventions on an ongoing basis.
Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Animal Welfare Strategy published on 22 December 2025, if she will extend the strategy to include the welfare of marine mammals hunted in the Faroe Islands that also inhabit UK waters.
We remain committed to meeting our international obligations and continue to have concerns about the welfare and sustainability of these hunts. In December 2025 we published the UK Cetacean Conservation Strategy with devolved governments. This includes species hunted in the Faroe Islands and aims to improve the conservation status of cetaceans in UK waters. UK ministers and officials consistently call for an end to cetacean hunts in the Faroe Islands. As Chair of the International Whaling Commission’s Conservation Committee and Intersessional Working Group on Welfare, the UK promotes stronger protection and improved welfare for small cetaceans.
Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the implications of Faroese cetacean hunting for (a) international marine conservation and (b) biodiversity agreements.
We remain committed to meeting our international obligations and continue to have concerns about the welfare and sustainability of these hunts. In December 2025 we published the UK Cetacean Conservation Strategy with devolved governments. This includes species hunted in the Faroe Islands and aims to improve the conservation status of cetaceans in UK waters. UK ministers and officials consistently call for an end to cetacean hunts in the Faroe Islands. As Chair of the International Whaling Commission’s Conservation Committee and Intersessional Working Group on Welfare, the UK promotes stronger protection and improved welfare for small cetaceans.
Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Government consultation response of 12 June 2025 on fairer food labelling, whether she has assessed the potential merits of mandating country-of-origin labelling for (a) fish and; (b) seafood products imported from the Faroe Islands.
Food labelling rules require country of origin information for some fish products. The Government has not undertaken a specific assessment of mandating country of origin labelling requirements for fish or seafood products imported from the Faroe Islands in cases where it is not already required. Food labelling requirements are kept under review to ensure they provide clear information for consumers, while remaining proportionate and consistent with wider regulatory and trade considerations. Defra officials continue to look at how the origin for food products may be better highlighted to ensure consumers can make informed choices wherever they purchase food.
Whether he plans to take steps with the Coal Authority to use mine water heat for heat networks.
Mine water heat is already used in some heat networks. The Gateshead Heat Network and Seaham Garden Village have been supported through the Green Heat Network Fund (GHNF) and Heat Network Investment Project respectively. We are in touch with the Coal Authority (now the Mining and Remediation Authority) to monitor developments in the sector and to offer support where applicable, such as through the GHNF.
What assessment he has made of the potential merits of designating areas with high conservation status, such as Bath, as priority areas for early zoning.
The Department invites strategic and local authorities in England to help identify the next tranche of zones for our future pipeline. Each potential zone will be assessed against quantitative (scale, quality and affordability), and qualitative metrics (readiness, viability, feasibility). Relevant local and strategic authorities—including those covering high conservation areas such as Bath—are welcome to contribute evidence to this review. We are already engaging with the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority as part of our Advanced Zoning Programme. (More information about this on the HNDU webpage: www.gov.uk/guidance/heat-networks-delivery-unit).
With reference to the recommendations on the use of long-term revenue support mechanisms such as Regulated Asset Base models and Contracts for Difference within the of the ADE: Heat Networks' Clean Heat 2040 report, whether she has considered applying such a model to a demonstrator city, such as Bath.
A Regulated Asset Base (RAB) model allows a regulated monopoly to earn an agreed level of revenue, as used in sectors such as water. Planned Heat Network Zoning Regulations will deliver a similar effect by granting zone developers exclusive rights within designated areas, with tariffs agreed with the responsible local authority to enable an appropriate return. Further work is required to assess the effectiveness of these models relative to zoning and existing capital support, and it would not be appropriate to introduce a demonstrator city at this stage.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has conducted diplomatic discussions with (a) the Government of the Faroe Islands, (b) the Government of Denmark and (c) other international partners on the impact of Faroese dolphin hunting on North Atlantic cetacean populations.
The UK strongly opposes the hunting of cetaceans other than limited activities by indigenous people for defined subsistence needs. UK ministers and officials continue to advocate for the end of cetacean hunts in the Faroe Islands at every appropriate opportunity, most recently during formal UK-Faroes bilateral fisheries negotiations in November 2025, and I raised this with the Faroese Prime Minister Aksel V. Johannesen when I hosted him in London last year. We also use our role as Chair of the International Whaling Commission's Conservation Committee to raise the profile of small cetaceans, including encouraging more work to improve their protection and address welfare concerns.
When NHS England will be able to provide robust breast screening data on all protected characteristics.
NHS England is currently building and rolling out new services for breast screening. The future breast screening service is expected to improve the consistency and completeness of demographic and equality data capture, which should support more robust reporting over time.