Asked by: Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of Wales about (1) the adequacy of the two existing bridges over the Menai Strait to meet potential increased traffic arising from the construction of nuclear electricity generating facilities at Wylfa, and (2) whether the construction of those facilities will require a third bridge.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
Responsibility for roads and highways matters in Wales is devolved and therefore this a matter for the Welsh Government to consider.
My department continues to engage positively with the Welsh Government on a range of cross-UK transport matters and remains willing to explore ways in which we can collaborate, support and share best practice.
Asked by: Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the Welsh Government about restructuring funding of railways and train services that (1) operate in Wales, or (2) serve Wales.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The UK Government has held constructive discussions with the Welsh Government throughout the development of the UK Railways Bill, focusing on restructuring governance and funding arrangements for rail services in Wales and on cross‑border routes. This work includes jointly developing a Memorandum of Understanding to classify devolved responsibilities, funding structures, and shared objectives for the Wales and Borders rail network.
Asked by: Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the current surplus in the Pension Protection Fund; and what assessment they have made of the adequacy of that surplus to meet the demands on the fund.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
As of 31 March 2025, the PPF has built up a reserve of around £14.1 billion. This is a reserve and not surplus funds. While the risks that the PPF faces are lower given improved Defined Benefit (DB) scheme funding levels, this reserve provides security for its current 8.6 million members and the taxpayer. The reserve is crucial to managing future challenges and enabling the PPF to fulfil its role as the ultimate backstop to the near £1 trillion of liabilities in DB schemes.
This Government has brought forward improvements to the level of indexation it pays and introduced greater flexibility to adjust the levy it collects in line with its funding strategy. The PPF will continue to build its reserves through investment returns, while keeping its approach to funding under regular review, prudently balancing the needs of members and levy payers. This will increase security for its current and future members and, further reduce the risk of needing to call on levy payers in the future.
Asked by: Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the latest value of annual imports of lamb and lamb products from New Zealand; and how that value compares with the value in each of the past three years.
Answered by Lord Stockwood - Minister of State (HM Treasury)
In the 12 months to November 2025 imports of New Zealand-origin sheepmeat were £234.3 million, this was £45.2 million higher than the 12 months to November 2024, £98.0 million higher than the 12 months to November 2023 and £37.5 million lower than the 12 months to November 2022. However, sheepmeat imports from New Zealand fell during the pandemic and are still below their value in 2018 (£264.6 million).
Asked by: Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the latest estimate they have made of the volume of beef imports from (1) Australia, and (2) the United States of America, in the most recent year for which figures are available; and how those volumes compare to each of the previous three years.
Answered by Lord Stockwood - Minister of State (HM Treasury)
In the 12 months to November 2025, imports of Australian-origin beef reached 13.9 thousand tonnes, an increase of 8.7 thousand tonnes compared to the same 12 months in 2024, and 12.2 and 12.9 thousand tonnes higher than the same periods in 2023 and 2022, respectively. Meanwhile, EU beef imports declined by 14.5 thousand tonnes from the 12 months to November 2022 to the 12 months to November 2025.
US-origin beef imports in the year to November 2025 stood at 99.4 tonnes, marking a reduction of 201.6 tonnes from 2024, 145.5 tonnes from 2023, and 247.5 tonnes from 2022.
Asked by: Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, following the conviction handed out at Merthyr Tydfil Magistrates' Court on 6 January, what steps they are taking against Tesla Financial Services for failing to identify the driver of cars on long-term leases where the vehicle was speeding.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
Under Section 172 of the Road Traffic Act 1988, the registered keeper of a vehicle must identify the driver when requested by the police. Where a hire company fails to do so, it is liable to prosecution, and the enforcement action taken by police and the courts demonstrates that the existing legislative framework is functioning as intended.
The Government keeps road traffic enforcement powers under review, but individual prosecutions are operational matters for local police forces in conjunction with the Crown Prosecution Service.
Asked by: Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Russia about the death of reporter Ryan Evans.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
We remain deeply saddened by the death of Mr Ryan Evans in Ukraine in 2024 following a Russian strike. The UK Government continues to support efforts to ensure accountability for crimes committed in Ukraine. This includes supporting the independent investigation of the International Criminal Court (ICC) into the situation in Ukraine, as well as providing assistance to Ukrainian domestic investigations and prosecutions of core international crimes.
Asked by: Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have received from the Welsh Government about the devolution of responsibility for the police service in Wales to Senedd Cymru; and on what dates they received those representations.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Secretary of State for Wales and her Cabinet colleagues engage with Welsh Ministers frequently on a wide range of issues, including the future of devolution in key policy areas. Established intergovernmental mechanisms also provide ongoing opportunities for the UK and Welsh Governments to engage on matters relating to policing, and to ensure that Welsh priorities are fully considered within the existing devolution settlement.
Asked by: Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, with regard to the speech by the First Minister of Wales on 22 January about devolution, what consideration they have given to introducing a constitutional reform bill to define the responsibilities of the Welsh Government in law.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The UK Government has regular discussions with the Welsh Government on a range of issues, including the Welsh devolution settlement. It is in our shared interests that the settlement clearly defines the responsibilities of our respective governments and that it delivers for the people of Wales.
Asked by: Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with (1) the Welsh Government, and (2) the Scottish Government, about restricting or banning children from accessing social media; and what assessment they have made of the extent to which that ban in Wales and Scotland is the responsibility of those devolved administrations.
Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The majority of the Online Safety Act extends and applies to the whole of the United Kingdom, and most measures in the government’s consultation on children’s use of social media will too. The Government wrote to the devolved administrations ahead of the consultation announcement to inform them of the upcoming consultation and to welcome their views.
The consultation will be accompanied by a national conversation, and we want to hear from children and parents right across the UK, including in the devolved administrations. Every voice matters in shaping what comes next.