Asked by: Lord Spellar (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask His Majesty's Government which components of the supply chain for nuclear power stations will be manufactured in the UK, and which components will be brought in from abroad.
Answered by Lord Vallance of Balham - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The use of components manufactured in the UK will differ on a project-by-project basis. However, the building of nuclear power stations creates significant opportunities for UK companies, with EDF estimating that the current Hinkley Point C project spends 64% of construction value with British businesses. Sizewell C Ltd plan to award 70% of construction value to UK businesses, while separately Great British Energy – Nuclear’s ambition is to deliver 70% UK content across the small modular reactor fleet.
Asked by: Lord Spellar (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the road safety and crime prevention benefits of introducing compulsory number plates for motor-assisted cycles.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
“Motor-assisted cycles” or e-bikes as they are otherwise referred to, are only road-legal where they comply in full of the Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycle Regulations 1983. This includes their maximum assisted speed being limited to 15.5mph.
Where the above regulations are not complied with, the e-bike is treated as a motor vehicle. This means it must be approved and registered with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, as a well as being taxed and insured. It must therefore have a compulsory number plate in order to be legally ridden on the road as a motor vehicle.
It would not be practical to fit compulsory number plates to e-bikes which are road-legal in their own right. The Department previously considered the case for such a system for of all cyclists and concluded that the costs and complexities of introducing it would far outweigh the benefits.
Asked by: Lord Spellar (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government where the Great British Railways signature station clock will be produced.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The railway timepiece unveiled at London Bridge station on 16 October was the result of an international competition run by Network Rail. The winning team ‘Design Bridge and Partners’ are based in London. The clock in London Bridge was built in Tamworth.
Asked by: Lord Spellar (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch on 12 December 2024 (HL2726), what assessment they have made of whether the Certification Officer is fulfilling their duties to ensure that unions provide their accounts as required by section 32 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992.
Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Further to the Written Answer by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch on 12 December 2024, I can only reiterate that it is not for Government to compel a union to provide its annual return. That is for the Certification Officer, who is independent of Government.
Asked by: Lord Spellar (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Coaker on 11 June (HL8373), when they now expect to announce the appointment of the National Armaments Director.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
I refer to the previous answer provided by my colleague Lord Coaker. Rupert Pearce was named as the new National Armaments Director on Tuesday 14 October 2025.
Asked by: Lord Spellar (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Hanson of Flint on 3 September (HL10232), how many asylum seekers are currently placed in (1) hotels, (2) houses of multiple occupation, and (3) other locations and facilities in England, broken down by local council.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
The latest published Immigration Statistics detail the number of supported asylum seekers accommodated in contingency and dispersed accommodation, including houses of multiple occupation, across England as at 30 June 2025.
The below figures are broken down by region. The data is available on GOV.UK under Immigration statistics and can be further broken down by local authority.
Region | Hotels | Dispersed Accommodation | Other |
East Midlands | 1,755 | 5,142 | 348 |
East of England | 2,757 | 2,527 | 1,556 |
London | 10,081 | 4,350 | 2,730 |
North East | 309 | 6,891 | 96 |
North West | 3,686 | 16,820 | 690 |
South East | 3,402 | 3,122 | 449 |
South West | 2,132 | 2,262 | 126 |
West Midlands | 3,913 | 8,930 | 427 |
Yorkshire and Humber | 2,129 | 6,956 | 601 |
This Government is delivering on its pledge to close asylum hotels; drastically reducing taxpayer costs and giving control back to local communities. This Government is committed to ending the use of hotels to house asylum seekers by the end of the Parliament.
Asked by: Lord Spellar (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government how much money was raised by the energy profits levy for each of the last two quarters for which figures are available.
Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
Monthly Energy Profits Levy (EPL) cash receipts are published in ‘HMRC tax receipts and National Insurance Contributions for the UK’ and can be found at the following link: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/689ecbc12e8cc8ec5b3572b2/NS_Table.ods
EPL is typically paid in July, October and January alongside companies’ corporation tax instalments. In January 2025 and July 2025, EPL cash receipts were £952m and £778m respectively reported in line with the timing of instalment payments.
Asked by: Lord Spellar (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government which trade unions are recognised by the MyCSP.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
MyCSP operates as a private company, delivering the administration of Civil Service pensions through commercial contract arrangements starting 2013 and ending December 2025.
Any decisions concerning the recognition of trade unions are made independently by them as the employer. They are contractually obliged to comply with UK legislation, which includes worker and employment rights, including those rights associated with trade union recognition.
As far as we are aware, MyCSP does not currently recognise any trade unions either by voluntary or statutory arrangement. They do have staff representation on their Board.
Asked by: Lord Spellar (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government, following Baroness Casey of Blackstock's National Audit on Group-Based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, published on 16 June, what steps they are taking to reform the arrangements for taxi licensing.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
The Department for Transport will legislate to address the important issues raised in the report, tackling the inconsistent standards of taxi and private hire vehicle driver licensing. We will work as quickly as possible and consider all options – including out of area working, national standards and enforcement – seeking the best overall outcomes for passenger safety.
In the interim we will act urgently to make improvements, including consulting on making local transport authorities responsible for taxi and private hire vehicle licensing, and determining how existing statutory guidance can be strengthened to further protect the public. We are also reviewing authorities’ compliance with existing guidance and will hold those who do not follow it to account.
Some important protections have already been put in place since earlier inquiries into Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation. All licensing authorities in England now undertake extensive driver background checks, and since 2023 they are required to use a single database to prevent a driver refused a licence in one area on safety grounds going elsewhere. Careful consideration of the options is needed as we do not want any change to decrease the availability of highly vetted licensed drivers and vehicles and inadvertently increase the use of those offering illegal services that evade these licensing checks.
Asked by: Lord Spellar (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what was the gross income from the Dartford River Crossing in the last year for which figures are available, and how much was paid to the Department for Transport.
Answered by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
For the financial year 2023/24, gross road user charge income at the Dartford Crossing was £130.1m. The Crossing’s full revenue is higher owing to additional income from enforcement, abnormal load fees, and other rental income (details are available in the annual accounts published online).
All road user charge income is paid to the Department for Transport gross. The total cost of operating and maintaining the Crossing in 2023/24 was £75.5m. After meeting these costs, the remaining revenue from Dart Charge was spent on transport-related schemes and projects.