Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he had with the Welsh Government on the cross-border specialist healthcare network for children and young people with cancer and inequalities in access across the UK prior to the announcement of the travel fund for children and young people with cancer in the National Cancer Plan.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department knows that the cost of travel is an important issue for many young cancer patients and their families across the United Kingdom.

Through the National Cancer Plan, the Government is committing up to £10 million a year to a new fund open to all children and young people in England with cancer and their families regardless of income, to support them with the cost of travelling to and from treatment. This commitment sits alongside wider action to transform cancer care for children and young people.

Health is predominately devolved. However, the Department does work closely with our counterparts in the devolved administrations, including the Welsh Government, to share expertise and identify new opportunities to improve health and social care delivery across the UK.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether travel fund for children and young people included in the National Cancer Plan for England will be available to any young cancer patients in Wales, in particular those who receive their cancer treatment in hospitals in England; and whether any Barnett formula consequentials will result from that funding.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department knows that the cost of travel is an important issue for many young cancer patients and their families across the United Kingdom.

Through the National Cancer Plan, the Government is committing up to £10 million a year to a new fund open to all children and young people in England with cancer and their families regardless of income, to support them with the cost of travelling to and from principal treatment centres. This commitment sits alongside wider action to transform cancer care for children and young people.

The Department is currently working with its partners in the health system to develop the scope and remit of the fund. Further details will be set out in due course.

Health is predominately devolved. Devolved administrations receive funding through the Barnett Formula, and it is ultimately for them to allocate, prioritise, and manage their budgets. However, the Department does work closely with our counterparts in the devolved administrations to share expertise and identify new opportunities to improve health and social care delivery across the United Kingdom.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with reference to the National Policy Statement for Electricity Networks Infrastructure (EN-5), on what evidential basis his Department has determined that overhead lines should be the strong starting presumption for electricity network developments in general.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The starting presumption for electricity network developments set out in EN-5 is based on several factors including cost, environmental and technical points.

Overhead lines are quicker and easier to construct, cause less environmental disturbance during construction, are easier to maintain and repair, and are simpler to connect to existing circuits.

Evidence indicates that overhead lines are significantly cheaper than undergrounding, with the Institution of Engineering and Technology (April 2025) estimating undergrounding costs around four and a half times more.

As these costs are ultimately borne by electricity bill payers, overhead lines remain the Government’s starting presumption.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate he has made of the costs of (a) undergrounding electricity transmission infrastructure and (b) developing overhead transmission lines.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Evidence published by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (April 2025) shows that the lifetime cost of underground transmission cables is around four and a half times higher than overhead lines.

As costs are borne by the electricity bill payer, the Government’s starting presumption for new transmission infrastructure is overhead lines. In nationally designated landscapes, undergrounding is the starting presumption.

A government commissioned study on the costs of innovative undergrounding methods for transmission lines over distances of 20km to 50km will be published in the near future.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what discussions sha has had with the with the Welsh Government in developing the BBC Charter Review Green Paper.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Government launched the BBC Charter Review on 16 December, including the publication of a Green paper.

DCMS consulted the Welsh Government on the Terms of Reference for Charter Review, and had multiple discussions as the Green Paper was being developed. We are continuing to engage with the Welsh Government, and the other Devolved Governments, as we progress the Charter Review.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the extent to which the current requirement for Distribution Network Operators to treat all connection applicants identically limits their ability to support Welsh community energy projects; and whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of a defined community energy status on creating a lawful basis for different treatment.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

DESNZ is working with Ofgem, Great British Energy, NESO, network operators and community energy stakeholders to explore regulatory and policy initiatives that will improve the experience of connecting customers to the grid, including community energy projects. These reforms will support community schemes where they are viable and aligned with our Clean Power 2030 ambitions.

While we must ensure fair access for all projects, our focus is on creating a system that delivers the greatest overall contribution to decarbonisation. For now, defining community energy aims to give communities clarity and prevent misuse of the designation rather than prioritisation.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether any definition or register of community energy organisations established under the Local Power Plan will allow Distribution Network Operators to identify eligible Welsh community energy projects and apply proportionate flexibility in the connections pipeline without breaching existing licence obligations.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Department is in the process of creating a definition of ‘Community Energy Group’ to provide clarity for communities seeking to form community energy groups and prevent the misuse of the designation.

The Department also recognises that community energy projects may need greater support in the connections process.

DESNZ is working alongside Ofgem, Great British Energy, the National Energy System Operator (NESO), network operators and community energy stakeholders to explore grid connection regulatory and policy initiatives that will improve the experience of connecting customers, including community energy projects across the UK.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he will take steps with the Welsh Government to define the term community energy for the specific purpose of enabling Distribution Network Operators to apply differentiated treatment in the grid connections process for genuinely community-owned projects in Wales.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

DESNZ is working with Ofgem, Great British Energy, NESO, network operators and community energy stakeholders to explore regulatory and policy initiatives that will improve the experience of connecting customers to the grid, including community energy projects. These reforms will support community schemes where they are viable and aligned with our Clean Power 2030 ambitions.

While we must ensure fair access for all projects, our focus is on creating a system that delivers the greatest overall contribution to decarbonisation. For now, defining community energy aims to give communities clarity and prevent misuse of the designation rather than prioritisation.

Government contract with Palantir Technologies

Energy prices for households and businesses

Heating oil prices

Creative industries and the use of AI

Congratulations to Hollie Davidson

Royal Mail delivery standards

Oil prices and the cost of living

International Women's Day 2026 and women’s inclusion in placemaking

Use of catapults against wildlife

Dolphin hunting in the Faroe Islands

Marie Curie Great Daffodil Appeal 2026

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Ruth Jones (Chair); Ann Davies; Gerald Jones; Ben Lake; Andrew Ranger

Submit Evidence (by 4 May 2026)

The rate of child poverty in Wales has changed very little over the past two decades, with around a third of Welsh children living in poverty during that time. Currently, 31% of children in Wales live in relative income poverty after housing costs. However, that figure also varies significantly depending on a family's circumstances, with larger families, lone parent families and families with at least one disabled adult or child experiencing higher rates of child poverty.