Asked by: Graham Leadbitter (Scottish National Party - Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to her Department's policy paper entitled Airspace modernisation, published on 22 October 2024, whether her Department and the Civil Aviation Authority plan to deploy the Scottish cluster's airspace change proposal first.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government’s priority is to deliver the benefits of airspace modernisation alongside the critical technology upgrades to the UK’s air traffic control systems. The Department for Transport is working closely with Edinburgh and Glasgow airports, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and NATS to ensure that the airports can continue to make progress with their Airspace Change Proposals in line with the CAA’s airspace change process. The next stage in this process is for the airports to consult on their proposals.
Asked by: Graham Leadbitter (Scottish National Party - Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to prevent the livestreaming of child sexual abuse.
Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The Government is unequivocal in its commitment to protecting children from online sexual abuse. Livestreamed abuse is a particularly abhorrent form of exploitation, and we are determined to ensure that offenders cannot use technology to harm children with impunity.
The Online Safety Act introduces world-leading protections for children. It places robust duties on tech companies to prevent and swiftly remove illegal content, including child sexual abuse material, and to take proactive steps to protect children from harm. Ofcom, as the regulator, will have strong enforcement powers to ensure compliance.
We also recognise the importance of device-level protections. I support the development and deployment of safety technologies that can help prevent abuse before it happens. This includes exploring the role of on-device tools that can detect and disrupt livestreamed abuse and other image-based harms, while respecting users’ privacy and maintaining end-to-end encryption.
The Government continues to work closely with law enforcement, industry, and child protection experts to ensure that the UK remains at the forefront of efforts to tackle online child sexual abuse.
Asked by: Graham Leadbitter (Scottish National Party - Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Autumn Budget 2024 on the Scotch Whisky industry.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Over 90% of scotch is exported, and so will not be directly affected by the Budget measures, but the industry is set to be among the biggest beneficiaries from the trade deal with India, which is set to reduce tariffs from 150% to 75% initially, and then 40% over time.
Asked by: Graham Leadbitter (Scottish National Party - Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the risk of airborne attacks to the security of nuclear power stations; and whether such assessments are included in infrastructure resilience planning.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
As these questions relate to civil nuclear infrastructure modelling and civil nuclear contingency planning, they are not a matter for Defence but should be directed to the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.
Asked by: Graham Leadbitter (Scottish National Party - Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of abolishing peak fares for rail passengers.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
We are overhauling the fares and ticketing system to make it easier for passengers to trust that they are buying the right ticket and getting the best fare, with the move to Great British Railways passengers will be able to receive a more consistent offer across the network.
The amount of taxpayer subsidy provided to the railway industry has increased from under a quarter in 2018/19 to almost half of total income following the COVID-19 pandemic in 2023/24. We need to balance affordability for both passengers and taxpayers as we reform fares and deliver Great British Railways, ensuring everyone gets a fair deal.
Asked by: Graham Leadbitter (Scottish National Party - Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if his Department will publish nuclear infrastructure modelling for nuclear projects in the UK.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department conducts power market modelling using the Dynamic Dispatch Model (DDM). The DDM is a comprehensive fully integrated power market model covering the GB power market over the medium to long term. Analysis published using this model, such as Modelling 2050 – electricity system analysis - GOV.UK, has shown the importance of nuclear to obtaining low-cost low-carbon solutions to future electricity supply. The DDM has also been used to inform value-for-money assessments, such as the final investment decision on Sizewell C. Sizewell C: Value for money assessment - GOV.UK.
Asked by: Graham Leadbitter (Scottish National Party - Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has provided guidance on government departments analogising UK Government expenditure to household budgets.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
HM Treasury has not provided guidance to other government departments comparing UK Government expenditure to household budgets.
Asked by: Graham Leadbitter (Scottish National Party - Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will publish summary-level modelling of the (a) environmental and (b) public health impact of terrorist attacks at Sizewell C.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
We do not publish modelling on the likely impacts of terrorist attacks on the UK’s civil nuclear sites beyond the information included in the public National Risk Register on the grounds of national security. DESNZ officials contribute detailed modelling on potential impacts as part of their contribution to the National Security Risk Assessment, which underpins the National Risk Register.
Asked by: Graham Leadbitter (Scottish National Party - Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of inheritance tax rules on housing supply.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) takes inheritance tax into account in its assessments of the housing market. Information can be found at https://obr.uk/forecasts-in-depth/the-economy-forecast/housing-market/.
The estates of all individuals benefit from a £325,000 nil-rate band for inheritance tax. The residence nil-rate band is a further £175,000 for those passing on a qualifying residence on death to their direct descendants, such as children or grandchildren, and there are rules in place to accommodate those wishing to downsize. Information is available at www.gov.uk/guidance/how-downsizing-selling-or-gifting-a-home-affects-the-additional-inheritance-tax-threshold.
The residence nil-rate band was introduced under the previous Government. The OBR’s assessment of its expected impact on the housing market was set out in its Economic and Fiscal Outlook published on 8 July 2015. This is available at https://obr.uk/efo/economic-fiscal-outlook-july-2015/.
Asked by: Graham Leadbitter (Scottish National Party - Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate her Department has made of the number of homeowners whose property is above the free home care threshold but below the £1 million Inheritance Tax Allowance; and whether her Department plans to take steps to change the incentive for these homeowners to leave their property empty.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
Adult social care is a devolved policy area. In England, whether a person qualifies for any financial support towards their care costs depends on the results of a financial assessment. Where an individual is receiving care in a setting that is not a care home, such as where they receive care at home, the value of their main or only home must be disregarded during this financial assessment.