Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what measures the Government is taking to expand National Grid capacity.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Government is working at pace with Ofgem, the National Energy System Operator and network companies to deliver reforms to ensure Great Britain’s electricity network can meet growing electricity demand, connect new generation, reduce congestion and maintain secure and reliable supplies.
Measures include reforming planning and consenting, moving to strategic whole-system network planning, supporting supply chains and skills, and streamlining regulation. These reforms aim to accelerate delivery times for major transmission infrastructure while maintaining value for money for consumers.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, whether his Department plans to strengthen the regulation of lithium-ion batteries and conversion kits available to modify e-bikes.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)
Under existing UK product regulations, lithium-ion batteries and e-bike conversion kits must be safe before being placed on the market. Businesses are responsible for complying with all relevant regulatory requirements, including providing necessary information and warnings to enable safe use.
The Government sought views on whether targeted regulations may be appropriate for product types raised in the passage of the Product Regulation and Metrology Act, including lithium-ion batteries in our product safety framework consultation. We are carefully considering the responses and will publish our response in due course.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, whether his Department plans to review the employment status framework for gig-economy workers to ensure that riders and delivery companies have enforceable health and safety responsibilities in relation to E-bikes and the way they are ridden.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)
The proposals in the employment status consultation seek to make it easier for people, including those in the gig economy, to access core employment rights.
The Government expects those driving or riding for work to keep both themselves and other road users safe. As such we have committed to piloting a new voluntary Work-Related Road Safety Charter that is being developed in partnership with industry. The Charter will be informed by existing schemes such as Driving for Better Business and encourage everyone involved in driving or riding for work to improve road safety. That includes consideration of delivery drivers on E-bikes.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of mandatory registration of E-bikes used by gig-economy workers.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department has made no such assessment and there are no plans to require a registration system for e-bikes used by gig-economy workers.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she made an assessment of the potential merits of requiring exam boards to develop a Romanian GCSE.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)
I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for Bermondsey and Old Southwark to the answer of 8 June 2026 to Question 4731.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many police officers are trained in Respect Orders in each police force across the UK.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
Respect Orders commenced on 26 October across England and Wales. The Home Office does not centrally hold data on the number of police officers trained in the use of Respect Orders in each police force in England and Wales.
Updated statutory guidance on anti-social behaviour was published by this Government on 6 October 2026, ahead of the commencement of Respect Orders on 26 October. The guidance provides police, local authorities, housing providers and other practitioners with clear operational guidance on the use of the strengthened anti-social behaviour framework, including Respect Orders.
Additionally, the College of Policing chaired knowledge sharing events prior to the rollout of Respect Orders, enabling police officers to familiarise themselves with the legislative change before commencement.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when her Department plans to re-start ministerial drop-ins to raise urgent casework.
Answered by Jo White - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
Ministerial casework surgeries are held regularly.
Urgent casework can also be raised with the Department at any time through either the MP Urgent Inbox or directly with Home Office Ministers.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department plans to increase the enforcement of standard EPAC limits for E-bikes.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
Enforcement of Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycle (EAPC) limits is a matter for operationally independent police forces. Police have powers to take action against e-bikes that exceed the EAPC legal limits. It is for Chief Constables, rather than the Home Office, to determine how these powers are deployed in response to local priorities.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has plans to reduce the threshold for intensive farms to require Environmental Permits.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government currently has no plans to reduce the thresholds at which large intensive livestock farms require an environmental permit but will keep these thresholds under review.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has plans to categorise intensive livestock farming under section 336(1) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 as industrial activity.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Large intensive farms are part of the agricultural sector, and we have no plans to categorise them as industrial activity.