Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate her Department has made of the UK’s capacity to (a) process and (b) recycle electric vehicle batteries over the next 20 years.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Defra has not formally made this estimate, however as part of the department’s ongoing review of the UK batteries regulations we are considering waste electric vehicle battery arisings and the capacity that will be required to process them.

Under current regulations, take back, treatment and recycling of waste industrial batteries, which includes electric vehicle batteries, are statutory requirements under the Waste Batteries and Accumulators Regulations (2009). Producers of industrial batteries are required to take back waste batteries and must then ensure they are delivered to and accepted by an approved battery treatment operator or an approved battery exporter, for treatment and recycling either in or outside the United Kingdom. Producers must, by law, finance this treatment.

Businesses are taking steps to capture the economic opportunity in recycling electric vehicle batteries, and the Department of Business and Trade’s DRIVE35 funding programme recently awarded £18.5m grant funding to Altilium in Plymouth, who expect to be able to process 24,000 electric vehicle batteries per year.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what proportion of electric vehicle batteries were (a) reused, (b) recycled and (c) disposed of via landfill or incineration in the UK in the most recent 12-month period for which data are available.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Defra does not currently collect this data. Current statutory reporting requirements for waste batteries do not distinguish between reuse and recycling, or between different types of industrial battery, which includes electric vehicle batteries. It is against the law to dispose of waste industrial batteries in a landfill or by incineration.

Taking into account the expected increases in end-of-life electric vehicle batteries over the coming years and to support optimal end-of-life outcomes for waste electric vehicle batteries, Defra is currently engaging with industry and other stakeholders to inform a review of the UK batteries regulations.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of electricity connection charges on investment in renewable energy (a) small businesses and (b) farms.

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

Ofgem is responsible for the connection charging regulatory framework, which strikes a balance between recovering costs from connecting customers and electricity bill payers. In recent years Ofgem has reduced the connection costs that customers face, for example demand customers are typically not now required to contribute towards distribution network reinforcement costs of accommodating their connection.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what discussions he has had with cabinet colleagues about the potential impact of signal issues on smart meters on the energy transition and net-zero.

Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government is working closely with the Data Communications Company (DCC) - the organisation responsible for the smart metering network in Great Britain - to ensure that connectivity can be extended to the small minority of unserved properties as soon as possible.

One such solution, currently being rolled out, is Virtual WAN which involves using customers’ broadband connections (with consent) to carry smart metering communications.

Smart Meters are helping millions of consumers save money (households saved an estimated £700 million on bills in 2025 by managing energy usage using smart meters), whilst also supporting the delivery of Clean Power 2030.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the potential impact of signal issues on smart meters on reducing energy bills.

Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government is working closely with the Data Communications Company (DCC) - the organisation responsible for the smart metering network in Great Britain - to ensure that connectivity can be extended to the small minority of unserved properties as soon as possible.

One such solution, currently being rolled out, is Virtual WAN which involves using customers’ broadband connections (with consent) to carry smart metering communications.

Smart Meters are helping millions of consumers save money (households saved an estimated £700 million on bills in 2025 by managing energy usage using smart meters), whilst also supporting the delivery of Clean Power 2030.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the cost to the public purse was of advertising the digital ID consultation on a) Spotify, b) Apple Podcasts and c) Audible.

Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Podcasts are not bought at partner level, so we’re not able to provide this information. I refer the Hon Member to PQ126891 for details on costs.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the cost to the public purse is of advertising the Digital ID consultation on podcasts.

Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The digital ID consultation is open to the public, and its success is hinged on open and transparent participation. We have a duty to reach as broad a population as possible and have worked with media partners in order to ensure that the public are aware of the consultation and how to participate. For this campaign, we’ve worked with two podcast partners: Acast and Audioboom, with a combined spend of £62,817 for the duration of the 12 week consultation.

Sir David Attenborough's 100th birthday

Cost of red diesel

King's Guard's ceremonial bearskin caps

Scientific hearing on animal experiments

Fipronil and Imidacloprid Pesticides

Found: Current membership Ruth Cadbury (Labour; Brentford and Isleworth) (Chair) Steff Aquarone (Liberal Democrat