Written questions by Thomas.

What plans he has to introduce additional incentives for non-domestic buildings to use building energy management systems, with consideration to energy costs, carbon emissions and building occupants health.

Building Energy Management Systems can help landlords meet their obligations under the Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property) (England and Wales) Regulations 2015. The Energy Systems Catapult has guidance on Building Energy Management Systems, available to all public sector organisations at https://es.catapult.org.uk/tools-and-labs/public-sector-decarbonisation-guidance/all-tools-and-tutorials/

Innovation and Technology, pursuant to the Answer of 25 March 2026 to Question 121184 on Department for Science, Innovation and Technology: Apprentices, how many of the Department's 57 apprentices were recruited in (a) 2023, (b) 2024 and (c) 2025.

The department offers apprenticeships to internal staff as part of our learning and development offer. Since the original PQ, our records have updated to reflect an additional apprenticeship completion in 2025. We therefore now have 58 members of DSIT staff that are either currently undertaking an apprenticeship or have completed an apprenticeship between 2023 and 2025. (GOV.UK). This information is obtained from our Apprenticeship Employer Account on GOV.UK.Year by year breakdown:YearApprenticeships (live and completed)2023No records due to creation of the department from fBEIS, CO and DCMS20247202551Total58

Whether his department is taking steps to develop a dedicated lung health plan for respiratory conditions and lung disease.

As part of our 10-Year Health Plan, we are rolling out lung cancer screening, and the world-leading Tobacco and Vapes Bill will help deliver our ambition for a smoke-free United Kingdom. We are also expanding access to spirometry tests in community diagnostic centres to enable faster diagnosis of lung conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma.The Government will consider long-term conditions for future waves of modern service frameworks (MSFs), including respiratory conditions. The criteria for determining other conditions for future MSFs will be based on where there is potential for rapid and significant improvements in quality of care and productivity. After the initial wave of MSFs is complete, the National Quality Board will determine the conditions to prioritise for new MSFs as part of its work programme.

Whether she has considered changing the basis for determining Vehicle Excise Duty rates on motorcycles in line with other vehicles; and whether her Department plans to reduce Vehicle Excise Duty on motorcycles.

Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) is a tax on vehicles used or kept on public roads. Different rates apply to cars, vans and motorcycles, and the rate for each vehicle is calculated according to a range of factors, such as date of first registration, engine size, and CO2 emissions. VED for motorcycles is based on engine size. Zero emission motorcycles now pay the lowest VED rate which applies to the smallest engine size of 150cc or less (currently £26, and increasing to £27 from 1 April 2026 in line with the Retail Price Index). The government does not currently have any plans to reform the VED system for motorcycles.The Government annually reviews the rates and thresholds of taxes and reliefs to ensure that they are appropriate and reflect the current state of the economy. The Chancellor makes decisions on tax policy at fiscal events in the context of the public finances.

How many apprentices her Department recruited in (a) 2022, (b) 2023, (c) 2024 and (d) 2025.

Apprenticeships are a valuable tool for improving skills, productivity, and social mobility, whilst also supporting the development of our workforce. My Department continues to offer apprenticeships whenever a suitable vacancy arises. My Department recruited three apprentices in 2022, three in 2023, and none in 2024 or 2025.

How many apprentices her Department recruited in (a) 2022, (b) 2023, (c) 2024 and (d) 2025.

The Attorney General’s Office recruited the following number of apprentices in the years requested.YearLaw Officer Departments20227202372024520251

Innovation and Technology, how many apprentices her Department recruited in (a) 2022, (b) 2023, (c) 2024 and (d) 2025.

The department did not exist in 2022 and although we have not undertaken external apprenticeship recruitment between 2023 and 2025, we recruit apprentices from within. 57 existing members of DSIT staff are undertaking an apprenticeship or have completed an apprenticeship between 2023 and 2025.(GOV.UK)

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the proposal for unused pension funds and death benefits to be subject to Inheritance Tax on beneficiaries; and if she will make it her policy to cap the level of Inheritance Tax paid on such funds and benefits.

Most unused pension funds and death benefits payable from a pension will form part of a person’s estate for inheritance tax purposes from 6 April 2027. This removes distortions resulting from changes that have been made to pensions tax policy over the last decade, which have led to pensions being openly used and marketed as a tax planning vehicle to transfer wealth, rather than as a way to fund retirement. These reforms also remove inconsistencies in the inheritance tax treatment of different types of pensions. The Government has published a tax information and impact note, which is available at www.gov.uk/government/publications/inheritance-tax-unused-pension-funds-and-death-benefits/inheritance-tax-unused-pension-funds-and-death-benefits. The legislation for this reform is included in Finance Act 2026. A cap on the level of inheritance tax related to unused pension funds and death benefits payable from a pension would be inconsistent with the policy objective and reduce the revenue to help fund public services. More than 90 per cent of UK estates will continue to have no inheritance tax liability in 2030-31 following these changes and the reforms will only affect a minority of those with inheritable pension wealth.

How many apprentices her Department recruited in (a) 2022, (b) 2023, (c) 2024 and (d) 2025.

The number of apprentices enrolled on apprenticeship programmes within the department in each calendar year is as follows:2022: 324 apprentices.2023: 257 apprentices.2024: 206 apprentices.2025: 271 apprentices.Note this reflects a combination of new apprentices joining the department and existing staff embarking on apprenticeship programmes as part of their career development.

If he will make an assessment of the potential impact of Peter Mandelson’s relationship with Palantir on the award of a contract by his Department in December 2025.

As the Secretary of State has publicly said, Peter Mandelson had no influence or involvement in the Defence Enterprise Agreement with Palantir.

What assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of trends in the backlog of grid connection; and what steps he is taking to help reduce connection times for businesses.

Government has worked closely with the National Energy System Operator and network companies on their programme of connections reforms which have already reduced the queue for generation and storage connections by over half. Government is also developing further reforms to the grid connection process for demand, to manage the backlog of speculative data centre applications and enable prioritisation of available capacity for strategically important demand projects.

Whether he plans to issue guidance to planning authorities on the capacity of the grid for battery projects.

The Clean Power 2030 Action Plan outlines an ambition for 23 – 27 GW of grid-scale batteries in Great Britain by 2030 and indicates what proportion of this capacity is required in which part of the country for 2030. It also does the same for 2035. It is a matter for planning authorities whether to grant permission to proposed battery developments in line with existing planning guidance. Government does not plan to issue additional guidance on this matter.

Whether security risks relating to Chinese involvement in the UK’s energy infrastructure was discussed when creating the memorandum of understanding with China signed on 17 March 2025.

The protection and security of the energy sector is an absolute priority of this Government.Security considerations, including risks relating to foreign involvement in critical national infrastructure, are a standing consideration in the development of the UK’s approach to international engagement with any country, including when entering into non‑binding memoranda of understanding.

Whether the memorandum of understanding with China signed on 17 March 2025 includes safeguards to protect the UK against security concerns relating to Chinese involvement in the British infrastructure.

The Memorandum of Understanding establishes a non‑binding framework for policy dialogue and technical cooperation between the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and China’s National Energy Administration. The Department works very closely with industry and OGDs to maintain a detailed picture of all foreign involvement in critical national infrastructure. Foreign involvement in critical national infrastructure undergoes the highest levels of scrutiny, with the department working alongside OGDs to monitor and mitigate the security risks in the energy sector and its supply chain

When he intends to respond to the correspondence from the hon. Member for Bromsgrove dated 25 September 2025 representing the concerns of constituents in Bromsgrove and the Villages.

I am grateful to the hon Member for his patience. A response was issued on 24 February.

What estimate his Department has made of carbon emissions produced by Chinese manufacturing of UK energy infrastructure for (a) power grids, (b) battery storage, (c) offshore wind power and (d) green hydrogen; and whether he plans to include those emissions in the UK's overall emissions.

The Department estimates greenhouse gas emissions (including carbon dioxide) on a territorial basis, meaning emissions that occur within UK borders. This is the approach required by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the UK’s Climate Change Act 2008. The latest estimates are published here: UK territorial greenhouse gas emissions statistics - GOV.UK Defra publishes consumption-based emissions statistics, calculated by the University of Leeds, which include emissions associated with imported goods and services. The latest estimates are published here: UK and England's carbon footprint to 2022 - GOV.UK The Government’s industrial strategy and economic growth ambitions are underpinned by large-scale public investment into UK manufacturing and proactive measures to secure demand for UK made products through the deployment of clean energy technology, including through procurement and public finance.

Communities and Local Government, what progress has been made on introducing legislated protections for freeholders against uncapped service charges.

I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 4 July 2025 (HCWS780) and the answer given to Question UIN 103549 on 14 January 2026.

Whether the memorandum of understanding with China signed on 17 March 2025 includes contingency measures for the impact of Chinese manufactured energy infrastructure on UK household energy bills.

The MoU provides a strong platform for deepening cooperation across the full breadth of our shared energy priorities – from power market reform and system flexibility to carbon capture, utilisation and storage –and creates space for structured exchanges on the UK’s experience transitioning away from coal, enabling both sides to share lessons and support an accelerated, orderly and affordable clean‑energy transition. There is no presumption that Memoranda of Understanding be made publicly available, a decision that varies from agreement to agreement; indeed, the previous government did not publish the first clean‑energy agreement signed with China in 2015.

Whether the memorandum of understanding with China signed on 17 March 2025 includes measures to assess the national security impact of UK energy infrastructure manufactured in China.

The MoU provides a strong platform for deepening cooperation across the full breadth of our shared energy priorities – from power market reform and system flexibility to carbon capture, utilisation and storage –and creates space for structured exchanges on the UK’s experience transitioning away from coal, enabling both sides to share lessons and support an accelerated, orderly and affordable clean‑energy transition. There is no presumption that Memoranda of Understanding be made publicly available, a decision that varies from agreement to agreement; indeed, the previous government did not publish the first clean‑energy agreement signed with China in 2015.

Whether the memorandum of understanding with China signed on 17 March 2025 includes commitments on the Chinese embassy.

The MoU provides a strong platform for deepening cooperation across the full breadth of our shared energy priorities – from power market reform and system flexibility to carbon capture, utilisation and storage –and creates space for structured exchanges on the UK’s experience transitioning away from coal, enabling both sides to share lessons and support an accelerated, orderly and affordable clean‑energy transition. There is no presumption that Memoranda of Understanding be made publicly available, a decision that varies from agreement to agreement; indeed, the previous government did not publish the first clean‑energy agreement signed with China in 2015.