Written questions by Bloore.

Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking through the Industrial Strategy's research and development missions to expand innovation capacity in regional manufacturing hubs.

Awaiting answer.

What steps his Department is taking to improve access to scale-up finance for employee-owned businesses.

Awaiting answer.

Innovation and Technology, what recent discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero on aligning AI-driven electricity demand forecasts with available grid capacity.

Awaiting answer.

How many ransomware as a service operations were disrupted by the Regional Organised Crime Unit network in the 2025-26 financial year.

Awaiting answer.

Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of progress toward achieving 99% gigabit accessibility in the West Midlands region by 2032.

Awaiting answer.

Innovation and Technology, what estimate she has made of the resources required for essential service providers to comply with the mandatory incident reporting requirements of the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill.

Awaiting answer.

What steps her Department is taking to increase the number of specialist cyber investigators within West Mercia Police.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of network constraint payments on the unit cost of electricity for industrial consumers.

Awaiting answer.

What steps he is taking with the Office for Investment to align the strategic site identification process with available grid headroom for industrial developers.

Awaiting answer.

What estimate his Department has made of the compliance costs for small and medium-sized enterprises resulting from the audit and assurance requirements in the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill.

Awaiting answer.

What steps his Department is taking to identify alternative financing models for flexible gas generation that ensure price stability for households and businesses.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Contracts for Difference scheme in decoupling wholesale electricity prices from gas price volatility for household consumers.

Awaiting answer.

What assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Contracts for Difference scheme in decoupling wholesale electricity prices from gas price volatility for household consumers.

It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

What steps his Department is taking to identify alternative financing models for flexible gas generation that ensure price stability for households and businesses as the grid decarbonises.

It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential impacts of different market models on decoupling wholesale electricity prices from gas price volatility.

It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

What steps his Department is taking through the Regulation Action Plan to align regulatory frameworks with the Modern Industrial Strategy.

The Industrial Strategy sets out how targeted regulatory reform will support key sectors to unlock investment and increase productivity. This is reinforced by the Regulation Action Plan which aims to tackle the regulatory burden and complexity; reduce uncertainty and challenge risk aversion to drive growth.This is supported by targeted regulatory reviews in growth-driving sectors. For example, DBT is working with Defra and the Regulatory Innovation Office on a regulatory review of agri-tech as a frontier industry, to help SMEs navigate the regulatory landscape and support farmer adoption. This approach ensures regulation supports innovation and investment while maintaining essential protections.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of sector-specific administrative cost baselines on measuring the 25% reduction in business compliance costs targeted under the Regulation Action Plan.

We have established a baseline of the annual administrative burden of regulation on UK businesses, including SMEs. As set out in the technical annex to the policy paper ‘A new approach to ensure regulators and regulation support growth’, we used a pragmatic, top-down approach, building on the previous Administrative Burden Reduction Programme (2005-10), which was based on detailed feedback from businesses, including SMEs, in individual sectors.Our approach was also informed by DBT’s Business Perceptions Survey, which draws from a large, representative sample of businesses across sectors and sizes to ensure our reforms are targeted effectively.

What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of marginal electricity pricing on the Consumer Prices Index since July 2024.

Forecasting the economy, including the impact of Government policy decisions on inflation, is the responsibility of the independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR). The OBR has not published a specific estimate of the impact of marginal electricity pricing on Consumer Price Index inflation.The electricity market operates on the principle of marginal cost pricing, where gas-fired generation frequently sets the wholesale price, meaning electricity prices have closely tracked gas prices. This is link is already weakening as more renewable energy comes online. The Government is taking further steps to reduce this link: we will set out plans for legacy low-carbon generators to move onto fixed-price arrangements from 2027, and the Electricity Generator Levy's rate has been increased, and it will be extended beyond its scheduled end date. Further details on these measures will be provided in due course. As reliance on gas falls, electricity prices are expected to be set increasingly by lower-cost generation, including renewables.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the marginal pricing mechanism on the revenues of renewable and nuclear electricity generators.

We will bring forward plans later this year to offer legacy low carbon generators the option of fixed price arrangements, with an intention to run an allocation process in 2027. Government will only offer contracts to electricity generators where it represents clear value for money for consumers. Further details will be set out in due course, with plans to consult later this year.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the 25% administration reduction target set out in the Regulation Action Plan on the baseline annual compliance costs of small and medium-sized enterprises.

We have established a baseline of the annual administrative burden of regulation on UK businesses, including SMEs. As set out in the technical annex to the policy paper ‘A new approach to ensure regulators and regulation support growth’, we used a pragmatic, top-down approach, building on the previous Administrative Burden Reduction Programme (2005-10), which was based on detailed feedback from businesses, including SMEs, in individual sectors.Our approach was also informed by DBT’s Business Perceptions Survey, which draws from a large, representative sample of businesses across sectors and sizes to ensure our reforms are targeted effectively.