As set out in the answer of 20 May 2026 to Question 935, the Ministry of Defence is progressing its Defence Advanced Battery Strategy, which outlines the Department’s approach to advanced battery technologies. The strategy is in the final stages of review and the intent is it will be published before the end of this year. Due to the sensitive nature of military capabilities, this will be an internal document.

In developing this work, the Department will continue to engage, where appropriate, with relevant Government departments, including the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and the Department for Business and Trade, which lead on the UK’s National Battery Strategy, to ensure alignment with wider national policy and regulatory frameworks.

Data on the amount of oil held by the UK is published monthly in Energy Trends Table 3.11. As of February 2026, UK oil stocks were 10.6 million tonnes (equivalent to 81 million barrels) which exceeds the requirements as a member of the International Energy Agency (IEA). The government does not hold strategic reserves of gas. The government does not publish international comparisons on stock levels for either oil or gas. Oil stocks of IEA countries are published on the IEA website.

The government supports transport, storage and logistics businesses in Stockport through national funding and policy measures, including investment in freight innovation, support for transport decarbonisation, and wider infrastructure funding.

Businesses in Stockport may be eligible for national schemes including the Freight Innovation Fund, which supports small and medium sized enterprises to trial solutions that improve freight efficiency, resilience and decarbonisation. Grants are also available to businesses seeking to move eligible freight by rail or water rather than road through the Mode Shift Revenue Support Scheme.

The government is also supporting logistics firms with fuel cost pressures by extending the 5p fuel duty cut until 31 December 2026 and ensuring there will be no increases to fuel duty this year. In addition, a 12‑month holiday for Heavy Goods Vehicle Excise Duty (HGV VED) from July 2026 will reduce operating costs for hauliers, alongside targeted support to reflect the sector’s exposure to diesel prices and its critical role in UK supply chains.

These national measures are complemented by local transport investment in the Greater Manchester city region, which includes Stockport, such as through the national Transport for City Regions programme, which provides long-term funding to Mayoral Strategic Authorities.

The Energy Independence Bill will legislate for the powers the government needs to fight people’s corner and go further and faster on our clean energy mission. The full detail of the Energy Independence Bill and its policy measures will be set out in due course when it is introduced to Parliament.

The Government recognises the important role that storage and logistics-based businesses play in supporting economic growth, trade and supply chains across the UK.

The Government is supporting these sectors through a range of measures, including through maintaining permanent full expensing to encourage investment in qualifying plant and machinery, and investing in infrastructure and planning reform to improve connectivity and the efficient movement of goods.

At the Budget, the VOA announced updated property values from the 2026 revaluation. This revaluation was the first since the pandemic, which has led to significant increases in rateable values for some properties as they recover from the pandemic.

To respond to those who are seeing large increases, the Government has already acted to limit increases in bills, announcing a support package worth £4.3 billion package at the Budget.

The Government recognises the important role that storage and logistics-based businesses play in supporting economic growth, trade and supply chains across the UK.

The Government is supporting these sectors through a range of measures, including through maintaining permanent full expensing to encourage investment in qualifying plant and machinery, and investing in infrastructure and planning reform to improve connectivity and the efficient movement of goods.

At the Budget, the VOA announced updated property values from the 2026 revaluation. This revaluation was the first since the pandemic, which has led to significant increases in rateable values for some properties as they recover from the pandemic.

To respond to those who are seeing large increases, the Government has already acted to limit increases in bills, announcing a support package worth £4.3 billion package at the Budget.

The Business Secretary has regular discussions with the British Business Bank on a range of issues relating to access to finance for smaller businesses. No recent discussions have taken place specifically on the provision of low-interest loans for industrial battery storage systems.

The Bank’s Growth Guarantee Scheme facilitates the provision of loans to smaller businesses on a sector-neutral basis. In 2025, the Bank also launched a pilot of a Green Growth Guarantee Scheme to facilitate the flow of finance to businesses investing in green technologies.

The Government remains committed to delivering a Geological Disposal Facility (GDF) as the long-term solution for the safe and secure management of the UK’s most hazardous radioactive waste. The process for identifying a suitable location for a GDF remains consent-based, requiring both suitable geology and a willing host community.

The Ministry of Defence is progressing its ‘Defence Advanced Battery Strategy’ which sets out the Department’s approach to advanced battery technologies.

The Department does not currently publish specific guidance for the construction or management of Battery Energy Storage Systems on its estate. This is a recognised gap, and a planned pilot project will inform future feasibility work and the development of appropriate standards and guidance in due course.

We are committed to including Battery Energy Storage Solutions as an activity in the Environmental Permitting Regulations, subject to final policy review.

It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. I will correspond directly with the noble Earl.

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

It has not proved possible to respond to the Member in the time available before Prorogation.

It has not proved possible to respond to the Rt hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Government recognises the importance of electrification of transport, including heavy goods vehicles, in delivering transport decarbonisation targets, and is aware of the impact that energy costs are having on different sectors, including logistics.

Government is addressing wholesale and network costs through long‑term investment in clean, homegrown power to reduce exposure to volatile fossil fuel prices.

The Department for Business and Trade regularly engages across Government, including with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and the Department for Transport, on matters relating to the cost of the electrification of transport. The Secretary of State for Business and Trade and his ministerial team will continue to have regular discussions with all Cabinet colleagues on energy costs.

The Department has neither set nor considered setting a national standard for the maximum timeframe within which brain tumour tissue should be placed into a fresh-frozen state following surgical excision.

Fresh-freezing, also referred to as snap-freezing, is a standard technique used by pathology networks to preserve tissue architecture without chemical fixatives, allowing for subsequent molecular or histological analysis, typically supporting research or advanced diagnostic applications.

Pathology services in England are delivered through 27 regional pathology networks, and offer a comprehensive range of tests, including the analysis of brain tissues. Individual pathology services in England maintain their own standard operating procedures (SOPs) for fresh, or the snap-freezing, of tissue samples. These SOPs outline local capabilities and practices. While NHS England does not routinely set detailed technical standards for specific laboratory processes, relevant professional bodies, such as Royal College of Pathologists, may develop guidance to support consistent practice across services.

Data on monthly red diesel stocks and demand are published in Energy Trends Tables 3.11 and 3.13, respectively: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/oil-and-oil-products-section-3-energy-trends.

The Department does not publish estimates of days consumption.