theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Sir James Cleverly:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to paragraph 83 of his Department's policy paper entitled Restoring trust in our democracy: Our strategy for modern and secure elections, published on 17 July 2025, whether the code of conduct will include Islamophobia. \p Samantha Dixon: The Government is clear that all forms of harassment, intimidation and abuse are unacceptable and have no place in our democracy. As set out in the Restoring Trust in our Democracy strategy, we will work with the Speaker’s Conference and the Electoral Commission to develop a code of conduct for campaigning which is fit for purpose. This code will aim to reduce harassment and intimidation of all forms, improve the tone of campaigning, and promote a safer and more inclusive democratic environment.
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Sir James Cleverly:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to page 59 of the MHCLG annual report and accounts 2024-25, HC1062, published on 22 July 2025, what the business case was for the increase in the total cost of trade union facility time between 2023-24 and 2024-25; and whether Ministers authorised the increase. \p Samantha Dixon: Trade union representatives have a legal right to be given time off to undertake their duties. Facility time is granted in line with Cabinet Office guidance and remains within 1% of our overall paybill.
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Stephen Gethins:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Answer of 2 April 2025 to Question 41875, when she plans to respond to correspondence from the hon. Member for Arbroath and Broughty Ferry of 31 January 2025. \p Samantha Dixon: I apologise for the delay in responding to your correspondence, I will respond as soon as possible.
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Darren Paffey:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has independently reviewed the most recent Fire Risk Appraisal of External Walls completed by Vistry for French Court, SO14 2DZ. \p Samantha Dixon: The Department has not commissioned an independent review of a Fire Risk Appraisal of External Walls for this building.
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Terry Jermy:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many people with disabilities were employed in her Department on 2 September 2025. \p Samantha Dixon: Information on the number of people declaring a disability by each government department are published annually as part of Civil Service Statistics 2025, an accredited official statistics publication. Latest published data are as at 31 March 2025 and can be found at Table 29 of the statistical tables at the following web address:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/civil-service-statistics-2025

Information for 31 March 2026 is due for publication in July 2026.
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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many days were lost to sickness absence by civil servants in their Department (a) in total and (b) on average per employee between 5 July 2024 and 4 July 2025. \p Samantha Dixon: Sickness absence data for the Civil Service, including departmental breakdowns is published annually, and is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/sickness-absence.

The next update will be for the year ending 31st March 2025.
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Phil Brickell:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to equip local authorities to (a) identify and (b) appropriately respond to (i) United Front activity and (ii) transnational repression. \p Samantha Dixon: This Government works closely with law enforcement and other partners to continue to strengthen our understanding of reporting trends and methodologies of transnational repression to ensure sufficient safeguards and mitigations are in place to prevent, detect and counter the threat. Attempts by any foreign state to intimidate, harass or harm individuals in the UK will never be tolerated, irrespective of the perpetrating country.

I refer the hon Member to Written Statement HCWS632 made on 14 May 2025 by the Security Minister signalling the conclusion of the Defending Democracy Taskforce’s Transnational Repression Review.
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Mike Wood:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how much has been spent on (a) signage, (b) furniture, (c) artwork and (d) stationery for the Deputy Prime Minister’s office in her Department. \p Samantha Dixon: There was no expenditure on signage, furniture, artwork or stationary for former Deputy Prime Minister’s office in 70 Whitehall.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she has declared any property loan under the Ministerial interests regime. \p Samantha Dixon: The former Deputy Prime Minister declared her interests in line with the procedure outlined in the Ministerial Code.
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Bobby Dean:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of an increase in the number of leasehold flat forfeitures due to leaseholders being unable to pay costs arising from building safety defects on the mortgage securitisation market; and if she will make a statement. \p Samantha Dixon: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 30259 on 19 February 2025.

Government remains committed to removing the disproportionate and draconian threat of forfeiture as a means of ensuring compliance with a lease agreement. Qualifying leaseholders are protected from costs of remedying specific historical safety defects under the Building Safety Act, while at the same time we ensure those who built defective buildings take responsibility for remedying them, and wider industry contributes to fixing the problem.

Looking specifically at mortgage securitisation, my officials speak to the mortgage lending sector who we would expect to raise if an issue.
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Helen Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when she plans to make an announcement on pavement parking. \p Simon Lightwood: The Department has been considering all the views expressed in response to the 2020 pavement parking consultation and is currently working through the policy options and the appropriate means of delivering them. We will announce the next steps and publish our formal response as soon as possible. The new research announced last week will not delay this; my officials are finalising its terms now. The Department will aim to publish within 12 weeks of agreeing final outputs, per Government Social Research protocols. Local authorities can make use of existing powers to manage pavement parking.
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Lewis Cocking:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of removing the separate eligibility criteria for children under three for the Blue Badge scheme. \p Simon Lightwood: Since 17 June 2011, children under the age of three have been eligible for a Blue Badge if they fall under either or both of the following criteria:

(a) a child who, because of a condition, must always be accompanied by bulky medical equipment which cannot be carried around with the child without great difficulty

(b) a child who, because of a condition, must always be kept near a motor vehicle so that, if necessary, treatment for that condition can be given in the vehicle or the child can be taken quickly in the vehicle to a place where such treatment can be given

Whilst the Department recommends that local authorities treat each application for children under the age of three as a special case, it does not consider that there is a compelling case for giving automatic Blue Badge eligibility to disabled children below the age of three who do not meet the above criteria. In most cases, they could reasonably be carried in a pram or pushchair, in much the same way as able-bodied children of a similar age.
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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the planned £8.5 million reduction in funding for the British Transport Police Funding on the policing of crime on the rail network. \p Simon Lightwood: The budget for the British Transport Police for the financial year 2025/26 is £415m - a 5.9% increase on the year before.

The British Transport Police’s (BTP) budget is set by the British Transport Police Authority (BTPA). It is the executive non-departmental public body that oversees the Force and is their employer. BTPA sets the BTP’s budget annually following proposals from the Force and views from industry. BTP work closely with BTPA and industry operators to make final resourcing decisions with their agreed budget.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 8 September to Question 71269 on Train Operating Companies: Conditions of Employment and Trade Unions, whether this information is held by DfT Operator Limited. \p Simon Lightwood: DFTO currently has oversight of six Train Operating Companies (TOCs). The TOCs are subsidiaries of DFTO and trade union agreements are negotiated, held and managed at the subsidiary level rather than by DFTO itself. Similarly operating practices on employees rights are also administered and managed by the TOCs rather than DFTO.
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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has received any recent representations from (a) individual and (b) organisations on the standard of maintenance of (i) tactile cones and (ii) other pedestrian crossing aids for blind and visually sighted people; and what recent discussions she has had with local authorities on the maintenance of (A) tactile cones and (B) other pedestrian crossing aids for blind and visually sighted people. \p Simon Lightwood: The Department has not received any such representations. The provision and maintenance of tactile cones and other pedestrian crossing aids are matters for local authorities. Local authorities have a duty under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 to provide for the safe movement of road users, including pedestrians. They also have a duty under the Equality Act 2010 to provide accessible services.

The Department has endorsed the code of practice ‘Management of Electronic Traffic Equipment’ which provides good practice advice for local authorities on maintaining assets including traffic signals and associated equipment. This is published by the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation.
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Joe Robertson:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions her Department has had with Transport for London on the (a) welfare and (b) remuneration of bus drivers in London. \p Simon Lightwood: Transport in London is devolved to the Mayor and TfL, and any impacts of strike action on London’s transport network are for TfL to manage. Nevertheless, the Government understands this is disappointing for passengers and businesses and we continue to encourage all sides to work together to resolve this dispute as quickly as possible. Likewise, TfL and their contractors are responsible for operational and welfare decisions regarding bus services and bus drivers operating in the Capital.
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Peter Fortune:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what her policy is on investment in the Dartford Crossing. \p Simon Lightwood: The Dartford Crossing is one of the most important roads in the UK, used by an average of 150,000 vehicles daily, of which almost 40% are freight vehicles: a much higher proportion than for other major roads. Consequently, significant annual expenditure (£42.2million in 2023/24) goes on operating, maintaining and improving the Crossing, particularly in relation to the older tunnels, which require increasingly intensive maintenance to, for example, the ventilation, electrical and drainage systems.

Additional capacity across the River Thames east of London will be provided by the Lower Thames Crossing, complementing the Dartford Crossing which will remain an essential part of the London Orbital road.
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Peter Fortune:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to reduce public spending on Southeastern Railway. \p Simon Lightwood: The Government is busy delivering on its plan to overhaul the railways through the creation of Great British Railways, uniting train and track with the focus of delivering for passengers and freight.

In June this year, Southeastern and Network Rail Kent route united under a single leadership team known as South Eastern Railway – a significant step towards the creation of Great British Railways. This more collaborative approach is resulting in greater efficiency with better, faster decisions for customers and taxpayers, and reducing the subsidy required to operate Southeastern.
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Robin Swann:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department is taking steps to help prevent slugs entering traffic light controller boxes. \p Simon Lightwood: Responsibility for the design, installation and maintenance of traffic signal equipment, including controller cabinets, lies with the relevant local traffic authority. It is for them to ensure they procure equipment suitable for the conditions in which it is likely to be used.
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Peter Fortune:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the proposed Bakerloo Line extension to the London Borough of Bromley on Southeastern rail services in Hayes. \p Simon Lightwood: We recognise the socio-economic benefits that the proposed Bakerloo Line Extension could offer regionally and nationally, and we want to improve transport and services for passengers. As transport in London is devolved to the Mayor of London and Transport for London, it is for them to make decisions on the merits of investment including any upgrade to the Bakerloo Line.
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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many days the Union Flag was flown on her Department's main sites in (a) 2024 and (b) 2025 to date. \p Simon Lightwood: At our main London headquarters building the Union Flag is flown every day. The only other main site where there is a flag pole is Spring Place in Southampton. The Red Ensign, and the Coastguard Flag, which have the Union Flag incorporated within it, are flown Monday to Friday every week at this site.
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Dr Al Pinkerton:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to support public awareness campaigns aimed at improving cycling safety for women in Surrey Heath constituency. \p Simon Lightwood: Active Travel England is working with local authorities to provide high-quality cycling infrastructure which aims to help women feel safer when cycling. Design guidance for new infrastructure, such as that funded through the Active Travel Fund, requires that new schemes are accessible to all users, including women. This can include providing lighting for walking and cycling schemes, improving social safety, and delivering road safety improvements to existing schemes.

In February, we announced almost £300 million funding for active travel in 2024/25 and 2025/26. This can be used by local authorities to support the development of direct and safe cycling routes. Surrey Council has been awarded over £1.4 million in capital funding for 24/25 and over £4.4 million in revenue funding for 24/25 and capital funding for 25/26.

Following updates to the Highway Code in 2022 introducing a hierarchy of road users, the department ran a THINK! campaign to raise awareness of the changes as they came into effect. This refreshed guidance placed particular emphasis on the safety of vulnerable road users, including cyclists, pedestrians, and horse riders. The campaign specifically highlighted the new rules and educated both drivers and cyclists, ensuring that cyclists understood their rights and responsibilities while clarifying how drivers should behave around them.

Currently, THINK! is running a “Pedestrian Crossing” radio advert via the Fillers service, which allows broadcasters to air public service messages at no cost. The advert raises awareness about safe driving speeds and passing distances, reminding drivers to leave at least 1.5 metres when overtaking cyclists and to give adequate space to horse riders.
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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of funding levels for the British Transport Police in Devon. \p Simon Lightwood: The British Transport Police’s (BTP) budget is set by the British Transport Police Authority (BTPA) which is the executive non-departmental public body that oversees the Force and is their employer. BTPA sets the BTP’s budget annually following proposals from the Force and views from industry.

Like other police forces the BTP have operational independence, so the BTP Chief Constable and Chief Officers use a variety of data to inform the deployment of officers and other resources, including demand for their presence in Devon. This capacity planning process ensures that BTP has the best information to ensure officers across the network, including in Devon, are in the right place at the right time.
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Sarah Coombes:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many drivers successfully claimed exceptional hardship when they reached 12 penalty points and continued to drive in the last five years. \p Simon Lightwood: The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)’s role in the driving licence endorsement and disqualification process is to update and maintain the driver record with information provided by His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunal Service. The DVLA does not disqualify individuals from driving. The courts are responsible for convicting and sentencing individuals for road traffic offences and notifies the DVLA of any convictions where the offence attracts either penalty points or a period of disqualification.

Where a driving licence holder has accumulated 12 or more penalty points, a court can exercise its discretion and not disqualify them. The courts may decide to allow drivers to retain their entitlement to drive where it is considered by the court that disqualification would cause exceptional hardship. These are decisions for the courts and not the DVLA. On 30 August 2025 there were 10,384 drivers with more than 12 or more penalty points who have current driving entitlement and have not been disqualified by a court.

The table below shows the number of drivers who have been disqualified from driving by a court as they have received 12 or more penalty points over the last four years. Some drivers may appear more than once in this table. Please note that this type of disqualification is removed from the driver record after four years so figures are not available before 30 August 2021.

Year

Number of drivers with a TT99 offence

2021

14,158

2022

42,367

2023

39,586

2024

41,020

2025 (to 30 August)

27,313

The DVLA does not hold information on the number of drivers who have applied to have their driving disqualification period reduced.
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Mr Peter Bedford:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the performance of train operators since the announcement of the creation of Great British Railways. \p Simon Lightwood: Great British Railways is set to be the ‘directing mind’ for the rail industry, bringing together the management of the network and the delivery of passenger services into a single public body. Establishing Great British Railways as a new arm’s length body will take time, but we must and have begun the process of fixing our railways now – improving services for our customers and taking a whole-system approach, so we deliver a more sustainable, affordable and reliable railway.

We are starting to see train reliability stabilise following a decade of decline, and cancellations are no longer rising. We have ended the national industrial dispute, bringing passenger confidence back and we are seeing passenger journeys increasing. Furthermore, we have made station-specific performance information available for the first time, as a visible sign that we are determined to improve standards.
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James MacCleary:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to support local authorities in the (a) recruitment and (b) training of school crossing patrols. \p Simon Lightwood: The Department for Transport supports Local Authorities through legislation, guidance, and best practice frameworks but it does not directly manage the recruitment or training of School Crossing Patrols because that is a non-statutory role delegated to Local Authorities.
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Laurence Turner:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the cost of a single anytime (a) first and (b) standard class rail ticket between Durham and Basildon was in April (i) 2010 and (ii) 2024. \p Simon Lightwood: The single anytime fares from Durham to Basildon are as follows:

The regulated fare for many LNER routes switched from the Super Off-Peak return to the Super Off-Peak single in 2023 due to single leg pricing. The cost of the Super Off-Peak fare are as follows:
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Joe Robertson:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions she has had with the Mayor of London on supporting London bus drivers during periods of industrial action on the London Underground. \p Simon Lightwood: Transport in London is devolved to the Mayor of London and Transport for London, this includes bus services operating in the Capital. While the Department works closely with Transport for London on a range of issues, the operation of the bus network is for Transport for London and its contractors.
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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that credit hire providers serving vulnerable road users are represented in ongoing motor insurance policy discussions. \p Simon Lightwood: Ministers and officials have discussions with a range of stakeholders concerning motor insurance matters.

The government’s Motor Insurance Taskforce, led by the Department for Transport and HM Treasury, is engaging with a range of interested stakeholders, including the Credit Hire Organisation.

The Taskforce plans to publish its final report in the autumn.
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Shockat Adam:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential cost to the public purse of introducing a national free travel pass for NHS workers. \p Simon Lightwood: There are no current plans to introduce national rail discounts to NHS worker. Once established, Great British Railways will have the opportunity to take a fresh look at the eligibility and restrictions of concession schemes. Any long-term changes or concessions made to rail fares policy requires balancing against the potential impacts on passengers and taxpayers.

The English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS) provides free off-peak bus travel to those with eligible disabilities and those of state pension age, currently sixty-six. The ENCTS costs around £700 million annually and any changes to the statutory obligations, such as expanding the eligibility criteria to include NHS workers, would therefore need to be carefully considered for its impact on the scheme’s financial sustainability.

However, as part of the Autumn 2024 Budget, the government allocated £955 million to support and improve bus services in 25/26. This includes £712 million for local authorities, this can be used to expand services and improve reliability, which are currently massive obstacles for too many people. Funding allocated to local authorities to deliver better bus services can be used in whichever way they wish to improve services for passengers, which could include introducing new fares initiatives to reduce the cost of bus travel for passengers, including NHS workers.
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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans her Department has to support the (a) maintenance and (b) operation of swimming facilities in South Holland and the Deepings constituency. \p Stephanie Peacock: The ongoing responsibility of providing access to public leisure facilities lies at local authority level, with funding levels set as part of the Local Government Finance Settlement. The Government encourages local authorities to make investments which offer the right opportunities and facilities for the communities they serve, investing in sport and physical activity with a place-based approach, to meet the needs of individual communities.

In June, we committed another £400 million to transform sports facilities across the whole of the UK over the next four years, supporting the Government's Plan for Change. We will ensure that this funding promotes health, wellbeing and community cohesion and helps to remove the barriers to physical activity for under-represented groups. We are working closely with sporting bodies and local leaders to establish what communities need, before setting out further plans on how future funding will be allocated across the UK.

I met with Sir John Hayes and Deepings Leisure Centre Community Group in July this year to discuss grassroots sport and facilities provision in his constituency.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, which Government Art Collection works have been (a) installed and (b) deinstalled from HM Treasury main offices since 4 July 2024 by (i) title, (ii) artist and (iii) reference number. \p Ian Murray: The Government Art Collection is a working collection, used across government buildings in the UK and the global estate, which means that artworks may change their display location from time to time in response to new display steers and requests.
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Mr Angus MacDonald:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of maintaining long wave radio transmission infrastructure on (a) national resilience and (b) strategic defence. \p Ian Murray: The BBC is operationally and editorially independent from the Government, and the Government cannot intervene in the BBC’s day-to-day operations. The decision on transmissions and distribution of BBC radio services, including for how much longer the BBC maintains Radio 4 long wave, is wholly a matter for the BBC.

The Government understands how important it is that citizens can access information in times of national emergency. Radio plays an important role in providing such access in a range of different emergency scenarios, including scenarios where other communications may be disrupted. The BBC has specific requirements under its Framework Agreement in relation to broadcast security and resilience, and works closely with DCMS in ensuring its networks are able to support emergency communications.
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Sarah Dyke:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of the closure of the Victoria Cross and George Cross Gallery at the Imperial War Museum on public access to the National Gallantry Award Medals. \p Ian Murray: Gallantry awards, amongst them Victoria and George Crosses, honour exceptional acts of bravery and courage. The stories they tell form an important part of our national history. The Lord Ashcroft Gallery at the Imperial War Museum, which houses a significant number of these medals, has been well-loved since its creation in 2010 and has been invaluable to the public’s understanding of these acts of heroism.

The Government recognises the importance of these medals and their significance to the recipients, their families and the wider public. The Imperial War Museum has delayed the original date of the Gallery closure until the end of September to allow visitors to see the collection of medals for as long as possible. Following the closure at the end of this month, the Imperial War Museum plans to redisplay their own collection of Victoria Cross and George Cross medals at their sites across the country, meaning public access to them will be maintained and new audiences will be able to engage with these stories.
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Tom Morrison:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to support artists in adapting to the growing presence of AI-generated music in the music industry. \p Ian Murray: This government is committed to supporting UK artists, including emerging talent, to succeed and reach their full potential.

As part of this Government’s Industrial Strategy, the Creative Industries Sector Plan published in June set out our ambition to unlock new opportunities for innovation across the creative sector and wider economy while ensuring a trusted copyright regime that values and protects human creativity. We continue to engage with industry to understand the challenges and opportunities it faces, including from AI, and are putting in place measures and funding that help create the conditions for UK artists to remain globally competitive.

The Creative Industries Sector Plan also announced the new Music Growth Package of up to £30 million over three years from 2026; more than doubling funding for the grassroots music sector. This funding will support new artists with touring, performance, mentoring and export opportunities and ensure they have the resources and guidance to grow their careers, reach wider audiences and remain competitive as new technologies such as AI impact the music industry landscape.
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Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that local radio stations continue to meet their commitments to locally produced content under the Media Act 2024. \p Ian Murray: Local radio is an integral part of the communities it exists within, and local commercial and community radio services can bring localities together by reflecting local experiences and delivering local news and information.

Changes made by the Media Act 2024 remove some regulatory burdens on commercial radio operating on FM licenses, including requirements for commercial stations to deliver particular types of content or to target specific groups. This gives commercial radio stations the freedom to organise its programmes to meet the changing needs of its audiences, particularly as listening increasingly shifts to digital.

At the same time, Part 5 of the Media Act now strengthens protections for the regular broadcast of local news and local information. For example stations will be specifically required to provide news which has been gathered within the locality and the area to which they broadcast. The detailed requirements have been set out in new guidance that Ofcom has published on 1 July.

Ofcom is currently running a consultation on the implementation of these changes to local news provision (closing 22 September), and will in due course publish a new Code of Practice that will set out the detailed requirements for commercial radio stations in delivering local news relevant to their local communities.

Any assessment of compliance with licensing requirements, including the requirements to provide local news, and in light of the changes proposed by Nation Radio following its acquisition of Time 107.5, is a matter for Ofcom as the independent regulator.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-16 conversation_320

Mr Angus MacDonald:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has had discussions with Ofcom on improving DAB radio signal reach in north west Scotland. \p Ian Murray: The government is highly supportive of the value of radio in local communities, and wants to support areas that are struggling to gain access to local services on digital.

Commercial radio and the BBC are responsible for the operation of their respective radio networks, including the DAB radio networks. This includes delivering coverage to areas and the provision of radio services to listeners as more listening migrates to digital radio and to online services.

DAB household coverage was assessed by the Digital Radio and Audio Review report published in October 2021. The Review concluded that the financial challenges involved meant that further DAB coverage by the BBC and commercial radio over the next 5 years was likely to be modest. While there are no current plans by the BBC to further expand the coverage of its national DAB network or by commercial radio operators to add more sites to the local DAB network, the government will continue to work with the BBC and commercial radio on developing future options.

As well as supporting the improvements to national and local DAB coverage, DCMS has backed the development of small-scale DAB with Ofcom and the radio industry. Small-scale DAB is a new way of transmitting digital radio that uses advances in software and low-cost computer technology to provide a flexible and inexpensive approach to the terrestrial broadcast of digital radio services to a relatively small geographic area. This initiative will provide local commercial and community radio stations with a viable opportunity to broadcast on digital, and reach under-served areas.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-16 conversation_321

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of compliance with international tax standards by the Overseas Territories. \p Dan Tomlinson: The inhabited Overseas Territories are largely self-governing jurisdictions with democratically elected governments, and are responsible for fiscal matters.

All Overseas Territories with financial centres have committed to upholding international tax standards, including those on tax transparency and exchange of information, and Base Erosion and Profit Shifting.

Compliance with international standards is assessed through a system of peer reviews and monitoring within the G20/OECD Inclusive Framework on Base Erosion and Profit Shifting and the Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes.

The UK also works bilaterally with the Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories on issues of mutual concern. For example, on 27 May 2025, the UK and Isle of Man issued a joint statement, agreeing to explore ways to further enhance information flows, joint working and other ways in which tangible benefits for both jurisdictions can be achieved, noting our shared objective of combatting tax avoidance and evasion.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-16 conversation_322

Sir James Cleverly:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of the level of change in business rates on local newspapers in 2025-26. \p Dan Tomlinson: The Government does not hold data on the business rates paid by the local newspaper sector.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-16 conversation_323

Max Wilkinson:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps her Department to ensure that 5% of GDP is spent on defence before 2035. \p James Murray: At the Spending Review, we set budgets taking ‘core’ defence spending to 2.6% by 2027; next Parliament we have an ambition to reach 3% when fiscal and economic conditions allow.

Additionally, under the new NATO Defence Investment Pledge, the government has committed to hitting a headline ambition of 5% of GDP in the Parliament after next (2035-36). The 5% will be split into 1.5% of defence and security related spending and 3.5% of core defence spending with the overall ambition, trajectory and split to be reviewed in 2029.

We will set out our plans for the next spending review period at Spending Review 2027.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-16 conversation_324

Neil Duncan-Jordan:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of HMRC processes for collecting outstanding tax payments. \p Dan Tomlinson: HMRC is committed to making sure that individuals and businesses who can pay, do so on time. Autumn Budget 2024 and Spring Statement 2025 allocated a further £629 million to HMRC’s debt collection activities, which will help it to collect over £11 billion more debt by the end of 2029-30. HMRC announced in its Transformation Roadmap that it will provide more detail by the end of 2025 on how it will reduce debt year on year as a percentage of receipts.

HMRC has effective processes in place to collect outstanding payments including telephone and letter campaigns, strategic partnerships with private sector debt collection agencies, and where necessary, enforcement action. For customers who need financial support, it offers flexible Time to Pay payment plans which collect debt in affordable and sustainable instalments.

HMRC continually reviews and refines its approach to ensure that its interventions remain effective and provide appropriate support to customers.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-16 conversation_325

Alison Bennett:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans to make changes to draft duty relief for (a) consumers, (b) pubs and (c) breweries in Mid Sussex constituency. \p Dan Tomlinson: The Chancellor’s draught rate cut at Autumn Budget 2024 applied to approximately 60% of the alcoholic drinks sold in pubs. This took a penny of duty off a typical strength pint at a cost to the Exchequer of over £85m a year.  Draught beer and cider now pay 13.9% less in duty than their packaged equivalents – an increase of over 50% on the previous draught discount of 9.2%.

The Chancellor makes decisions on tax policy at fiscal events. The Government welcomes representations from the beer and pub sectors in advance of the Budget.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-16 conversation_326

Mr Angus MacDonald:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of changes to inheritance tax on the long-term financial viability of family farms. \p Dan Tomlinson: The Government believes its reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief from 6 April 2026 get the balance right between supporting farms and businesses, and fixing the public finances. The reforms reduce the inheritance tax advantages available to owners of agricultural and business assets, but still mean those assets will be taxed at a much lower effective rate than most other assets. Despite a tough fiscal context, the Government will maintain very significant levels of relief from inheritance tax beyond what is available to others and compared to the position before 1992. Where inheritance tax is due, those liable for a charge can pay any liability on the relevant assets over 10 annual instalments, interest-free.

The Government has set out that the reforms are expected to result in up to 520 estates across the UK claiming agricultural property relief, including those also claiming business property relief, paying more inheritance tax in 2026-27. Almost three-quarters of estates claiming agricultural property relief, including those that also claim for business property relief, will not pay any more tax as a result of the changes in 2026-27, based on the latest available data.

The reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief are forecast to raise a combined £520 million in 2029-30. The independent Office for Budget Responsibility certified this costing at Autumn Budget 2024 and it does not expect the reforms to have a significant macroeconomic impact.

The Government published a tax information and impact note on the reforms on 21 July 2025. The note explains that the measure is not expected to have a material impact on food security and it is available at www.gov.uk/government/publications/reforms-to-agricultural-property-relief-and-business-property-relief/agricultural-property-relief-and-business-property-relief-reforms.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-16 conversation_327

Ben Maguire:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate her Department has made of the cost to (a) implement and (b) administer the proposed changes to Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief under the inheritance tax regime, including any (i) projected staffing, (ii) system and (iii) compliance costs; and whether this estimate will be published prior to the reforms taking effect in April 2026. \p Dan Tomlinson: I refer to the answer given on 5 September 2025 to PQ UIN 70546.

https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2025-08-29/70546
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-16 conversation_328

Gregory Stafford:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions she has had with LINK on widening the criteria for establishing additional banking hubs. \p Lucy Rigby: While the Government engages with LINK on a range of issues, decisions regarding changes to LINK’s independent assessment criteria are a matter for LINK and the financial services sector.

The Government understands the importance of face-to-face banking to communities and high streets across the UK, and is committed to championing sufficient access for all as a priority. This is why the Government is working closely with industry to roll out 350 banking hubs across the UK. The UK banking sector has committed to deliver these hubs by the end of this Parliament. Over 230 hubs have been announced so far, and over 180 are already open.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-16)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-16 conversation_329

Gregory Stafford:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has had discussions with Cabinet colleagues on managing seized cryptocurrency assets as long-term strategic holdings rather than liquidating them. \p Lucy Rigby: As per responses from my predecessor, the Proceeds of Crime Act provides a clear process for the management and realisation of seized assets, while the UK's official reserves are governed by established investment principles. There are currently no plans to amend either framework or to commission a review into the potential role of Bitcoin and other digital assets as reserve assets or in a wider financial strategy.