theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-04)

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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make it his policy to provide additional (a) financial and (b) social support to poultry farmers affected by Avian Flu quarantine measures. \p Daniel Zeichner: We recognize that avian influenza outbreaks are very distressing for the individual poultry farmers and businesses who are on the frontline of this terrible disease.

Compensation is paid for any healthy birds culled by the Government for avian influenza disease control purposes. In response to the unprecedented outbreaks of avian influenza in October 2022 Defra’s approach to compensation was updated to involve earlier assessment of the number of healthy birds and swifter calculation of compensation. This allows Defra to provide earlier certainty about entitlement to compensation; better reflects the impact of outbreaks on premises; and leads to swifter payments to help stem any cash flow pressures.

Any bird keepers whose premises are directly affected by avian influenza will receive support from the Animal and Plant Health Agency. In addition, there are numerous support networks that poultry farmers can contact for help including the rural services helpline. Defra also work in partnership with Farming Help organisations to support their work to help the farming community through challenging times.

In addition, a range of grants have been made available to poultry keepers through the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway to improve biosecurity on premises and support the welfare of birds.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-04)

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Chris Bloore:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department offers (a) paid time off work and (b) other support to employees who become kinship carers. \p Daniel Zeichner: The department does not have a policy which explicitly covers paid time off for staff who become kinship carers, but there are other provisions which may be applicable depending on the individual circumstances. In addition to annual leave and flexitime (if eligible), the following is available:

o an additional five days’ off as paid leave for carers

o an additional five days’ off as paid leave for those with dependents
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-04)

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Charlie Dewhirst:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 14 January 2025 to Question HL3879 on Ministers’ Private Offices: Official Cars, what criteria his Department uses to determine whether departmental officials may have use of a car from the Government Car Service. \p Ms Abena Oppong-Asare: The Government Car Service (GCS) does not determine the allocation of vehicles to senior officials - this is carried out by individual Departmental Private Offices. The arrangements relating to the use of vehicles from the Government Car Service are set out in the Civil Service Management Code. There has been no change in this policy since 2023.
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Charlie Dewhirst:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many times the Cabinet Office’s Information Rights User Group (IRUG) has met since 5 July 2024; if he will publish minutes of the IRUG's meetings; when the IRUG's next meeting is; and whether a Cabinet Office Minister will attend the next meeting. \p Ms Abena Oppong-Asare: This Government is committed to freedom of information and to listening to its users. The Government will set out its plans for the Information Rights User Group, which last met in April 2024, in due course.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-04)

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Max Wilkinson:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Prime Minister's oral contribution of 25 February 2025, Official Report, column 634, if he will make an assessment of the potential contribution of (a) GCHQ and (b) the Golden Valley Development in Cheltenham to the UK’s (i) intelligence services and (ii) cyber security expertise and capabilities as part of the upcoming national security strategy. \p Ms Abena Oppong-Asare: The Prime Minister announced a single national security strategy will be published ahead of the NATO Summit in June. This will bring together the national security related reviews underway. As part of creating this strategy, the drafters will consult with relevant Departments and Agencies, including intelligence services.
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Jim Allister:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will publish the dates of meetings of the Veterinary Medicine Working Group. \p Nick Thomas-Symonds: The Veterinary Medicines Working Group consists of political and industry representatives and veterinary experts and plays a critical role in advising the Government on its plans to safeguard the supply of veterinary medicines to Northern Ireland. The Government re-established the Working Group shortly after the elections and it has met twice so far (on 11 September and 21 November) with a third meeting scheduled for 4 March.
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Ian Roome:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what his planned timetable is for the introduction of a new UK Youth Mobility scheme in partnership with the European Union. \p Nick Thomas-Symonds: The Government set out clear priorities for the reset with the EU in the manifesto. There are no plans for a Youth Mobility Scheme.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, if she will make an estimate of the potential impact of the Government’s policies on extending equal pay rights as set out in the policy paper entitled Next Steps to Make Work Pay, published on 8 November 2024, on the cost to local authorities of (a) salaries and (b) legal settlements for people from ethnic minorities. \p Seema Malhotra: The government is committed to strengthening equal pay and ending pay discrimination.

Through planned legislation, we will make the right to equal pay effective for ethnic minority and disabled people. We will also put in place measures to ensure that outsourcing of services can no longer be used by employers to avoid paying equal pay, and we will implement a regulatory and enforcement unit for equal pay.

As we progress these measures, we will work in partnership with employers, trade unions and civil society and carefully consider their economic and social impact, including on employers, workers and the public sector. An equality impact assessment will be conducted as part of this.
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Jim Shannon:To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps she is taking to tackle ageism. \p Seema Malhotra: Age discrimination that cannot be objectively justified is unacceptable and unlawful across a range of fields under the Equality Act 2010 and similar legislation (on employment) in Northern Ireland. The strong protections in the 2010 Act enable older people to challenge such behaviour and ultimately seek redress in the courts or, where relevant, at an employment tribunal.

More widely, the Government's £240 million Get Britain Working package will improve support for people, including older people, who are economically inactive, unemployed or want to develop their careers. The Department for Work and Pensions currently offers employment support through Jobcentres and tailored one-to-one support for eligible over 50s on Universal Credit, as well as 'Midlife MOT' reviews to help older workers to review their health, finances and skills to prevent poverty in later life.
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Chris Bloore:To ask the Leader of the House, whether their Department offers (a) paid time off work and (b) other support to employees who become kinship carers. \p Lucy Powell: The Office of the Leader of the House of Commons is part of the Cabinet Office. I refer the hon. Member to the response provided by the Cabinet Office (33179).
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Robin Swann:To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, which (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department are members of the Transformation Fund advisory board; and how many and what proportion of meetings they have attended. \p Fleur Anderson: No UK Government Ministers are members of the Interim Public Sector Transformation Board. The Northern Ireland Office Permanent Secretary is a permanent member of the Interim Board, and has attended all official meetings of the Interim Board.
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Chris Bloore:To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether their Department offers (a) paid time off work and (b) other support to employees who become kinship carers. \p Hilary Benn: The Northern Ireland Office does not have a policy which explicitly covers (a) paid time off work and (b) other support to employees who become kinship carers. We follow the Ministry of Justice Flexible Working and Special Leave Policies, which supports and enables employees to take time off work to deal with an emergency or situation involving a dependant.

Employees are able to request other leave, paid and unpaid, as well as annual and flexi leave as required to support them when they become a kinship carer. Employees are also able to request flexible working to support both short term and longer term arrangements.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-14)

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Lee Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what criteria her Department uses to choose sites for the tentative list for nominative UK sites to become UNESCO World Heritage Sites. \p Ian Murray: DCMS carried out a review of the UK’s Tentative List in 2022/23 under the previous government. The process and application forms are available online, outlining the information required for assessment and the need to demonstrate the potential for Outstanding Universal Value.

UNESCO encourages Tentative Lists to be reviewed and updated every ten years. We do not expect the next review of the UK’s Tentative List to take place until 2033 at the earliest.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-14)

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Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether Ofcom has reviewed the compliance of Nation Broadcasting with the original licence conditions of Time 107.5 FM following its (a) rebranding and (b) programming changes. \p Stephanie Peacock: 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 (closed 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 (2025-10-14)

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Liz Jarvis:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of Child Maintenance Service cases lapse each year due to failure to trace the paying parent. \p Andrew Western: The statistical information specific to the scenario you have given is not collated centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost to the Department.

The Government is committed to ensuring parents meet their financial obligations to their children.

Where a paying parent fails to take responsibility for paying their child maintenance and cannot be traced, the Child Maintenance Service (CMS) will take immediate action and do everything within its powers to trace the paying parent.

The CMS have a range of enforcement powers that can be used against those parents who consistently refuse to meet or evade their obligations to provide financial support to their children. We are committed to using these powers fairly and in the best interests of children and separated families to ensure compliance.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-14)

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Iqbal Mohamed:To the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that vocational and adult education programmes are aligned with employment opportunities that are less vulnerable to (a) offshoring and (b) becoming replaced by AI. \p Andrew Western: The government is developing a comprehensive strategy for post‐16 education and skills to break down barriers to opportunity and support the development of a skilled workforce in England.

This is backed by additional investment, as announced in the Spending Review, of £1.2 billion per year in skills by 2028-29. This will support the wide range of technical routes available across England in a broad range of sectors.

We are also widening the apprenticeships offer into a growth and skills offer, including new foundation apprenticeships, which will give more young people a foot in the door at the start of their working life.

We are targeting key growth sectors, including those identified in the Industrial Strategy, with specific skills plans to boost training in areas such as construction, manufacturing, defence and Digital and Technology.

All of this will be underpinned by the work of Skills England, which has been established as the national body responsible for identifying skills needs, simplifying the skills system, and aligning training to meet demand.
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Natalie Fleet:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of withdrawing funding for level 7 apprenticeships on the number of people completing these apprenticeships. \p Andrew Western: This government has a driving mission to break down barriers to opportunity.

From January 2026 the government will no longer fund level 7 apprenticeships except for young apprentices under the age of 22 and those under 25 who are care leavers or have an Education, Health and Care Plan. This will enable apprenticeships opportunities to be rebalanced towards young people and create more opportunities for those entering the labour market, who need skills and training to get on in their careers. All current level 7 apprentices and any who start before 1 January 2026 will be funded through to completion.

This decision was informed by a wide range of evidence, including Skills England’s analysis of official apprenticeship statistics and engagement with a wide range of stakeholders. Skills England’s evidence suggested there was unlikely to be a significant or unavoidable fall in the supply of these skills in the long term, post-defunding.

We are encouraging more employers to invest in upskilling their staff over 22 to level 7 where it delivers a benefit to the business and the individual. It will be for employers to determine the most appropriate training. There are alternative training options available to employers at level 7 including non-apprenticeship routes.
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Max Wilkinson:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the cost of state pensions on other public spending priorities. \p Torsten Bell: The Government has published Spending Review 2025, which set departmental spending allocations consistent with the fiscal strategy set out at Autumn Budget 2024 and Spring Statement 2025. This will be updated at Autumn Budget 2025.
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Jess Brown-Fuller:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of paying the shortfall when employers are found to have unlawfully failed to contribute to their employee's pensions. \p Torsten Bell: Under the Pensions Act 2008, every employer in the UK must automatically enrol their eligible workers into a qualifying workplace pension scheme and pay the correct pension contributions into that scheme.

The independent Pensions Regulator (TPR) has a statutory objective to maximise and enforce employer compliance with Automatic Enrolment obligations. In addition, pension scheme trustees and scheme managers also have a duty to monitor and report material payment failures to TPR. If an employer has failed to provide the correct pension contributions, they are required under Section 38 of the Pensions Act 2008 to address this and make good any shortfall

TPR data shows employer compliance is high, with 97% making timely and accurate contributions.

If an employee has concerns regarding their workplace pension, such as unpaid contributions, they should raise this with their employer in the first instance. An individual can report their employer to TPR if it is not complying with the law and/or make a complaint to The Pensions Ombudsman (TPO) who can investigate the complaint and provide a remedy if the employer is found to be at fault. TPO, in collaboration with MoneyHelper and TPR, has published a factsheet for customers about this: Workplace pensions – unpaid pension contributions | The Pensions Ombudsman
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Andrew George:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, pursuant to the Answer of 23 June 2025 to Question HL8737, what assessment her Department has made since 2022 of changes in online job advert volumes by Standard Occupational Classification groups ranked by AI exposure; and whether analysis using the ONS job advert data will be published disaggregated by exposure quintile. \p Andrew Western: No such assessment has been made.
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Mr Gregory Campbell:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of the State Pension by July 2029. \p Torsten Bell: The Department’s latest forecasts estimate around £169 billion (in nominal terms) will be spent on the State Pension in 2029/30.

Forecasts are presented on a financial year basis, as the Department does not produce totals by a specific calendar month, such as July 2029.

Source: Benefit expenditure and caseload tables 2025
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Manuela Perteghella:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate his Department has made of the value of UK pension fund assets invested in fossil fuels that are at risk of becoming stranded. \p Torsten Bell: The Department has not produced specific estimates on the proportion of UK pension scheme assets invested in fossil fuel-related activities, such as coal-fired power generation or fossil fuel production.

As part of the 2024 Mansion House reform package, the Government consulted on UK Sustainability Reporting Standards aligned with international sustainability standards, and our manifesto commitment to mandate climate transition plans. The Government are now analysing stakeholder feedback. Together, these initiatives will support the UK’s net-zero goals and broader green agenda and are expected to influence the investment landscape in which pension schemes operate.
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Lewis Cocking:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will set out the the policy of the Valuation Office Agency on amending the valuation of (a) schools and (b) hospitals following the installation of rooftop solar panels. \p Dan Tomlinson: The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) applies the law as it stands when valuing domestic and non-domestic properties.

In relation to solar panels, the legal position is set out in the Rating Manual, which is published on gov.uk: Section 5a: valuation of all property classes - Power generators - Guidance - GOV.UK, in particular Appendix 1: rateability of microgeneration schemes refers.
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Lewis Cocking:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to page 25 of the Valuation Office Agency's document entitled Annual Report and Accounts 2024-25, published on 17 July 2025, if she will publish the training manual for the Valuation Operating System for council tax. \p Dan Tomlinson: The training material the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) has produced on the Valuation Operating System is for internal staff use only.
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Lewis Cocking:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will publish the Valuation Office Agency presentation entitled Use of AVMs – Council Tax revaluation in Wales, given at the Conference of Valuation Agencies in October 2024. \p Dan Tomlinson: Information about how the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) uses model assisted valuation and mass appraisal to support large-scale valuation is available on GOV.UK: How model assisted valuation delivers large-scale property valuations - GOV.UK.
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Robin Swann:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much revenue the Exchequer has collected from the Apprenticeship Levy (a) in total and (b) from companies registered in Northern Ireland in each of the last three years. \p James Murray: Receipts data for the Apprenticeship Levy is published by HM Revenue and Customs in their Tax and NIC Receipts publication which can be found online at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/hmrc-tax-and-nics-receipts-for-the-uk

Receipts data based on company registered addresses do not reflect where liabilities are accrued or where employees are based. For example, the data on receipts from companies with registered addresses in Northern Ireland will not include businesses registered in Wales, Scotland, or England, who have a presence and pay employees in Northern Ireland.
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Andy McDonald:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what checks are made on the postal codes of goods to identify whether the origin of such goods are from (a) the illegal settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and (b) Israel. \p Dan Tomlinson: It is a long-standing requirement that Israeli preference cannot be claimed on goods if the production conferring originating status has taken place in a location within the territories brought under Israeli administration since June 1967. The Department of Business & Trade has recently updated the list of non-eligible postcodes to reflect the latest position on Israeli Settlements.

HMRC takes a risk-based and intelligence-led approach to customs enforcement. Compliance measures evolve as the picture of risk changes ensuring any interventions are proportionate to the risk. HMRC has confirmed that regular checks are carried out on imports from Israel, and they are subject to verification to check their originating status.

HMRC introduced a new document code on 1 September 2025 to strengthen compliance with existing processes by asking the declarant to confirm imported goods met the conditions to claim preference under the UK-Israel Trade and Partnership Agreement, including alignment with the updated list of non-eligible postcodes.

These actions form part of the ongoing policy advice and review of processes aimed at ensuring the UK’s origin verification procedures remain robust and responsive to developments on the ground; ensuring any interventions are proportionate to the risk. The government remains committed to upholding the integrity of its trade policy and ensuring that goods receiving preferential treatment under trade agreements fully comply with legal and procedural requirements.
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Andy McDonald:To ask the Chancellor for the Exchequer, whether guidance is given to the food sector on potential criminal culpability in the importation of (a) goods and (b) services from the illegal settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. \p Dan Tomlinson: The UK Government has a clear position that Israeli settlements in Palestine are illegal under international law, and that goods produced in these settlements are not entitled to benefit from preferential tariff treatment under the UK’s current trade agreements with the Palestinian Authority and Israel.
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Max Wilkinson:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has considered reviewing banding for vehicle excise duty based on emissions rather than registration date. \p Dan Tomlinson: Different Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) rates apply to cars, vans, motorcycles and HGVs and the rate for each vehicle is calculated according to a range of factors, such as its date of first registration, weight, or CO2 emissions.

Since 2001, the VED system has encouraged the uptake of cars with low carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions to help meet the UK's legally binding climate targets. Cars first registered between 1 March 2001 and 31 March 2017 pay VED annually according to CO2 emissions.

From 1 April 2017, new cars pay a variable first year rate according to the emissions of the vehicle, with the most polluting currently paying over £5,400, and zero emission models currently pay £10. After the first year, most cars move to a standard annual rate, currently set at £195.
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James Wild:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will take steps to prevent people who owe no tax from being charged HMRC late-filing penalties. \p Dan Tomlinson: The tax system contains obligations, set out in law, to ensure that HMRC can collect the correct tax to fund vital public services. HMRC is bound by law to apply penalties where customers do not meet these obligations. Penalties also help to reassure customers who comply with their obligations that HMRC are applying the rules fairly and consistently.

For Self Assessment (SA), HMRC requires the information from customers in their tax returns to determine whether they have Income Tax to pay. Even if a customer has no tax to pay, the information provided can ensure taxpayers receive the benefits to which they are entitled, such as Tax-Free Childcare. The current policy and legislation on SA penalties has been in place since 2011.

The government will soon introduce a new penalty regime for late filing of SA returns and late payment of income tax. As well as reducing the penalties a customer can accumulate for filing late, this will introduce a further safeguard so people will not receive a financial penalty for a single failure to file on time. The penalties will focus on people who repeatedly file late.

Where HMRC charges a penalty, a customer can appeal. HMRC will cancel any penalties where they accept that a taxpayer no longer needs to be in SA or has a reasonable excuse for not filing their return on time.

HMRC regularly reviews its guidance and communications, including making it easier for customers to explain why they were unable to file their return and to inform HMRC if they no longer need to be in SA.

HMRC has dedicated support in place for those facing personal difficulties and encourages anyone struggling to meet their obligations to contact them as soon as possible by phone or online.
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Matt Vickers:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of increased business rates on the viability of large-format retail stores. \p Dan Tomlinson: We are creating a fairer business rates system that protects the high street, supports investment, and is fit for the 21st century.

From 2026-27, the Government intends to introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality and leisure properties with rateable values (RVs) under £500,000. The Government intends to fund this by introducing a higher multiplier on properties with RVs of £500,000 or more. These high-value properties cover the majority of large distribution warehouses, including those used by the online giants.

The final design of the new multipliers, including the rates, will be set at Budget 2025 so that we can take into account the upcoming revaluation outcomes, as well as the economic and fiscal context. When the new multipliers are set at Budget 2025, we intend to publish analysis of the effects of the new multiplier arrangements.
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James McMurdock:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of maintaining the personal tax allowance threshold on the number of pensioners living in (a) relative and (b) absolute poverty in each of the next three years. \p James Murray: Receipts data for the Apprenticeship Levy is published by HM Revenue and Customs in their Tax and NIC Receipts publication which can be found online at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/hmrc-tax-and-nics-receipts-for-the-uk

Receipts data based on company registered addresses do not reflect where liabilities are accrued or where employees are based. For example, the data on receipts from companies with registered addresses in Northern Ireland will not include businesses registered in Wales, Scotland, or England, who have a presence and pay employees in Northern Ireland.
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Mike Martin:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many times HMRC recorded imported goods whose country of origin was falsely labelled as Israel in 2024 . \p Dan Tomlinson: The UK Government has a clear position that Israeli settlements in Palestine are illegal under international law. Goods produced in these settlements are not entitled to benefit from preferential tariff treatment under the UK’s current trade agreements with the Palestinian Authority and Government of Israel.

Where there are doubts about the origin of goods that have been declared as being of Israeli origin, HMRC will undertake checks to verify the origin of those goods to ensure fiscal compliance. HMRC does not however provide specific details regarding checks as it may serve to undermine compliance activity.
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Mike Martin:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will list the ten most frequently (a) used commodity codes for imports and (b) types of goods imported from illegal settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories in 2024. \p Dan Tomlinson: The information requested is not available.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-14)

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Damien Egan:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of making the cycle to work scheme available to people who are self-employed. \p James Murray: The Cycle to Work scheme is a benefit-in-kind provided by employers to their employees. A benefit-in-kind is a form of non-cash remuneration provided by employers to their employees. Income tax and National Insurance contribution relief is provided on the scheme to both employers and their employees via salary sacrifice arrangements. As a result, the scheme is not open to the self-employed, who are not eligible for salary sacrifice.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-14)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-14 conversation_24

Mike Reader:To ask the Chancellor for the Exchequer, whether the Office for Investment is taking to update its infrastructure pipeline portal; and whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential lessons learned from the (a) Australian, (b) New Zealand and (c) other international models of infrastructure pipeline portals. \p James Murray: The NISTA Infrastructure Pipeline was launched in July and plans to update the pipeline are outlined here: https://pipeline.nista.grid.civilservice.gov.uk/future. In developing the design of the Pipeline, NISTA drew on a broad range of industry feedback and examples, including from those outside the UK such as Australia and New Zealand. The Pipeline team will continue its active engagement of users to steer its design and ensure it improves through forthcoming iterations.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-14)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-14 conversation_25

Mr Gregory Campbell:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will have urgent discussions with the Financial Conduct Authority on proposals to allow unlimited contactless card payments. \p Lucy Rigby: Decisions on contactless limits are a matter for the FCA, which is independent of the Government. On September 10, the FCA launched a consultation on its proposals to introduce a new risk-based approach to contactless payments, allowing payment service providers greater flexibility to determine their approach to contactless payments where they identify there is a low risk of fraud.

The FCA’s consultation remains open until 15 October. Further details on the FCA’s proposals can be found on their website: https://www.fca.org.uk/publication/consultation/cp25-24.pdf
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-14)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-14 conversation_26

Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 8 September 2025 to Question 71207 on National Security: Finance, if she will place publish a copy of the (a) Government’s and (b) NATO guidance on the definition of (i) defence and (bii) security related expenditure, for the purposes of the UK Government meeting its NATO commitments. \p James Murray: The NATO definition of defence expenditure, and defence and security related expenditure can be found on the NATO website:

NATO - Topic: Defence expenditures and NATO’s 5% commitment

These definitions are used by the UK and all NATO allies when reporting their NATO qualifying expenditure.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-14)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-14 conversation_27

Mike Martin:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 15 September 2025 to Question 75814 on Coronavirus: Fraud, how many cases the National Investigation Service (a) has open and (b) expects to transfer to the Insolvency Service. \p Blair McDougall: Since the commencement of Covid-related investigations, the National Investigation Service has opened 254 criminal cases into alleged Bounce Back Loan fraud, with 131 cases currently ongoing.

We remain committed to tackling fraud and are working closely with the National Investigation Service and the Insolvency Service to ensure that cases are managed effectively. The Department for Business and Trade is considering a range of options for the transfer of cases, and further decisions will be made, guided by the latest information and statistics on the current caseload and enforcement activity.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-14)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-14 conversation_28

Andrew Griffith:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of limiting worker's companions in (a) disciplinary and (b) grievance hearings on non-trade union member workers. \p Kate Dearden: Existing legislation aims to keep disciplinary and grievance procedures internal to the workplace. Expanding the right to be accompanied to professional bodies, including legal professionals, may reduce the prospects of amicable resolution, potentially increasing employment tribunals and therefore legal costs for all parties.

The law already provides that workers are entitled to bring a companion who is either a colleague, an official employed by a trade union, or a workplace trade union representative. Employers can allow workers to be accompanied by a companion outside of this scope and some workers may already have a contractual right to do so.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-14)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-14 conversation_29

Mark Pritchard:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will take steps to prevent businesses claiming to be based in the UK requiring customers to return purchases to China to secure refunds. \p Kate Dearden: Consumer law prohibits commercial practices involving misleading actions or omissions that might lead the average consumer to make a different decision. This includes misleading consumers about where a trader is based or where items must be returned to.

The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers (DMCC) Act strengthens consumer law enforcement by giving the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) new administrative powers, and the CMA and courts the ability to impose significant monetary penalties of up to 10% of turnover.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-14)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-14 conversation_30

Andrew Griffith:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what estimate he has made of the cost to employers of disciplinary and grievance hearings taking place (a) with a worker's companion and (b) without a worker's companion. \p Kate Dearden: Under existing legislation, we would not expect to see a difference in cost to the employer between a disciplinary or grievance hearing where the worker has a companion or does not have a companion. If the worker were to be accompanied by a trade union representative, the worker would pay for this through their trade union membership.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-14)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-14 conversation_31

Adam Jogee:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions his Department has had with the African Business Chamber since 5 July 2024. \p Chris Bryant: The Department expects to be represented at the African Business Chamber’s November 2025 Business Forum. The Department is happy to meet with the African Business Chamber to discuss further our work.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-14)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-14 conversation_32

Vikki Slade:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking with Companies House to ensure companies under the control of the same person or persons are connected on the Companies House website. \p Blair McDougall: Companies House currently links the appointments of company officers where sufficient details across different companies' match. The introduction of compulsory Identity verification for company officers in November will help improve the quality of matching and linking.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-14)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-14 conversation_33

Freddie van Mierlo:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make it his policy to adopt the recommendations of the Women and Equalities Committee's Sixth Report of Session 2024-25 entitled Equality at work: Paternity and shared parental leave, HC 502. \p Kate Dearden: The Government thanks the committee for its careful consideration of Shared Parental Leave and Paternity Leave and has responded in full to the report. We recognise that more can be done to ensure working families are better supported. That is why on 1 July 2025 we launched the parental leave and pay review, which will consider all current and upcoming parental leave and pay entitlements. The recommendations and evidence outlined in the Women and Equality Committee’s report are important contributions to the review and we look forward to working with the committee as the thinking develops.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-14)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-14 conversation_34

John Glen:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to help reduce the level of annual reporting for small companies. \p Blair McDougall: The Department is reviewing non-financial reporting requirements to simplify, streamline and reduce reporting obligations for all companies. These reforms aim to reduce administrative burdens on business, particularly for small companies. The review has already delivered legislation which increased the monetary size thresholds for micro, small, medium and large companies, as well as removing low value and duplicative reporting from the Directors’ and Director’s Remuneration Reports. A consultation on future reforms to modernise corporate reporting will be published in due course.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-14)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-14 conversation_35

Dr Al Pinkerton:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the timeliness of postal services in Surrey Heath constituency. \p Blair McDougall: The government does not collect or hold this information. Ofcom, as the independent regulator of postal services, has a duty to ensure the provision of a financially sustainable and efficient universal postal service. It monitors Royal Mail’s provision of the universal service and has powers to investigate and take enforcement action if Royal Mail fails to achieve its performance targets as appropriate, taking account of all relevant factors.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-14)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-14 conversation_36

Laurence Turner:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to paragraph 2.18 of the National Audit Office report entitled High Speed Two: A progress update, published on 24 January 2020, whether HS2 Limited has updated its indicative estimate that the cost of undertakings and assurances was £1.2 billion; and in which year's prices was that estimate. \p Simon Lightwood: HS2 Ltd has not updated this figure. The estimate was provided to the National Audit Office in late 2019 – at that time, HS2 Ltd’s cost estimates were in 2015 prices.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-14)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-14 conversation_37

Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 8 September 2025 to Question 71258 on Road Traffic Control: Oxford, whether (a) Oxfordshire County Council and (b) Oxford City Council have made enquiries to DVLA to access vehicle registration data for the purposes of (i) congestion charging and (ii) traffic filters. \p Simon Lightwood: In line with the relevant legislation, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) provides vehicle information to Oxfordshire County Council for a number of specified purposes. These include management of the zero emission zones scheme and moving traffic offences.

The data sharing contract governing requests for vehicle information relating to local authority schemes in Oxford is between the DVLA and Oxfordshire County Council.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-14)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-14 conversation_38

Sir Andrew Mitchell:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions she has had with (a) West Midlands Police and (b) Birmingham City Council on the forthcoming Road Safety Strategy. \p Lilian Greenwood: The Government treats road safety seriously and is committed to reducing the numbers of those killed and injured on our roads.

My Department regularly engages with the police and local authorities. With regards to the West Midlands, my officials have held conversations with Transport for the West Midlands and the West Midlands Road Safety Commissioner.

More details on the Road Safety Strategy will be set out in due course.