theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Sorcha Eastwood:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the number of people who are currently in receipt of PIP who are likely to lose their entitlement under the proposals in the Health and Disability Green Paper, broken down by primary health condition. \p Sir Stephen Timms: No such assessment will be made. PIP is not based on primary medical condition diagnosis but on functional disability as the result of one or more conditions, and is awarded as a contribution to the additional costs which result.

Information on the impacts of the Pathways to Work Green Paper has been published here ‘Pathways to Work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper’.

Impacts of the proposed changes depend on many factors including how the mix of conditions among claimants evolves over time, and behavioural responses. These impacts are uncertain at an overall England and Wales level, and it would not be possible to make an informed assessment at such a granular level as individual primary medical conditions.

There will be no immediate changes. Our intention is these changes will start to come into effect from November 2026, subject to parliamentary approval. They will only apply at the next award review after November 2026. The average award review period is about three years. At the award review, claimants will be seen by a trained assessor or healthcare professional and assessed on individual needs and circumstances.

We are consulting on how best to support those who are affected by the new eligibility changes, including how to make sure health and eligible care needs are met.
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Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the UK’s contribution to the Global Fund on lives saved from (a) malaria, (b) tuberculosis and (c) HIV/AIDS. \p Stephen Doughty: The Global Fund is a high performing partnership that has saved 65 million lives and reduced combined deaths across HIV, tuberculosis (TB), and malaria by 63 per cent since 2002. The UK is a founding member and committed partner of the Global Fund, investing over £5.5 billion to date. Our current £1bn pledge to the 7th replenishment (2023-25) is expected to save approximately 1.3 million lives and avert 28 million new infections across the three diseases. Amongst other things, this funding is expected to provide antiretroviral therapy for 1.8 million people, provide TB treatment and care for 1.1 million people and distribute 86 million mosquito nets to protect children and families from malaria.
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John McDonnell:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he plans to take to help ensure that official development assistance will be used to support the most vulnerable people from the 2027-28 financial year. \p Stephen Doughty: The Prime Minister has set out a new strategic vision for government spending on defence and security, and Official Development Assistance (ODA). Detailed decisions on how the ODA budget will be used will be worked through as part of the ongoing Spending Review based on a renewed approach.

We will continue to play a key humanitarian role in Sudan, in Ukraine and in Gaza, tackling climate change, supporting multinational efforts on global health and challenges like vaccination.
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John McDonnell:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will (a) uphold funding commitments for (i) the Women’s Integrated Health Services programme and (ii) other sexual and reproductive health and rights programmes and (b) ensure that funding reaches grassroots (A) women, (B) girls and (C) youth-led organisations. \p Stephen Doughty: Official Development Assistance (ODA) allocations are being worked through as part of the ongoing Spending Review, following the decision to reduce UK ODA from 0.5 per cent or gross national income to 0.3 per cent in 2027. Decisions on individual programmes and thematic areas will be based on various factors including equality impact assessments.

Considerations will also take into account the vital role played by grassroots and women, girl and youth-led organisations to protect and advance sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR).
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Ruth Jones:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the treatment of Christian (a) leaders and (b) communities in Nicaragua. \p Catherine West: We share widespread international concern about the relentless suppression of human rights in Nicaragua, including in relation to freedom of religion or belief, which the UK remains committed to championing for all. We continue to urge the Nicaraguan authorities to re-establish democratic freedoms through our engagements in country and with the Nicaraguan Embassy in London, and through our public statements in international fora. We most recently raised these concerns on 28 February 2025 at the 58th session of the UN Human Rights Council.
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Alberto Costa:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that British nationals who are the victims of violent attacks are adequately supported by the British Embassy in Portugal; and whether his Department plans to issue travel advice on the risk of violence towards British nationals by private security personnel. \p Stephen Doughty: The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and the UK's embassies, high commissions and consulates provide consular support to British nationals abroad. We are contactable 24/7, 365 days a year, around the world. In Portugal, we have staff based in Lisbon and Portimao who provide consular assistance to British nationals who require it, including victims of crime. FCDO travel advice reflects our latest assessment of risks to British nationals, including from crime.
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Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with the (a) science, (b) technology, and (c) research sectors on using his Department's expertise on conflict prevention abroad. \p Catherine West: Working closely with the science, technology and research sectors is an integral part of our approach to conflict prevention. Since 2022, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has partnered with open-source investigation (OSINT) organisations that use remote technology to identify conflict risks and enable us to act earlier to help protect civilians. In regions where there are risks of violence, the FCDO has funded projects such as the Centre for Information Resilience's (CIR) Witness Project, which uses remote sensing technology to verify events in Sudan for the purposes of early warning of atrocities and to de-bunk denial and disinformation. We regularly engage with academic and research institutions to discuss the challenges and opportunities that technology poses to conflict prevention efforts. Most recently, we discussed Artificial Intelligence (AI) in conflict risk forecasting at a roundtable meeting with researchers from University College London and several other institutions at Chatham House in March 2025.
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Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the recent earthquake in Myanmar on the balance his Department is striking between working with localised grassroots organisations and multilateral humanitarian agencies. \p Catherine West: The UK has announced up to £25 million in life-saving support for people affected by the recent earthquake in Myanmar. The UK diversifies aid delivery through multilateral agencies, and local organisations, with almost 65 per cent of the UK's funding directed to local organisations on the ground in Myanmar.

Through our flag-ship humanitarian programme, UK support through local organisations has reached over 201,000 people since the earthquake with essential humanitarian support. Overall, since the earthquake, UK-funded food, water, healthcare, and shelter has supported over 360,000 people so far.
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Chris McDonald:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to encourage India to meet its obligations under the Indus Waters Treaty. \p Catherine West: The UK is aware that the Government of India has placed the Indus Water Treaty into abeyance due to ongoing tensions between India and Pakistan. It is critical for all countries and international partners to work together to ensure the long-term sustainability of the Indus River system, a water system that is critical to both India and Pakistan. The UK Government stands ready to offer its support to India and Pakistan in their efforts to ensure the sustainable and equitable management of the Indus River system in the face of a changing climate.
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Alex Sobel:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what (a) technical and (b) financial support he is providing to Ukraine to help (i) identify and (ii) document casualties of the war in that country. \p Stephen Doughty: We condemn Russia's barbaric assault against Ukraine's civilian population. From 24 February 2022 to 30 April 2025, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights recorded 45,001 civilian casualties in Ukraine: 13,134 killed and 31,867 injured. April was the deadliest month for civilians since September 2024. The actual figures are believed to be considerably higher given the challenges of receiving accurate information from locations under Russian control.

Since 2014, The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) (through the Human Rights Monitoring Mechanism on Ukraine (HRMMU)) has maintained a comprehensive record of conflict-related civilian casualties in Ukraine, with data disaggregated by sex, age, place of incident, and type of incident or weapon involved. The UK has provided support to the HRMMU and, overall, we are among the top 10 donors to OHCHR.

We are working closely with our humanitarian partners in Ukraine to protect the most vulnerable and prevent the worst impacts of the conflict on people. This includes support to the Red Cross Movement who help identify bodies and exchange mortal remains of casualties of war in Ukraine.
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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to increase the number of apprenticeship starts in his Department. \p Catherine West: We remain committed to supporting the use of apprenticeships across all Government Departments to break down barriers to opportunity. This includes supporting the Government's commitment to 2,000 digital apprenticeships through its TechTrack scheme by 2030 to improve digital skills and drive improvements and efficiency in public services.

Additionally, a new cross-Government Level 3 apprenticeship programme in Business Administration, the 'Civil Service Career Launch Apprenticeship' (CLA), will see new apprentices kickstart their careers, across various departments, starting from January 2026.

Moreover, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office are working on aligning our apprenticeship approach with our capability framework. For example, we are exploring new apprenticeship opportunities to scale our approach and build internal capability on Data and AI.
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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he bring forward legislative proposals to regulate maps used in the UK to ensure that the Gulf of Mexico is not referred to by other names. \p Catherine West: The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office will continue to follow the guidance of the Permanent Committee on Geographical Names (PCGN) who advise His Majesty's Government on policies and procedures for the representation of geographical names for places and features outside the UK, excluding those of the Antarctic. For names of international maritime features beyond any sovereignty, PCGN usually advises reflecting the common English conventional name, which for this body of water is the 'Gulf of Mexico'.
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Yasmin Qureshi:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of making it easier to migrate between the UK and Canada. \p Stephen Doughty: The UK and Canada's deep and broad relationship is strengthened by the large diaspora of each nation's citizens present in both countries. The existing UK immigration offer supports migration through a variety of different routes which enable Canadian individuals to live, work and study in the UK. Canadian visa applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis as long as they meet the specific visa requirements and eligibility requirements for the route. However, the migration of UK citizens to Canada is a matter for the Canadian government.
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Harriet Cross:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he has received from EU member states on conditions for UK participation in the EU's Security Action for Europe defence fund; and whether access to UK fishing waters forms part of those conditions. \p Stephen Doughty: This is a critical moment for the security of Europe. We welcome European efforts to increase defence spending, through the ReArm initiative and proposed Security Action for Europe (SAFE) mechanism. This must be a whole-of-Europe effort, in alignment with NATO, which remains the cornerstone of European security.

The UK and the EU have agreed an ambitious new Security and Defence Partnership as part of a wider package that delivers for the British people. The Security and Defence Partnership sets the framework for closer defence industrial collaboration, including potential participation in the EU's proposed €150bn Security Action for Europe instrument.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 11 April 2025 to Question 41270 on MI6: Stonewall, for what reason the Secret Intelligence Service has a membership. \p Stephen Doughty: The Secret Intelligence Service does not comment publicly on internal policy decisions.
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Priti Patel:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 17 March 2025 to Question 36633 on China: Audit, when he plans to publish the China Audit; which Departments he has had discussions with on that audit; if he will publish the terms of reference for that audit; and whether that audit will include national security considerations. \p Catherine West: The China Audit will conclude shortly. In line with the Government's manifesto commitment, the Audit has involved extensive consultations with hundreds of individuals, organisations, academic institutions, businesses and public bodies, including all central government departments and the Devolved Governments. National security considerations are central to the audit. It will improve the UK's ability to understand and respond to the challenges and opportunities China poses.
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Chris Law:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what his policy is on the refoulement of former Guantanamo Bay detainees from third countries. \p Stephen Doughty: We urge all States to ensure those in detention are treated in line with international human rights law. Discussions of non-British nationals in Guantanamo Bay are a matter for the US and the nations of those detained.
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Noah Law:To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, whether the Government plans to take steps to ensure safe spaces exist for (a) transgender and (b) non-binary people, in the context of forthcoming Equality and Human Rights Commission guidance. \p Seema Malhotra: Trans people should be able to live free from discrimination and harassment and be able to get on with their day to day lives. Dignity and respect for everyone runs through every sinew of this government. We unequivocally support safe spaces for everyone that needs them and this includes trans citizens. There are laws in place to protect trans people from discrimination and harassment, so they are able to feel safe at work, in public and at school.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission has already committed to supporting organisations with its updated statutory Code of Practice for service providers. Ministers will consider the EHRC’s updated draft once they have submitted it to us and the final draft of the updated Code will be laid in Parliament for scrutiny and consideration by both Houses in due course. In the meantime, the Government is considering the implications of the Supreme Court’s recent judgment, including what this means for providers of trans-inclusive services.
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Robert Jenrick:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many offenders released on licence were not tagged in accordance with their licence conditions in the last 12 months for which data is available; and what proportion of that total were due to (a) equipment shortages and (b) administrative delays. \p Sir Nicholas Dakin: The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost by manually going through each individual’s record on the Electronic Monitoring (EM) supplier’s and probation service’s systems where this detail is recorded.
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Rupert Lowe:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if they will make it their policy to not provide (a) translation and (b) interpretation for speakers of non-UK languages for services provided by their Department. \p Sarah Sackman: The Ministry of Justice has statutory obligations to provide language services where they are needed in the delivery of justice services.
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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many prison spaces are (a) available and (b) projected to be available at HMP Littlehey over the next three years; and what the maximum capacity is at that prison. \p Sir Nicholas Dakin: The operational capacity of each prison is published monthly at Prison population: monthly prison figures 2025 - GOV.UK. The current operational capacity of Littlehey is 1241, and there are currently no plans to change this.
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Rebecca Paul:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to the Answer of 9 May 2025 to Question 50011 on HMP/YOI Downview: Transgender People, when the seven male prisoners held at HMP Downview will be moved to the men's prison estate; and what steps her Department is taking to ensure the (a) safety, (b) privacy and (c) dignity of female prisoners held in HMP Downview. \p Sir Nicholas Dakin: This Government inherited the policy regarding allocation of transgender prisoners from the previous government and have not moved any transgender women into the women’s estate since taking office.

We are reviewing transgender prisoner policy in light of the Supreme Court ruling and will set out any changes to our approach in due course.

E Wing prisoners are held separately to other prisoners at HMP Downview. They cannot be given any access to the general women's estate in the prison unless risk-assessed as being safe to do so. If they are given access, this will be directly supervised by staff.
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Steve Witherden:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether she plans to publish an updated response to the Domestic Homicide Sentencing Review. \p Sir Nicholas Dakin: The Lord Chancellor set out the Government’s plans for reforms to sentencing of domestic homicides in a Written Ministerial Statement to Parliament on 6 December 2024 (HCWS286). The Law Commission has accepted our request to undertake a review of the law of homicide and the sentencing framework for murder. Drivers for this review include concerns related to gendered disparities for murders committed in a domestic context. The Terms of Reference and more information on the review can be found on the Law Commission’s website and they will publish a detailed timeline for the project shortly.

We are also taking more immediate action in the short-term by implementing two of the outstanding recommendations in the independent Domestic Homicide Sentencing Review which was undertaken by Clare Wade KC under the last Government. These measures are statutory aggravating factors for murders involving strangulation and those connected with the end of a relationship. We intend to lay a Statutory Instrument to implement these measures when parliamentary time allows and we have recently completed a statutory consultation with the Sentencing Council that must precede this process.
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Connor Naismith:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps her Department is taking to support male victims of sexual abuse. \p Alex Davies-Jones: Supporting victims and survivors of sexual violence and abuse is an absolute priority for this Government. As you will be aware, this Government is faced with an incredibly challenging fiscal environment. Ensuring that the future service landscape meets the needs of different victim groups is important, whilst seeking to ensure we can support as many victims as possible within the current financial situation.

The views of organisations are being considered as we think innovatively about the best way to deliver services for all victims, and shape future service design, in the current fiscal environment. The Victims Minister held a men and boys roundtable on 27 November as part of this process to feed into design considerations of the future service for victims of sexual violence and officials continue to lead extensive market engagement as part of this process.
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Rupert Lowe:To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what proportion of grooming gang convictions since 2005 have involved perpetrators born outside the UK. \p Sir Nicholas Dakin: The Government takes the issue of child sexual exploitation extremely seriously and is committed to ensuring that all perpetrators are brought to justice, regardless of their background.

It is not possible to identify an offender’s place of birth, or whether their offending was part of a grooming gang, from centrally collated convictions data.

The Government is focused on delivering meaningful change for victims impacted by these horrendous crimes and we must do so in a way that is unburdened by cultural sensitivities. This includes legislative reforms to strengthen mandatory reporting as part of our implementation of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse recommendations. A progress update on this work was published on 8 April 2025.
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Wendy Chamberlain:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what progress she has made on developing a national financial inclusion strategy. \p Emma Reynolds: I have convened a Financial Inclusion Committee of industry and consumer representatives to develop the Government’s Financial Inclusion Strategy, which will be published later this year.

The strategy will tackle a range of issues, including access to affordable credit, digital inclusion, and financial capability and education. I am meeting with the Committee in June to discuss potential strategy interventions.
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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the High Income Child Benefit Charge on people earning just over £50,000 per year. \p James Murray: By withdrawing Child Benefit from high-income parents where the higher earner earns £60,000 or more, the HICBC helps to ensure the sustainability of the public finances and protect our vital public services.

Information on the number of households that have a joint income of over £90,000 that are not subject to the High Income Child Benefit Charge is only available at disproportionate cost.
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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to help support residents in Fylde constituency with the cost of living. \p James Murray: The Government know increased costs in essential areas such as energy, food, and housing are causing genuine worries and hardship for many people. That is why the Government is prioritising growth so we can boost wages and put more money in people’s pockets.

To support those most in need, we have introduced a Fair Repayment Rate on debt deductions in Universal Credit and extended the Household Support Fund in England, as well as Discretionary Housing Payments in England and Wales.

At recent fiscal events and in the Chancellor’s January growth speech, the Government set out the next steps in delivering our approach for regional growth, spreading growth across the country through investment and reform, including via devolution of funding and powers. This will benefit people across the country, including in the Fylde constituency.
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Nick Timothy:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if her Department will take steps to improve the accuracy of (a) identifying and (b) reporting data on fraud as distinct from administrative error. \p James Murray: As with other parts of the tax system, the term ‘error and fraud’ includes this full range of behaviours, from mistakes and failure to take reasonable care, through to deliberate non-compliance.

The Government is committed to further enhancing the administration of R&D tax reliefs. To support this, HMRC published a consultation on 26 March to explore widening the use of advance clearances in the reliefs to help further reduce error and fraud, while also improving the customer experience and providing certainty to businesses.
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Tom Morrison:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans to maintain the current residence nil rate inheritance tax band of £175,000. \p James Murray: I refer the Honourable Member to the answer given to UIN 44920.
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James Wild:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the market value is of matured Child Trust Funds that are unclaimed. \p Emma Reynolds: HMRC assists young people in accessing their matured CTFs through its online tracing service and through targeted communications appropriate to the age group. It will continue its work with providers, industry representatives and other stakeholders, exploring ways of increasing the profile of CTFs and enabling account owners to be aware of and trace their accounts.

HMRC encourages anyone unsure about their situation to get in touch with their account provider. If people don’t know their account provider, they can easily locate their Child Trust Fund accounts online by using the “Find my CTF” page on GOV.UK https://www.gov.uk/child-trust-funds/find-a-child-trust-fund

Information on Child Trust Funds is available in HMRC’s Annual Savings Statistics.

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/annual-savings-statistics-2024
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Mr Toby Perkins:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on (a) the design of the Extended Producer Responsibility scheme for packaging and (b) its interaction with wider economic and fiscal policy. \p James Murray: The Government is committed to moving towards a circular economy that delivers sustainable growth. Implementing the Collection and Packaging Reforms, including the Extended Producer Responsibility scheme for packaging is a critical step in this transition and will create a substantial incentive for investment in new and improved recycling services in the UK.

HM Treasury is working closely with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and the lead department, on the delivery of these reforms.
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Charlie Dewhirst:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much funding her Department has allocated to Stonewall for (a) 2025/26 and (b) 2026/27. \p James Murray: HM Treasury has not allocated any funding for Stonewall for 2025/26 and does not anticipate allocating any funding for Stonewall in 2026/27.
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Charlie Dewhirst:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what budget her Department has allocated to public sector equality, diversity and inclusion roles for (a) 2025-26 and (b) 2026-27. \p James Murray: HM Treasury has fewer than 5 staff in equality, diversity and inclusion roles for 2025/26. As the total number of individuals is less than 5, HM Treasury is unable to release salary information as doing so would mean these individuals may be identifiable. This is in line with HM Treasury's data reporting policy.

The Department's budget for 2026/27 has not yet been finalised.
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Mr Gregory Campbell:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to support the ability of people to make payments in cash. \p Emma Reynolds: The government recognises that cash continues to be an important method of payment for people.

The Financial Services and Markets Act 2023 gives the FCA responsibility and powers to protect access to cash.

They have since introduced rules to protect access to cash, which will also support the ability of consumers and businesses to continue to transact in cash.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how does the Valuation Office Agency determine the area size of a dwelling in (a) England and (b) Wales; and how does it determine the size of a non-standard plot. \p James Murray: I refer the hon. member to the following answer UIN 48452, tabled on 28 April 2025.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-20)

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Ben Lake:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of the potential financial savings to the Exchequer of (a) withdrawing the postponed VAT accounting process and (b) bringing forward payment of VAT on imports using the same facilities as apply to customs duties. \p James Murray: Postponed VAT accounting is an established and valued part of the UK’s VAT regime, which provides significant simplification and cashflow benefits to UK businesses who import goods from overseas. Unlike customs duty, VAT paid upon importation of goods is typically able to be reclaimed where the goods are sold on or used in the course of business. Postponed VAT accounting allows businesses to account for and reclaim the VAT on the same VAT return, thereby producing a nil result, rather than paying VAT on import and reclaiming it on a future VAT return. Postponed VAT accounting does not change the overall VAT liability on any imported goods.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-05-20 conversation_180

Luke Myer:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to help protect small businesses from bank account closures. \p Emma Reynolds: Banking services fulfil a vital role for businesses across the UK.

I recently laid legislation before Parliament which will require banks and other providers to give customers a longer notice period of 90 days before closing accounts and to provide a sufficiently detailed and specific explanation.

This will give people and businesses the time and information they need to challenge decisions or find an alternative provider.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-05-20 conversation_181

Phil Brickell:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of including council tax debt collection in the scope of the Government Debt Fairness Charter. \p James Murray: The Debt Fairness Charter outlines principles for the fair and reasonable treatment of individuals who owe personal debt to central government. The first version was published in March 2024, with a commitment to ongoing review and updates as needed, and a review is currently underway.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-05-20 conversation_182

Noah Law:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has assessed the potential merits of increasing the VAT registration threshold in line with inflation. \p James Murray: At £90,000, the UK has a higher VAT registration threshold than any EU country and the joint highest in the OECD. This means the majority of UK businesses are kept out of the VAT system.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-05-20 conversation_183

Charlie Dewhirst:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of reducing business rates relief for retailers that choose to leave the high street and move their businesses to retail parks. \p James Murray: As set out at Autumn Budget 2024, the Government intends to introduce permanently lower tax rates for all retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties with rateable values below £500,000 from 2026-27.

The Government intends to fund this by introducing a higher multiplier on all properties with a rateable value (RV) of £500,000 and above.

The rates for any new business rate multipliers will be set at Budget 2025 so that the Government can take into account the upcoming revaluation outcomes as well as the economic and fiscal context.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-05-20 conversation_184

Sorcha Eastwood:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of reducing VAT on beauty and hair salons. \p James Murray: VAT is the UK’s third largest tax. It is forecast to raise £180 billion in 2024/25, which funds public services. VAT is a broad-based tax on consumption, and the 20 per cent standard rate applies to most goods and services. Exceptions to the standard rate have always been limited and balanced against affordability considerations.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-05-20 conversation_185

Mark Pritchard:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to ensure that officials in her Department are adequately trained on potential economic statecraft mechanisms that could be deployed against the UK. \p Emma Reynolds: The Government possesses a range of diplomatic, economic, trade and other tools to respond to economic statecraft mechanisms if they are deployed against the UK. We work with the G7 and a range of other close partners to strengthen our joint resilience in ways that uphold the rules-based international economic system.

The UK Government continues to invest in training and capability building for officials in His Majesty’s Treasury to ensure economic security preparedness, including via the College for National Security. The Integrated Security Fund's Economic Deterrence Initiative has funded training and tailored analysis to improve economic security resilience and preparedness across HM Treasury.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-05-20 conversation_186

Gregory Stafford:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to ensure that banks apply case-by-case assessments to banking services for (a) crypto asset businesses and (b) their customers; and whether she plans to have discussions with (i) the industry and (ii) regulators on crypto-related banking practices. \p Emma Reynolds: The Government recognises that access to banking services is critical for operating a business, and is a matter of concern for certain sectors in particular such as the digital asset industry.

The Government continues to engage with the banking sector and affected industries, as well as the regulator, to better understand the existing and emerging issues in this area.

The Government also welcomes the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) work to date on the factors leading banks to reject or close bank accounts. Where the FCA has found areas where firms need to improve customer outcomes, the Government expects firms to consider the FCA’s findings and act accordingly.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-05-20 conversation_187

Andrew Gwynne:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will take steps with Cabinet colleagues to (a) increase economic growth and (b) encourage investment in (i) Manchester and (ii) the North West. \p Emma Reynolds: We have made clear the importance of investing in major city regions outside London and the South East - bringing the productivity of major city regions like Greater Manchester, the West Midlands, and West Yorkshire just to the national average would deliver an extra £33bn in economic output.

The government revealed at Autumn Budget an over £100 billion increase in departmental capital investment over the next five years compared to plans the government inherited.

We have also announced: a new approach to regional investment between the OFI and the NWF; the launch of a review into the Green Book and its application to supporting place-based objectives; the launch of a taskforce on devolution in Greater Manchester to then be rolled out elsewhere; and put £240m towards 16 trailblazers, including one in every MCA, to tackle the root causes of inactivity.

We have committed to funding for local leaders to unleash their areas’ untapped potential with over £1 billion for the North to improve the transport services people use every day – backing regional mayors and ensuring decisions about the North sit with those who call it home. This comes alongside £270 million investment in bus services and £330 million in road maintenance across the North.

From the start of the next financial year (2025-26) Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) will receive integrated funding settlements worth over £630m. This will give the Mayor meaningful control over funding and improve the fragmented funding landscape for Mayoral Combined Authorities (MCAs) with a flexible single pot, empowering them to drive local growth and invest in local priorities.

Trafford Council will also receive the +2.5% bespoke additional council tax referendum principles agreed to in their 2025-26 settlement.

Further, in recognition of Barrow’s vital role in upholding our national security, the town will receive £200m of government investment through the Barrow Transformation Fund.
wrans/answers2025-05-20 conversation_188
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-05-20 conversation_188

Jamie Stone:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking through the tax system to support the hospitality sector. \p James Murray: The hospitality sector plays a vital role in the UK economy, providing jobs and supporting local high streets and communities.

That is why the government announced a range of measures at Autumn Budget to support businesses, including those in the hospitality sector. These include:

We keep all taxes under review and continue to explore ways to support the UK’s vital hospitality sector.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-05-20 conversation_189

David Pinto-Duschinsky:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of pension reforms on economic growth. \p Torsten Bell: The government is committed to reforming our pensions landscape to increase returns for savers and boost growth for Britain. This is a journey the industry is already on. Last week, 17 workplace pension providers signed the Mansion House Accord, pledging to invest 10% of their main default funds in private assets, such as infrastructure, by 2030. At least 5% will be for UK assets, which could unlock over £25bn of new UK investment in key sectors.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-05-20 conversation_190

Vikki Slade:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to increase funding for emergency services. \p Darren Jones: The Government is committed to supporting our vital emergency services.

That is why in 2025/26 we have increased health spending by £22.6 billion relative to 2023/24, policing funding by £1.1 billion and standalone Fire and Rescue Authorities by £65.5 million compared to 2024/25.

Funding settlements for emergency services over the next three years will be set out in June’s Spending Review.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-05-20 conversation_191

Charlie Dewhirst:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what budget her Department has allocated to public sector pay rises for 2025-26 and 2026-27. \p Darren Jones: Public Sector pay rises will be funded from Departmental Budgets across the Parliament – there is no centrally provided funding available for pay rises.

Departments have set out in their evidence to the Pay Review Bodies (PRBs) what is affordable for 2025-26 pay awards for their workforces. Departmental budgets for 2026-27 onwards are subject to the ongoing Spending Review.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-05-20)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-05-20 conversation_192

Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi:To ask the Solicitor General, what steps she is taking to help ensure the effective prosecution of cases involving use of offensive weapons in Slough. \p Lucy Rigby: This Government’s priority is to keep our streets safe, that is why we have committed to halve knife crime in a decade as part of our Safer Streets Mission.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) prosecuted over 1,000 knife crime offences in 2023-24 in conjunction with Thames Valley Police.

Working closely with police in Thames Valley, the CPS recently completed a two-year pilot of Serious Violence Reduction Orders (SVROs). SVROs, which can be applied for by the CPS, provide police with the power to search a person subject to an order for bladed articles or offensive weapons in a public space. An evaluation report about the pilot is due in summer 2025, ahead of a decision by the Government to roll the powers out nationally.