theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Mr Paul Kohler:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the availability of high-quality apprenticeships for young people in the (a) digital and (b) STEM sectors. \p Andrew Western: This government is transforming the apprenticeships offer into a new growth and skills offer, which will offer greater flexibility to employers and learners across the country, including those in the digital and STEM sectors, and support the industrial strategy.

As a first step, the government has introduced new foundation apprenticeships, which are an employment-based training offer that give young people a route into careers in critical sectors, enabling them to earn a wage while developing vital skills. The first seven foundation apprenticeships became available in August 2025 focussed on four industrial strategy and priority areas, including digital and engineering and manufacturing.

From April 2026, the government will enable employers to also use the growth and skills levy for new short courses in areas such as digital, artificial intelligence and engineering, to support Industrial Strategy sectors.
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Ian Sollom:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he has taken to help increase awareness amongst employers of the incentives available to hire apprentices, including National Insurance relief when hiring apprentices under 25. \p Andrew Western: The government offers a range of financial support to help employers to take on apprentices. In addition to the National Insurance exemptions for apprentices under 25, the government pays £1,000 to employers that take on apprentices under 19 or eligible 19 to 24-year-olds.

An incentive payment of up to £2,000 has also been introduced to employers who take on foundation apprenticeships, on the seven apprenticeships that launched in August 2025.

Apprenticeships and the financial support available for employers are promoted through multiple channels, including social media and email and telephone marketing campaigns.

In addition, the government facilitates and funds the Apprenticeship Ambassador Network (AAN) which comprises 2,500 employers and apprentices who volunteer to promote the benefits of apprenticeships.
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Suella Braverman:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance his Department provides to PIP assessors on the (a) risks and (b) limitations for people with uncontrolled seizures. \p Sir Stephen Timms: The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) ensures that all health professionals (HPs) receive comprehensive training in disability analysis, including how to assess the impacts of medical conditions on people’s day-to-day activities, as well as awareness training on epilepsy and uncontrolled seizures.

Assessment quality is assured by suppliers and through DWP’s independent audit function, which checks assessments against a set of guidelines to ensure the criteria is applied appropriately and consistently in all cases, including those involving epilepsy and uncontrolled seizures.

The Personal Independence Payment Assessment Guide (PIPAG) provides detailed instructions for HPs, with Part 2, Section 2.3 covering guidance for HPs on applying the criteria for the daily living component. HPs also have access to Condition Insight Reports and Continuing Professional Development materials on epilepsy, offering clinical and functional information to support HP’s in delivering informed assessments.

Furthermore, if during the course of the assessment a HP identifies a deterioration in symptoms, or new symptoms that their usual health care professional is not aware of, DWP has a robust process in place to ensure this information is passed to the NHS, or if the individual if acutely unwell, they are transferred to an NHS service on the same day.
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Ian Sollom:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what progress he has made on the design of the PIP review. \p Sir Stephen Timms: The Timms Review will be co-produced with disabled people, the organisations that represent them, carers, clinicians, experts, MPs and other stakeholders, to ensure that expertise from a wide range of perspectives is drawn upon.

On 30 October, I announced that the Review will be co-chaired by myself alongside Sharon Brennan and Dr Clenton Farquharson CBE. We will oversee a steering group responsible for leading the co-production process, setting the Review’s strategic direction, priorities and workplan. The group will be made up of a majority of disabled people or representatives of disabled people’s organisations and will be recruited through an open and transparent Expression of Interest (EOI) process. The EOI is now live and will run until 30 November.
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Helen Morgan:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to support the creative industries in (a) North Shropshire constituency and (b) Shropshire. \p Ian Murray: There are creative industries clusters and micro clusters in every part of the UK and they are equally crucial to the delivery of our Growth Mission. We are keen to ensure that there are no cultural not-spots in the country and that everyone has an equal chance to pursue a career in the creative industries whether they live in a major metropolitan area or not.

The CI Sector Plan includes a universal offer to drive growth in the creative industries in any place in the UK, including North Shropshire, outlining new measures to break down barriers such as access to finance, supply of skills, and new support to kickstart innovation.
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Nigel Huddleston:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has taken steps to explore hosting the Special Olympics World Summer Games. \p Stephanie Peacock: The Government is committed to delivering international events with pride, building upon the UK’s global reputation for excellence in staging major sporting events.

We are always keen to work alongside our arm’s-length body UK Sport and other stakeholders to grow and develop our strong pipeline of events. We prioritise support for events based on a range of criteria, which includes how far they help create social and economic benefits for the UK and contribute towards the Government's Plan for Change.

The UK has already secured a strong pipeline of events over the coming years, including the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, 2026 European Athletics Championships in Birmingham, the Grand Départ for the Tour De France and the Tour de France Femmes in 2027 and the UEFA 2028 European Championships. The Department is not currently exploring hosting the Special Olympics World Summer Games.
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Lee Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to improve availability of grassroots football facilities in Ashfield constituency. \p Stephanie Peacock: The Government is committed to ensuring that communities across the UK benefit from high-quality sport facilities - including new and improved pitches, changing rooms, goalposts and floodlights - to help enable people to get active and build pride in place in local communities.

In 2024/25, the constituency of Ashfield received a total of £1,849,232 from DCMS’s Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities programme, primarily towards a new artificial grass pitch and changing pavilion at Sutton Lawn Pleasure Ground.

This programme is investing a further £98 million towards new and upgraded sports facilities across the whole of the UK in 2025/26. At least £400 million more will be invested in new and upgraded grassroots sport facilities between 2026 and 2030. DCMS is working with the sports sector and local leaders to develop plans for delivering this funding, ensuring that investment best serves the needs of local communities, in the areas which need it most across the UK.

Our delivery partner in England, the Football Foundation, plans its investment pipeline using Local Football Facility Plans (LFFPs), which are developed in partnership with local authorities in line with the needs of each community. The LFFP for Ashfield can be found at https://localplans.footballfoundation.org.uk/local-authorities-index/ashfield/ashfield-executive-summary/.
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Lee Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to promote UK tourism in other countries. \p Stephanie Peacock: DCMS works with the national tourism agency, VisitBritain, to champion visits to Britain to a worldwide audience with the aim of ensuring that the economic benefits of tourism are felt by all regions and nations.

To drive more inbound visits across Britain, VisitBritain launched a global screen tourism campaign ‘’Starring Great Britain’’ in January 2025. The campaign uses the country's rich film and television history as a hook to inspire visitors to explore diverse and often rural destinations. The launch was supported by a wider advertising campaign across the UK’s largest and most valuable inbound visitor markets including Australia, the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) countries, France, Germany and the USA.

The Government is committed to supporting the sector through the forthcoming Visitor Economy Growth Plan, which will set out a long term plan to increase visitor flows across the UK, boost value, and deliver sustainable growth.
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Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will publish a regional tourism strategy for the east-west rail corridor. \p Stephanie Peacock: East West Rail (EWR) will improve connectivity and drive economic growth, enabling people to travel easily and sustainably to the wide variety of existing and proposed tourist destinations along the route. The improved connectivity that EWR will provide, including its key interchanges with the UK’s major railway lines, will bring visitor attractions in Oxford, Bletchley, Milton Keynes, Bedford and Cambridge within easier reach for people living both in and outside the region.

The relevant local authorities, Local Visitor Economy Partnerships (LVEPs) and the EWR Company will work together, engaging with relevant stakeholders (including residents, businesses and cultural institutions), to ensure that opportunities for tourism are considered and developed through the project. Opportunities would then be captured in the relevant Destination Management Plans and Growth Plans for the regions concerned.

The Government is committed to supporting the sector through the forthcoming Visitor Economy Growth Plan. This will set out a long term plan to increase visitor numbers to the UK and ensure more of these visitors reach our unique regional destinations, of which improved connectivity is a key driver.
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Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 6 June 2025 to Question 54458, with reference to the press release entitled Six pubs a week shutting their doors for good, published on 17 February 2025, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of the estimated rate of pub closures on the attractiveness of tourism in the UK. \p Stephanie Peacock: The Government recognises the vital role of pubs and hospitality businesses in both local communities and the attractiveness of the UK as a visitor destination. While DCMS has not made a formal assessment, we continue working with other Government departments to ensure that targeted support is provided for the sector.

The Government is creating a fairer business rates system that protects the high street, supports investment, and is fit for the 21st century. We plan to introduce permanently lower business rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure properties with a rateable value under £500,000.  We have also reduced alcohol duty on qualifying draught beer products, saving the sector over £85 million annually.

The Government is also working to reduce barriers to growth for businesses, including those in the hospitality sector by streamlining the licensing system. For example, in April, we launched the Licensing Taskforce to guide reforms. As part of the Small Business Strategy launched at the end of July, a new National Licensing Policy Framework will simplify outdated rules making it easier and more affordable to open and run hospitality venues.

We’ve introduced a Hospitality Support Scheme and, in rural areas, £440,000 is being invested to help pubs diversify as community hubs, creating jobs and enhancing the visitor offer - helping to sustain a vibrant hospitality sector that supports the UK’s tourism appeal.
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Neil O'Brien:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many staff left her Department in each of the last five years by grade. \p Dame Angela Eagle: Information on the number of civil servants leaving each Government department and organisation by responsibility level for the years 2021 to 2025 is published annually through the ‘Civil Service data browser’ as part of Civil Service Statistics 2025, an accredited official statistics publication. Information can be accessed through the Civil Service data browser for 2021 through 2025 at the following web address:

https://civil-service-statistics.jdac.service.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/
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Mr Angus MacDonald:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department is supporting research into potential methods for reducing the environmental impact of fish farm escapes on wild fish populations. \p Dame Angela Eagle: In line with our membership of the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation (NASCO), the UK is committed to minimising adverse interactions between farmed and wild salmon. From 2027 each of the UK’s Governments will report annually to NASCO on the number of escapes from salmon farms and their impact on wild salmon populations. This reporting will include information about the monitoring of genetic introgression from farmed salmon. NASCO also provides best practice guidance on salmon aquaculture practices. This guidance is due to be reviewed during 2026/2027, and the UK government intends to put forward a representative to contribute to this review work.

Aquaculture policy and regulation is a devolved matter and there is no marine salmon farming in England. The Fish Health Inspectorate (FHI) authorises all aquaculture production businesses in England, under the Aquatic Animal Health (England & Wales) Regulations 2009. This includes setting conditions to ensure fish do not escape. The FHI assesses each farm for compliance annually and investigates farmed fish escapes.
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Anna Gelderd:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department is taking steps to distribute the fishing quota in a way that incentivises (a) lower impact and (b) selective fishing. \p Dame Angela Eagle: As set out in response to PQ 83899, there are a number of mechanisms in place to incentivise lower impact and selective fishing. In terms of quota distribution, in England we have been running a trial since 2024 called the Quota Application Mechanism (QAM), which allocates quota based on environmental, social and economic criteria. The mechanism uses a gear ranking system developed by scientists to support the allocation of quota to those that have the least impact on the seabed and the highest selectivity. Details on the QAM application process for 2026, including the application form and gear ranking system, can be found online here.

As set out in Annex D of the UK Quota Management Rules we also allocate quota specifically to certain groups. In England we target western mackerel for the South West handline fishery.
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Dr Al Pinkerton:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to safeguard the welfare of (a) pigs and (b) piglets on farms in (i) Surrey and (ii) Surrey Heath constituency. \p Dame Angela Eagle: All pigs are protected by comprehensive and robust animal health and welfare legislation, and potential breaches of the law are taken very seriously. Any allegations of poor animal welfare are investigated by the Animal and Plant Health Agency, and where there are non-compliances with the regulations, appropriate action is taken. The local authority, as an appropriate enforcement agency, may initiate prosecution action for animal welfare offences where there is sufficient evidence.
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Matt Vickers:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the reduction in the sheep population over the last three years on wildfire risk. \p Dame Angela Eagle: Defra has made no assessment of the potential impact of the reduction in the sheep population over the last three years on wildfire risk. The sheep sector is an important component of our rural landscape. The size of the flock changes year to year and sheep graze over a wide geographic area across the country, making any assessment difficult to undertake.

Each fire and rescue authority is, however, required to plan for the foreseeable risks in their area (including wildfire), through their Community Risk Management Plan.

Since 2024 the Government has funded a National Resilience Wildfire Advisor to assess what additional wildfire national capabilities might be needed to increase resilience to the wildfire risk and to ensure coordination of approaches across the sector.
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Chris Law:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of implementing an employer pays principle to help tackle (a) debt bondage and (b) labour exploitation of workers on the Seasonal Worker visa. \p Dame Angela Eagle: Together with the Seasonal Worker Scheme Taskforce, Defra jointly funded an independent investigation into the feasibility of applying the ‘employer pays principle’ to the horticulture sector, to understand how financial risks faced by workers can be mitigated.

The Government has considered the findings of the report but has no plans to mandate implementation of the employer pays principle in the horticulture sector. Welfare protections are already in place through the licensing and inspection processes provided by the Home Office and its agencies: the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority and UK Visas and Immigration.
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Neil O'Brien:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many staff in her Department are recorded as having a (a) mental health condition and (b) physical disability, broken down by grade. \p Sarah Jones: While the self-declaration field for disability and absence data will indicate a mental health condition or a physical disability, this will not confirm the presence of either and therefore this information is not held.

However, the number of staff who have declared they have a disability by grade is published and can be found via the link below.

Home Office workforce diversity statistics - GOV.UK
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Rupert Lowe:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how much her Department has spent on social media advertising by (a) influencer and (b) organisation in each of the last five financial years. \p Sarah Jones: Sensitivities exist around aspects of this spend which could prejudice commercial interests.

All spend in these areas are subject to the standard value for money assessments.
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Neil O'Brien:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many employment tribunal claims have been lodged against her Department in each of the last five years, broken down by (a) unfair dismissal and (b) claims under the Equality Act 2010. \p Sarah Jones: The Home Office has 205 Employment Tribunal claims in the last 5 years (01/10/2021 to 30/09/2025), however, to determine those which relate to unfair dismissals and/or the Equality Act 2010 can only be obtained via disproportionate cost.

Employment Tribunals decisions are published and can be found in the link below.

Employment tribunal decisions - GOV.UK
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David Simmonds:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 16 September 2025 to Question 75606 on Community Development: English Language, what estimate she has made of the cost to her Department for providing English language support to people in (a) 2024-25 and (b) 2025-26. \p Mike Tapp: The Home Office has invested in programmes to facilitate refugees’ access to English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) provision.

The ESOL Childcare Fund provided support for individuals resettled under the UK Resettlement Scheme, the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme and the Afghan Relocations and Assistance policy, to enable participation in ESOL classes. In 2024-25, we allocated £1.8 million to this fund. This programme closed at the end of the 2024-25 financial year.

The ESOL Coordinator function provides a co-ordinated approach to English language across Strategic Migration Partnership (SMP) regions. We provide a grant of £30,000 to 12 SMP regions to fund this role. For 2024-25 and 2025-26, £360,000 was granted per year under this programme.

The Home Office developed the STEP Ahead programme, which ran from October 2024 – March 2025, to test an innovative intensive digital approach to delivering English language training and employment support to refugees. We allocated £700,000 to this programme in the 2024-25 financial year.
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Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make an estimate of the number of people whose visa expired since 4 July 2025 who have not (a) renewed their visa and (b) left the UK; and how many and what proportion of those people have been detained for overstaying their visa. \p Mike Tapp: Removals of those with no right to be here have risen significantly under this government, with over 35,000 people removed - 13% more than the same period 12 months prior. Of the total returns since 5 July 2024, 10,191 were asylum related returns. This is an increase of 28% compared to the same period 12 months prior.

The Home Office only detains individuals when there is a realistic prospect of removal within a reasonable timeframe. As set out in legislation, an individual becomes liable to removal from the UK if "the person requires leave to enter or remain in the United Kingdom but does not have it". The Home Office does not routinely categorise immigration offenders by the manner in which they became irregular, and a breakdown of those who have been detained after overstaying a visa could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
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Rupert Lowe:To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how much her Department has spent on social media advertising by (a) influencer and (b) organisation in each of the last five financial years. \p Jo Stevens: Over the last five financial years, the department has spent the following on social media promotion and online advertising:

2024-25: £20,248.40

2025-26 to date: £26,751.60

This spend was on the joint UK Government/Welsh Government campaign to promote the availability of Tata Steel transition funding. The campaign aimed to raise awareness of the support available to steelworkers affected by the decarbonisation transition at Tata Steel UK in Port Talbot, including access to skills funding for those leaving the business. It also highlighted funding opportunities for local businesses impacted by the transition.

There has been no spend on social media advertising using an influencer during this period.
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Sorcha Eastwood:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of delayed implementation in Northern Ireland of pay awards recommended by the Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration on consultants' pension tax liabilities. \p James Murray: Decisions regarding the implementation of pay awards for doctors and dentists in Northern Ireland are a devolved matter and are the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Executive.
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Mike Wood:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when severance payments to (a) Simon Case and (b) Alex Chisholm were approved by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury. \p James Murray: HM Treasury applies rigorous scrutiny when approving special severance payments.

(a) Simon Case’s severance payment was approved by the Chief Secretary in March 2025.

(b) Alex Chisholm’s severance payment was approved by HM Treasury officials in accordance with published guidance.
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Sorcha Eastwood:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of introducing a multi-year averaging mechanism for pension growth calculations in the Health and Social Care Pension Scheme in Northern Ireland to mitigate the impact of delayed pay awards. \p James Murray: Policy in respect of Public Service Pension Schemes in Northern Ireland is a devolved matter for the Northern Ireland Executive.
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Mr Richard Holden:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 27 October 2025 to Question 82997 on the Restoring Your Railway Fund, whether the audit was independently reviewed by (a) the Office for Budget Responsibility and (b) another external body. \p James Murray: In July 2024, the Chancellor of the Exchequer instructed HM Treasury officials to undertake an audit of public spending. The audit’s findings showed a forecast overspend on departmental spending of £21.9 billion above the totals that had been set at Spring Budget 2024.

Taking immediate action to respond to the spending pressure, the government cancelled unfunded policy announcements made by the previous government, including the Restoring Your Railway programme.

The full Spending Audit summary can be found on GOV.UK.

The OBR conducted a review into the Spring Budget 2024 forecast which is available on their website, setting out that if the OBR had been aware of the scale of pressures at the time, they would have reached a “materially different judgement about...spending in 2024-2025”
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Mike Wood:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 8 September 2025 to Question 73352 on Government: Cryptoassets, in which accounting funds cryptocurrency assets are assigned; and whether external companies are used to hold the crypto assets. \p James Murray: HMT and central government do not hold any cryptoassets.

The seizure, recovery and management of cryptoassets, under the Proceeds of Crime Act, is for independent law enforcement and the courts to consider.
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Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of a 20p reduction in the business rates multipliers on trends in the level of pub closures over the next five years. \p Dan Tomlinson: The Government will introduce permanently lower business rates multipliers for retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties with rateable values below £500,000 from 2026/27. This permanent tax cut will ensure that pubs benefit from much-needed certainty and support.

These new multipliers cannot be lower than 20p less than the small business multiplier. These legislative minimum rates should not be taken as the intended rates for the new multipliers. Rather, they provide flexibility to adapt to the outcomes of the 2026 revaluation.

The Government is carefully considering the impact of the new business rates multipliers on different RHL businesses. The rates will be set at Budget 2025 so that the Government can take the revaluation into account, as well as the economic and fiscal context.
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Ben Maguire:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the agreed timescale is for HMRC to (a) process and (b) refund PAYE payments; and whether HMRC is meeting that timescale. \p Dan Tomlinson: There are several triggers that result in PAYE repayments.

Where a customer submits a PAYE repayment claim, these are treated as priority post. HMRC have an agreed and published service standard to respond to 80% of priority post within 15 working days. HMRC’s performance has improved from 68.6% in April 2025 to 81% in August 2025.

Repayments can also be generated by the provision of updated information from third parties, including employers, and following the tax year end reconciliation of customer accounts. At the tax year end, HMRC proactively check customers have paid the correct amount of tax and this can result in repayments. HMRC aim to complete this reconciliation by the end of the tax year and did this for over 99% of customers last year.

Where a PAYE repayment is due, HMRC provides the customer with the calculation of repayment (form P800) and, where eligible, invites them to go online to receive the payment electronically.

Where customers claim PAYE repayments online direct to their bank account, HMRC aim to process these within 5 working days. In 2024/25, 99.2% were processed within this timeframe.

In more complex cases, for example where the calculation involves multiple tax years, HMRC will automatically send the customer their refund as a payable order within 14 days.
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Charlotte Nichols:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate her Department has made of the annual cost to HMRC through the facilitation of tax evasion by the financial services sector. \p Dan Tomlinson: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) estimate the size of the tax gap, which is the difference between the amount of tax that should, in theory, be paid to HMRC, and what is actually paid. The tax gap statistics and details of the estimate methodologies are published annually and are available at: Measuring tax gaps 2025 edition: tax gap estimates for 2023 to 2024 - GOV.UK

Table 7.1 of the online tables shows the illustrative tax gap time series by behaviour, including evasion. The tax gap for evasion was £6.4 billion in tax year 2023 to 2024. The online tables are available at: Measuring tax gaps tables - GOV.UK.

HMRC does not separately estimate the tax gap due to tax evasion facilitated by the financial services sector.
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Rachel Gilmour:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of extending VAT exemption to include essential (a) day care and (b) respite services for people with (i) dementia and (ii) other permanent disabilities. \p Dan Tomlinson: Supplies of welfare services, including the provision of care for people with permanent disabilities and dementia, are exempt from VAT if they are supplied by eligible bodies, such as public bodies or charities.

When developing policy, including on VAT on welfare services, the Treasury carefully considers the impact of its decisions on those sharing any of the nine protected characteristics, including disability, age, sex and race, in line with its statutory obligations under the Public Sector Equality Duty set out in the Equality Act 2010.

More generally, VAT is a broad-based tax on consumption, and the 20 per cent standard rate applies to most goods and services. VAT is the UK’s second largest tax, forecast to raise £180 billion in 2025/26. Exceptions to the standard rate have always been limited and balanced against affordability considerations.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-07)

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Liam Conlon:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of extending VAT energy-saving materials relief to promote the uptake of heat batteries in homes in Beckenham and Penge constituency. \p Dan Tomlinson: This Government is committed to improving the quality and sustainability of our housing stock, through improvements such as low carbon heating, insulation, solar panels, and batteries. This will be vital to making the UK more energy resilient and meeting our 2050 Net Zero commitment.

Installations of qualifying energy-saving materials (ESMs) in residential accommodation and buildings used solely for a charitable purpose benefit from a temporary VAT zero rate until March 2027, after which they will revert to the reduced rate of VAT at five per cent.

The Government assesses whether to add ESMs to this relief by evaluating them against the following principles: the primary purpose of the technology must be to improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions; and relieving the technology of VAT must be cost effective and align with broader VAT principles.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-07)

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Rupert Lowe:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of the cost to the economy of compliance with VAT regulations for small businesses. \p Dan Tomlinson: VAT is a broad-based tax on consumption, and the 20 per cent standard rate applies to most goods and services. The UK’s VAT rate of 20 per cent is close to the OECD average of 19.3 per cent. The UK has a higher VAT registration threshold than any EU country and the joint highest in the OECD, at £90,000. This keeps the majority of small businesses out of the VAT regime altogether.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-07)

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Sarah Hall:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps her Department plans to take to help ensure that the carbon border adjustment mechanism will support a reduction in carbon leakage in all the sectors in scope of the legislation. \p Dan Tomlinson: The carbon border adjustment mechanism (CBAM) will be introduced on 1 January 2027 to address the risk of carbon leakage.

Carbon leakage occurs when production and associated emissions shift from one country to another due to different levels of decarbonisation effort, for example, as a result of carbon pricing and climate regulation.

The CBAM will place a carbon price on specific industrial goods imported to the UK from the aluminium, cement, fertiliser, hydrogen and iron & steel sectors that are at risk of carbon leakage, to ensure they face a comparable carbon price to those produced in the UK.

This will support UK decarbonisation efforts to lead to a true reduction in global emissions rather than simply displacing carbon emissions overseas, and give industry confidence to invest in the UK knowing their decarbonisation efforts will not be undermined.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-07)

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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the increased landfill tax on housebuilding in the Fylde constituency. \p Dan Tomlinson: The government consulted on proposals for reform of Landfill Tax on 28 April following a call for evidence in 2021 under the previous government, to ensure the regime remains effective in encouraging waste diversion from landfill and to support our environmental goals. The consultation closed on 28 July and the government is considering responses and will set out next steps, including a summary of responses, in due course.

As part of the consultation, the Government has received a wide range of views from stakeholders, including representatives from the construction sector. HM Treasury is working across government to assess potential impacts on housing delivery. This government is committed to delivering 1.5 million homes over 5 years as set out in the Plan for Change. Any final proposals will be designed to maintain the environmental effectiveness of the tax while supporting these plans.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-07)

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Rupert Lowe:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of the administrative cost of collecting Inheritance Tax as a proportion of total revenue. \p Dan Tomlinson: The figure for the cost of collecting Inheritance Tax (pence per pound collected) for 2024/25 is 0.78. This means as a proportion of total Inheritance Tax revenue, the administrative cost of collecting Inheritance Tax was 0.78% in that year.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-07)

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Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on the potential merits of exempting (a) category C and (b) category D gaming machines in pubs from any increase in the Machine Games Duty. \p Dan Tomlinson: The Chancellor discusses a variety of issues with Ministers from other government departments throughout the year.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-07)

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Sorcha Eastwood:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if HMRC will consider allowing pay award uplifts in Northern Ireland to be reallocated to the tax years to which they relate. \p Dan Tomlinson: In general, employment income is taxable in the year of receipt, which is not always the year that the work was carried out.

This is an important principle of the tax system ensuring clarity and consistency in the treatment of employment income as set out in Section 18 of the Income Tax (Earnings and Pensions) Act 2003.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-07)

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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when her Department will provide a response to the letter from the Hon. Member for Thirsk and Malton dated 18 September 2025. \p Dan Tomlinson: A response to the letter from the Hon. Member for Thirsk and Malton was issued on 6 November.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-07)

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Sorcha Eastwood:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what guidance HMRC provides to Northern Ireland residents with UK National Insurance numbers and Irish Personal Public Service numbers on reporting income earned in the Republic of Ireland; and whether she plans to publish simplified guidance for (a) occasional and (b) part-time cross-border workers. \p Dan Tomlinson: The UK has one of the largest networks of Double Taxation Conventions (DTCs) in the world, covering more than 130 jurisdictions.

The UK also seeks to encourage and maintain an international consensus on cross-border economic activity and to promote international trade and investment. To this end the UK plays an active role in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

The UK prioritises maintaining and updating its network of double taxation agreements, especially with major trading partners such as the Republic of Ireland. Whether such updates take place depends on several factors, including the priorities and availability of the relevant treaty partner.

Officials at HM Treasury and HM Revenue & Customs are in regular contact with their Irish counterparts in relation to the DTC and continue to discuss the issues arising from increased cross-border and remote working, amongst other issues.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-07)

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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans to increase the (a) Plastic Packaging Tax rate and (b) recycled content requirement to promote domestic recycling. \p Dan Tomlinson: The Plastic Packaging Tax was introduced in April 2022 under the previous government and provides a price incentive for businesses to use recycled plastic in the manufacture of plastic packaging – thereby stimulating the collection and recycling of plastic waste.

The Government keeps all taxes under review, and the Chancellor makes decisions on tax policy at fiscal events in the context of the overall public finances.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-07)

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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if the Prime Minster will have discussions with his international colleagues at the next G20 on raising the international corporate tax rate to 21%. \p Dan Tomlinson: The global minimum tax project is the result of an agreement reached by members of the G20/OECD Inclusive Framework on Base Erosion and Profit Shifting to reduce profit shifting by large multinationals.

Under the global minimum tax, large MNE groups will be subject to top-up tax if their effective tax rate is lower than 15%. The 15% rate was agreed in 2021, and was the outcome of negotiation and agreement by more than 130 countries. Many of these countries including the UK have now implemented the global minimum tax into their domestic legislation.

The internationally agreed 15% rate is not open for negotiation, but the government believes that it strikes the right balance between curbing harmful tax practices without preventing jurisdictions like the UK from enacting our 25% rate.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-07)

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Mr Angus MacDonald:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent estimate he has made of the cost of repairs to military aircraft damaged by (a) acts of vandalism and (b) protest activity in 2025. \p Luke Pollard: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 15 October 2025 to the hon. Member for Angus and Perthshire Glens (Dave Doogan) to Question 78509.

RAF Brize Norton (docx, 16.0KB)
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-07)

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Mr Angus MacDonald:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what procedures are in place to ensure that defence contractors comply with international humanitarian law. \p Luke Pollard: All Ministry of Defence (MOD) procurements must include DEFCON 516 (Equality) in their contracts. This requirement ensures suppliers shall adhere to the UK Equality Act 2010 and shall not unlawfully discriminate either directly or indirectly on the characteristics outlined in the Act. Any supplier or prospective supplier in breach of this can result in their exclusion from a tender process or give grounds to termination of a contract. The inclusion of this DEFCON also covers equivalent legislation in the country where the Contract is being performed if it is being performed overseas.

All MOD procurements must also assess the potential risks of modern slavery throughout the supply chain in new and existing procurements. This assessment helps inform whether prospective suppliers are in breach of any mandatory and discretionary grounds under the Procurement Act 2023 (PA 2023), during the supplier selection stage, if there is any evidence of modern slavery offences having been committed.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-07)

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Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the current ship-to-ship lethality capabilities of the Royal Navy surface fleet. \p Luke Pollard: The Royal Navy is undertaking a significant programme to modernise and increase the lethality of the Fleet. The introduction of Sea Venom and the Naval Strike Missile are key aspects of this programme which will be followed by further capability upgrades over the next few years.