theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Tim Farron:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans she has to improve accessibility at Staveley railway station. \p Simon Lightwood: This government is committed to improving the accessibility of the railway and recognises the social and economic benefits this brings to communities. Since 2006, the Access for All (AfA) programme has delivered step free access at more than 270 stations across Britain.

In 2022, the previous government sought nominations from train operators and transport authorities for potential upgrades through the AfA programme. Staveley station was not nominated.

The hon member may wish to engage with Northern Trains and the local transport authority to make that case that Staveley station is a priority in any future rounds of funding.
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Tim Farron:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to reduce train delays on the West Coast Mainline. \p Simon Lightwood: Improving rail performance is one of this Government’s strategic priorities for transport. We are determined to deliver more punctual and reliable services as well as better value for money for the taxpayer.

In response to our challenge to improve performance, the rail industry has set out a Performance Restoration Framework, with five clear areas of focus to recover performance to acceptable levels, including timetable resilience, staffing and how to keep trains moving during disruptive events.

Avanti West Coast (AWC) is beginning to see consistent and steady performance improvements on the network. However, there is still more to do with punctuality behind the industry average and Network Rail infrastructure reliability continuing to be a leading cause of passenger disruption on the West Coast Mainline.

The Rail Minister is in regular contact with the AWC Managing Director and Network Rail, to challenge poor performance and demand immediate action to deliver urgent improvements.
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Tim Farron:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will take steps with her Scottish counterpart to help prevent issues on the railways in Scotland that cause northbound trains on the West Coast Mainline to terminate at Preston rather than continuing up to Carlisle. \p Simon Lightwood: The Secretary of State is aware of difficulties passengers face during disruption in the North-West of England with limited options to keep services moving on the West Coast Mainline north of Preston.

The Rail Minister has strongly pressed Network Rail and Avanti West Coast, requesting that they urgently work together to come up with solutions for passengers during disruption.

Network Rail is undertaking an upgrade programme on the West Coast Main Line north of Crewe to improve the performance and reliability of the railway. This section of the route was last upgraded in the 1970s and suffers from performance issues today.
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Jerome Mayhew:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether franchised bus networks in combined authorities are reliant on (a) emergency and (b) extraordinary Government funding support. \p Simon Lightwood: No. In England outside London, the only franchised bus services in combined authorities operate in Greater Manchester. Since franchised bus services were first introduced in Greater Manchester in September 2023, no emergency or extraordinary funding for franchised bus networks has been announced by the Department for Transport.
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Mr Lee Dillon:To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department plans to extend the (a) 38.4 and (b) 44 tonne limits for lower carbon construction vehicles after 2028. \p Keir Mather: The Department ran a call for evidence from October to December 2023 seeking views on three potential options on weight limits for Volumetric Concrete Mixers (VCMs). The outcome of this review was published on 18 March 2025.

VCMs will continue to be permitted on our roads, but as planned, a temporary weight limit exemption for this type of vehicle (via vehicle special orders) will end on 31 March 2028, after which VCMs must operate at the legal weight limits applicable to other heavy good vehicles. This is not a ban or change in policy.

There are no plans to extend the 38.4 or 44 tonne weight limits for Volumetric Concrete Mixers beyond 2028.
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Lee Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether their Department has run any (a) recruitment and (b) internship schemes aimed to increase the number of people from underrepresented groups in the workforce in the last year. \p Ian Murray: In the past year, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has actively supported and hosted two internship schemes.

DSIT welcomed 35 interns through the Summer Internship Programme (SIP) and 17 candidates via the Autism Exchange Internship Programme (AEIP). These schemes are specifically designed to provide work experience to individuals from diverse backgrounds, including those who are neurodivergent, from ethnic minority communities or from socioeconomically disadvantaged communities.

Several of our interns were also offered extended placements following their initial internships, reflecting our department’s commitment to providing long term development opportunities. Additionally, all our SIP interns were paired with DSIT Fast Streamers who mentored them throughout their placements, supporting their growth and guiding them through the Fast Pass process into the Civil Service Fast Stream.

The AEIP, delivered in partnership with Ambitious about Autism, has always been a cornerstone of DSIT’s inclusive internship offer. The 2025 cohort were provided with tailored onboarding and workplace adjustments support, including communication guidance for line managers to ensure a positive and accessible experience.

These programmes reflect DSIT’s ongoing efforts to foster a more inclusive workforce and to create pathways into government careers for individuals who may face systemic barriers to employment. The department remains committed to exploring and implementing alternative entry routes that continue to prioritise diversity and inclusion.
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Rebecca Smith:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the 2017 Electronic Communications Code reform on rent revenues earned by church properties hosting mobile communications infrastructure. \p Kanishka Narayan: No specific assessment has been made on the impact of the 2017 reforms on church properties. In the impact assessment produced in 2016 to accompany the 2017 reforms, it was anticipated that there would be a reduction in rents from operators to landowners but that it would be difficult to precisely predict the effect of the reforms on rental payments. The impact assessment referenced independent analysis conducted by the specialist telecommunications consultancy Nordicity, commissioned by DCMS, which estimated a potential 40% decrease in rents.
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Max Wilkinson:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions he has had with business leaders on the potential impact of AI on the number of jobs in the next five years. \p Kanishka Narayan: We want to ensure that people have access to good, meaningful work. AI will impact the labour market and Government is working to harness its benefits in terms of boosting growth, productivity, living standards, and worker wellbeing, while mitigating the risks. We’re planning for varied outcomes and monitoring data to track and prepare for these. The Get Britain Working White Paper sets out how we will address key challenges and spread opportunity to fix the foundations of our economy to seize AI’s potential.

The Government is supporting workforce readiness for AI through a range of initiatives. The new AI Skills Hub, developed by Innovate UK and PwC, provides streamlined access to digital training. This will support government priorities through tackling critical skills gaps and improving workforce readiness. We are also partnering with 11 major companies to train 7.5 million UK workers in essential AI skills by 2030.
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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether the Isle of Man will be included in the proposed digital ID card scheme. \p Ian Murray: The Government has announced plans for a new digital ID that will be available for all UK citizens and legal residents aged 16 and over.

The British Nationality Act 1981 confers British citizenship on individuals with close connections to the United Kingdom.

Holders of Isle of Man passports are full British citizens and so will be eligible for the new digital ID.

As a self-governing jurisdiction, it will be for the Isle of Man government to determine whether any future legislation on digital ID should be extended to their jurisdiction.
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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether (a) Jersey and (b) Guernsey will be included in the proposed digital ID card scheme. \p Ian Murray: The Government has announced plans for a new digital ID that will be available for all UK citizens and legal residents aged 16 and over.

The British Nationality Act 1981 confers British citizenship on individuals with close connections to the United Kingdom.

Holders of passports issued in the Bailiwick of Jersey and the Bailiwick of Guernsey are full British citizens and so will be eligible for the new digital ID.

As self-governing jurisdictions, it will be for the Bailiwick of Jersey and the Bailiwick of Guernsey governments to determine whether any future legislation on digital ID should be extended to their jurisdictions.
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Ben Lake:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing fiscal incentives to support private investment in rural broadband networks, in the context of the Physical Infrastructure Access pricing structure. \p Kanishka Narayan: As the independent regulator for telecommunications, Ofcom is responsible for making regulatory decisions in the fixed telecoms sector, including on the Physical Infrastructure Access (PIA) product.

For this reason, while my officials are engaging with Ofcom on this issue, the Department has not made any specific assessment of the merits of introducing fiscal incentives to reduce how much rural operators pay for PIA.

My officials are regularly engaging with Ofcom to ensure that we have the right regulatory environment in place to promote competition and investment in the fibre roll-out.
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Luke Taylor:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what the projected cost is for introducing a national digital ID system. \p Ian Murray: The Government will launch a public consultation on the new digital ID by the end of the year. The eventual total cost and savings will depend on the design, build and delivery of the system, matters which will be included in the consultation.

We expect the programme to be designed, built and run by in-house Government teams, not outsourced to external suppliers. In the event any specialist external services or expertise are procured to support the delivery of the new digital ID system, this will be subject to all the usual competitive processes to ensure transparency, and value for the taxpayer.
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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what engagement his Department has had with (a) teachers and (b) trade unions on the introduction of digital ID cards. \p Ian Murray: The Government will launch a public consultation on the new digital ID by the end of the year and has begun engaging with several key stakeholders already. We will continue to engage with a range of organisations over the coming weeks and months, including as part of the consultation to be launched by the end of this year.

Throughout the development of the new digital ID, the Government will work closely with expert stakeholders to make it as effective and inclusive as possible.
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Dr Roz Savage:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what guidance her Department has issued to internet service providers on fulfilling their licence obligation to ensure access to 999 calls from within the home in communities where mobile not spots exist. \p Kanishka Narayan: According to Ofcom, 88% of UK premises have 4G indoor mobile coverage from all four mobile network operators, with almost 100% having coverage from at least one operator. However, we know that there is a range of local factors, such as building construction, which can affect user experience. Ofcom also provides advice on potential options that could improve mobile coverage indoors on its public facing website via the link here.

DSIT has not provided guidance to internet service providers regarding their obligations, as that is for the regulator Ofcom to consider. Ofcom sets the regulatory conditions for communications providers through their General Conditions of Entitlement, which requires communication providers to ensure continuous access to emergency services via 999 and 112. In 2018, Ofcom published guidance on how all communications providers should meet this duty, including in relation to customers who are dependent on a landline and may not be able to get a mobile signal.
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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether the Government has conducted an Equality Impact Assessment of the introduction of digital ID cards. \p Ian Murray: The Government will deliver a comprehensive inclusion programme to help ensure everyone eligible is able to access the new digital ID.

The Government will launch a public consultation on the new digital ID by the end of the year, setting out the proposed approach in more detail and seeking views on this. Views from the consultation will be used to inform future assessments on the impact on equality.

The Government will work closely with expert stakeholders from a range of organisations to make the programme as effective and inclusive as possible.
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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department has had discussions with (a) Apple, (b) Google and (c) other technology companies on delivering digital identity schemes. \p Ian Murray: The Government will start a public consultation on the new digital ID by the end of the year and has naturally begun engaging with key stakeholders, including charities, trade unions, trade bodies and associations, businesses and local government leaders already. We will continue to engage through the consultation period and beyond to support product delivery.

We expect it to be designed, built and run by in-house Government teams, not outsourced to external suppliers. In the event any specialist external services or expertise are procured to support the delivery of new digital ID, this will be subject to all the usual competitive processes to ensure transparency, and value for the taxpayer.

The Government is also keen to learn from other countries that implemented successful digital ID programmes. The Rt Hon Pat McFadden travelled to Estonia in August to understand more about the Estonian digital ID system.
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Mike Wood:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department has had discussions with (a) Larry Ellison and (b) Oracle on Digital ID Cards. \p Ian Murray: We are not talking to Larry Ellison or Oracle about digital ID.

Throughout the development of the new digital ID, the Government will work closely with expert stakeholders, including civil society groups, technology companies and industry bodies to make it as effective and inclusive as possible.

The Digital ID will be designed, built and run by government digital teams. Any additional specialist external services that may be needed to support delivery will be subject to the usual competitive processes.
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Luke Taylor:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps is she taking to ensure the safety of citizens’ personal data through the proposed digital ID scheme. \p Ian Murray: Privacy and security are integral to the Government’s proposals. People’s privacy and data will be protected in line with the UK’s data protection laws as well as using state-of-the-art encryption and authentication technology that’s already protecting millions of digital transactions daily - in the same way banking apps do.

The Government will launch a public consultation on the new digital ID by the end of the year, which will seek views on the design, build and delivery of the system. The Government will work closely with expert stakeholders, including the Information Commissioner’s Office and the National Cyber Security Centre, to make the programme as effective and secure as possible.
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Matt Vickers:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of the level of copyright protections in relation to the use of creative works for training generative artificial intelligence systems on the UK’s creative industries. \p Kanishka Narayan: Copying protected material in the UK will infringe copyright unless it is licensed, or an exception to copyright applies.

The Government recently consulted on several topics relating to the interaction between copyright and artificial intelligence (AI), including seeking views on the use of copyright material in AI model development.

The Government’s priority now is to consider all responses to the consultation, to help inform its next steps. Alongside this we launched expert working groups in July, bringing together representatives of the creative, media and AI sectors, and have committed to convene a parliamentary working group on the issue.

The Government will continue to engage extensively on this issue and its proposals will be set out in due course.
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Patrick Spencer:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help ensure the inclusion of people (a) in rural areas and (b) with poor connectivity in the proposed digital ID scheme. \p Ian Murray: The Government will launch a public consultation on the new digital ID by the end of the year, setting out the proposed approach in more detail and seeking views on this. This will include the proposed approach to estimating and monitoring the costs involved and savings - while accounting for the outcomes of the consultation.

The Government will work closely with expert stakeholders to make the programme as effective, secure and inclusive as possible, including taking insights from previous IT projects where appropriate. We will also take best practice from other countries.

Inclusivity is central to our thinking as we design this. The Government will deliver a comprehensive inclusion programme to ensure everyone eligible is able to access the new digital ID. This will include targeted support for those who may struggle to access or engage with digital services.
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Ruth Jones:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of facilitating the creation of a silicon photonics pilot line. \p Kanishka Narayan: The UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy recognises the opportunity to capitalise on our strength in photonics, chip design, and advanced technologies. To deliver this, DSIT is considering infrastructure needs as recommended by the Royal Academy of Engineering’s quantum infrastructure review.

The UK already has strengths in photonics including Scotland’s photonics cluster, supported by centres like the James Watt Nanofabrication Centre and the Fraunhofer Centre for Applied Photonics. UK universities, such as Southampton and Cambridge, contribute to European photonics pilot lines with DSIT funding. The DSIT-funded Innovation and Knowledge Centre at Cornerstone focuses on commercial translation of silicon photonics research.
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Alberto Costa:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she has made an assessment of the adequacy of technical support offered by technology companies to people who report cyber crime incidents affecting their products. \p Kanishka Narayan: The Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act (2022) places a legal obligation on the manufacturers of internet-connected devices to offer a vulnerability reporting process. This means anyone - including users, security researchers and cyber crime victims - must have a clear, secure way to report vulnerabilities to device manufacturers. The Act also places a legal obligation on device manufacturers to support their products with software and security updates for a defined period.

Technical support for cyber crime victims is not regulated under the Act. Victims should report cyber crimes to the police via the Action Fraud website or phone line.
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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she plans to implement a centralised issuance with decentralised data architecture model for a national digital identity system. \p Ian Murray: The Government will launch a public consultation on the new digital ID credential by the end of the year, seeking views on the design, build and delivery of the system.

We will work closely with expert stakeholders, including the Information Commissioner’s Office and the National Cyber Security Centre, to make the programme as effective and secure as possible. Our approach will involve a federated data model, to ensure privacy and security.
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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she has had recent discussions with the devolved Administrations on the introduction of digital ID cards. \p Ian Murray: The Government has engaged with the devolved Governments on the new digital ID and will continue to work closely with the devolved Governments throughout all stages of the programme’s development. As part of this, we will also ensure our commitments in the Good Friday Agreement, the Windsor Framework and the Common Travel Area are respected.
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Edward Morello:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether she plans to exempt digitally excluded people from mandatory digital ID requirements. \p Ian Murray: The Government will deliver a comprehensive inclusion programme to help ensure everyone eligible is able to access the new digital ID. This will include targeted support for those who may struggle to access or engage with digital services or devices. This will be a big opportunity to improve digital inclusion.

The Government will launch a public consultation on the new digital ID by the end of the year, setting out the proposed approach in more detail and seeking views on this. This will include the proposed approach to inclusion.

The Government will work closely with expert stakeholders to make the programme as effective and inclusive as possible.
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Clive Lewis:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether the mandatory digital ID system will be (a) developed and (b) operated by third parties. \p Ian Murray: The Government has announced plans for a new digital ID for all UK citizens and legal residents aged 16 and over. Employers will be required to conduct digital right to work checks using the new digital ID by the end of this parliament, but it will not be mandatory for other purposes.

We expect the programme to be designed, built and run by in-house Government teams, not outsourced to external suppliers. In the event any specialist external services or expertise are procured to support the delivery of the new digital ID system, this will be subject to all the usual competitive processes to ensure transparency, and value for the taxpayer.
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Dr Roz Savage:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of (a) indoor and (b) outdoor mobile coverage in Hullavington, Wiltshire. \p Kanishka Narayan: Ofcom does not publish mobile coverage data aggregated to specific villages in their Connected Nations reports and data releases. However, your constituents who live or work in Hullavington can access the improved coverage checker, ‘Map Your Mobile’, on the Ofcom website to get information on likely indoor and outdoor mobile coverage at their address.

Accurate coverage data being available is crucial to understanding where coverage issues remain and to supporting consumers to make informed decisions about which network offers the best service in their area.

All communities should rightly expect to have the connectivity they need to participate in the modern digital economy. This is why it is the government’s ambition that all populated areas should have access to higher quality mobile coverage by 2030.
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Clive Lewis:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, with reference to the press release entitled US-UK pact will boost advances in drug discovery, create tens of thousands of jobs and transform lives, published on 16 September 2025, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that (a) families will get access to cleaner, more reliable energy, (b) British consumers will be more protected from international fossil fuel price hikes and (c) British workers will benefit from high-paying jobs unlocked by these projects. \p Kanishka Narayan: In September 2025, we announced the landmark UK-US Technology Prosperity Deal which will help turbocharge the Government’s nuclear and economic growth ambitions. This deal will cut the time it takes to build projects in both our countries, as well as opening the door to major new deals between UK and US companies.

Families and businesses across Britain continue to pay a heavy price for our exposure to fossil fuel markets controlled by dictators like Putin. Nuclear has a central role in taking back control of our energy so we can protect our country and bring down bills for good. That is why earlier this year the government announced the biggest expansion of nuclear in half a century - delivering historic public investment in Sizewell C, fusion energy, and the UK’s first small modular reactors, built by Rolls - Royce. This is the biggest investment in renewable energy, which is part of our Clean Energy Superpower mission, jobs, investment, growth for Britain, fighting for working people to deliver a better future.

The Technology Prosperity Deal will see greater opportunities through investment and rollout of AI infrastructure in both countries, creating jobs and driving growth. For example, the new AI Growth Zone in the North East will see billions of pounds worth of investment, skills training and jobs funnelled into the region. In addition, it will develop revolutionary quantum computers and speed up the deployment of this technology which will boost healthcare, protect citizens and create highly skilled jobs.
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Graham Leadbitter:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether the Digital ID scheme will use NHS data. \p Ian Murray: The credential will be able to display and/or share name, date of birth, information on nationality or residency status, and a photo (as the basis for biometric security). This is similar to documents like passports and eVisas. The consultation will explore whether it would be helpful for users if additional information, like address, should be captured. We have no plans to include NHS data in the credential.
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Clive Lewis:To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what her planned timetable is for the Gov.uk OneLogin system to re-attain DVS trustmark accreditation. \p Ian Murray: In April 2025, GOV.UK One Login’s Trust Framework certification was suspended due to a supply chain issue where one third party allowed their certification to lapse. We are working closely with the supplier and our Conformity Assessment Body to resolve this issue and regain certification as soon as possible.
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Mike Wood:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many (a) disciplinary actions and (b) dismissals of HMRC officials have there been for unauthorised access to personal data since 1 July 2024. \p Dan Tomlinson: HMRC takes the security of customer data extremely seriously. Its Systems Audit and Data Analyst (SADA) team have robust systems in place to monitor staff use of systems and to identify any unauthorised access.

When staff are inducted, HMRC gives them clear guidance and information on the use of corporate systems. There are clear processes and policies published that remind staff of their continuing obligations. HMRC also provides annual mandatory learning for all its staff on data security to remind them of their obligations.

HMRC take unauthorised access and the protection of customer data very seriously. When a case of unauthorised access is identified, it is automatically investigated as potential gross misconduct, which means it could lead to the employee’s dismissal (a single offence can result in dismissal).

Since 1st July 24 to 15th October 2025 there have 81 cases concluded with a case category of unauthorised access. This has resulted in:

22 resignations

52 dismissals

6 final written warning

1 first written warning
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Mike Wood:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 9 September 2025 to Question 71234 on Cabinet Office: Electronic Purchasing Card Solution, for what reason her Department organised a training event for 70 Philippines officials in Manila; and what was the topic of the training. \p James Murray: The training showcased British expertise and standards in sustainable infrastructure, shared UK best practice in infrastructure planning, design, finance and delivery, demonstrating the quality and innovation of British approaches that are helping to drive growth and opportunity at home. By sharing proven UK standards, the event strengthened the UK's position as a trusted infrastructure partner whilst exploring opportunities for future collaboration that could benefit British businesses, expertise and economic interests.
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Mike Wood:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the incidence of B-Corp status resulting in financial divestment in the defence industry. \p James Murray: HM Treasury is aware that, in particular, SMEs and startups operating in the defence sector face barriers to accessing finance and MOD contracts, which is why the recent Defence Industrial Strategy established a new Defence Office for Small Business Growth to improve access to finance, set up a dedicated SME Commercial Pathway, and set ambitious targets for increasing MOD spending with SMEs.

The recent deal with Norway worth £10bn is testament to the UK’s global competitiveness.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-22)

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Rupert Lowe:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a 25 per cent remittance tax on funds sent to countries that refuse to cooperate with deportations. \p Dan Tomlinson: The UK imposes taxes based on individual’s residence status. Individuals who are resident in the UK are taxable on their income and gains that arise worldwide. Remitting funds outside of the UK is not generally considered to be a chargeable event for individuals. It should also be noted that funds being remitted will often have already been subject to UK tax, such as income tax, if funded from earnings.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-22)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-22 conversation_310

Gareth Thomas:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will require the Bank of England or Prudential Regulation Authority to monitor personal lending and lending to businesses in left behind communities. \p Lucy Rigby: The Government welcomes the work of the Bank of England to assess and monitor credit provision in the UK for households and businesses, through its bankstats releases and regular business surveys. The Government has no further plans in this area.

The Government is, however, committed to ensuring that access to finance is available across the UK and to tackle barriers where these exist. In recognition of this, in November 2024, the British Business Bank launched the Community ENABLE Funding (CEF) Programme, which aims to deploy £150 million over the next two years to ‘not for profit’ lenders, including Community Development Finance Institutions (CDFIs). In 2024, CDFIs and social banks lent £96.7 million to 364 social enterprises, with 67% of this lending directed to the UK’s most disadvantaged areas.

Furthermore, in recognition of the important role responsible credit can play for consumers, the Government’s forthcoming Financial Inclusion Strategy includes a focus on access to credit, among other priority issues, and will seek to ensure people have access to useful products and services for their needs.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-22)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-22 conversation_311

Gareth Thomas:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has had discussions with the Prudential Regulation Authority on the potential merits of a central finance facility for credit unions. \p Lucy Rigby: The Government has made clear its strong support for the credit union sector, recognising the value that credit unions bring to their members in local communities across the country in providing savings products and affordable credit.

HM Treasury is delivering on measures announced by the Chancellor in last year’s Mansion House speech, including: concluding a call for evidence on potential reforms to credit union common bonds, supporting the industry-led Mutual and Co-operative Sector Business Council, and commissioning the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) to publish a report on the mutuals landscape by the end of 2025.

The Government currently has no plans to develop a central finance facility for credit unions but continues to engage with the sector and the regulators, and will keep all issues, like central finance functions, under review.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-22)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-22 conversation_312

Zöe Franklin:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps her Department is taking to support family-owned businesses with significant inheritance tax liabilities following company valuations. \p Dan Tomlinson: The Government believes its reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief from 6 April 2026 get the balance right between supporting farms and businesses, fixing the public finances, and funding public services. The reforms reduce the inheritance tax advantages available to owners of agricultural and business assets, but still mean those assets will be taxed at a much lower effective rate than most other assets. Despite a tough fiscal context, the Government will maintain very significant levels of relief from inheritance tax beyond what is available to others and compared to the position before 1992.

Where inheritance tax is due, those liable for a charge can pay any liability on the relevant assets over 10 annual instalments, interest-free.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-22)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-22 conversation_313

Sarah Green:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the mechanisms available to Parliament to hold HMRC to account for the effectiveness of its safeguarding of public money. \p Dan Tomlinson: HMRC is subject to the same parliamentary scrutiny mechanisms for its stewardship of public resources as other government departments, as set out in HM Treasury's Managing Public Money guidance, available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/managing-public-money.

This means the department’s annual report and accounts must be produced in line with the requirements set out by HM Treasury, audited by the Comptroller & Auditor General and laid in Parliament. In addition, HMRC's Accounting Officer is directly accountable to Parliament and regularly appears before the Committee of Public Accounts. HMRC is also subject to departmental scrutiny by the Treasury Committee.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-22)

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Mike Wood:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to paragraph 3 in the section entitled Civil Servants of the the Cabinet Office publication entitled Annual party conferences 2025, updated on 8 September 2025, how many civil servants in her Department have been permitted to attend (a) Labour Party Conference, (b) Conservative Party Conference, (c) Liberal Democrat Party Conference, (d) SNP Party Conference and (e) Reform Party Conference this year. \p Dan Tomlinson: The Permanent Secretary’s Office did not receive any requests to grant permission to attend any party conferences from HMT officials in 2025, in either an official or personal capacity.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-22)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-22 conversation_315

Abtisam Mohamed:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant the Answer of 11 September 2025 to Question 74808 on Universities: Research, if HM Treasury will carry out further analysis of productivity and economic growth gains. \p James Murray: HM Treasury regularly analyses the economic impacts of policy, including research funding for universities. For example, recent spending review decisions were underpinned by a range of evidence and analysis provided by government departments and external stakeholders.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-22)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-22 conversation_316

Lee Anderson:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether their Department has run any (a) recruitment and (b) internship schemes aimed to increase the number of people from underrepresented groups in the workforce in the last year. \p Dan Tomlinson: HMT has not run any recruitment or internship schemes specifically aimed at increasing the number of people from underrepresented groups.

HMT has participated in some cross-government internship schemes such as the Cabinet Office run Summer Intern Placement (SIP), Autism Exchange Internship Placement and the Department of Work and Pensions’ Movement to Work Scheme.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-22)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-22 conversation_317

Sarah Edwards:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of including Cyber Attacks within the Pool Reinsurance Company Limited Fund. \p Lucy Rigby: Pool Reinsurance, or Pool Re, was created to ensure the effective functioning of the UK’s terrorism insurance market. The government do not have any plans to extend Pool Re’s remit to include further cyber-related risks.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-22)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-22 conversation_318

Sarah Green:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what standards and speed of response she expects from HMRC in providing details of settlements reached with companies to hon. Members. \p Dan Tomlinson: HMRC have a statutory duty of confidentiality to protect information held about taxpayers, so that such information is not passed to unauthorised parties. HMRC’s ability to disclose information held about taxpayers is restricted by the Commissioners for Revenue and Customs Act 2005 (CRCA). Section 18 of CRCA makes clear that HMRC must not disclose information to anyone, unless they have lawful authority to do so. As such HMRC are unable to provide details of any customers’ tax settlements with MPs.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-22)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-22 conversation_319

Blake Stephenson:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department's definition of a millionaire includes (a) assets, (b) the outstanding value of pension pots and (c) income levels in the context of (i) winter fuel payments and (ii) other policies. \p Torsten Bell: The Winter Fuel Payment will be paid to those with total incomes below or equal to £35,000. This means those on lower and middle incomes will still receive the help they need and ensures fairness for both pensioners and taxpayers.

The standard definition of total taxable income applies. This includes any savings interest outside an ISA, even if the savings are under the Personal Savings Allowance

Other benefits have their own means tests, which take differing personal and financial circumstances into account to ensure support is appropriately targeted.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-10-22)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-10-22 conversation_320

Graham Stuart:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether funding allocated to communities through the Pride in Place Impact Fund can be used as seed capital to support private sector investment in areas. \p Miatta Fahnbulleh: The Pride in Place Impact Fund will provide £142.5 million of funding to 95 places to support the development of community spaces, public space and to revitalise our local high streets. This will enable immediate work to make sure that the places and spaces valued by communities are improved and matches the pride they feel for their local areas.

The purpose of the Pride in Place Impact Fund is to help restore pride to selected places, enhancing local identity and morale which in turn will draw in longer-term, sustainable private investment. Upgrades to community facilities and public spaces such as parks, playgrounds and piers will help improve health and well-being, bring people together and strengthen communities.

To maximise the impact of the Pride in Place Impact Fund and broaden its reach, local authorities are encouraged to explore opportunities to leverage funding and seek extra match funding for initiatives. This will help to unlock additional support and accelerate progress on shared priorities for local pride.