theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
wrans/answers2025-09-01 conversation_250
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-01)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-09-01 conversation_250

Katie Lam:To ask the hon. Member for Warrington North, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, what proportion of the IPSA preferred suppliers list for MPs’ office purchases are UK-based manufacturers. \p Charlotte Nichols: IPSA does not have a preferred suppliers list for MPs' office purchases. MPs are able to apply their own descretion within the parameters set out in the Scheme of MPs' Staffing and Business Costs when accessing funds from their Office Costs Budget.

Whilst IPSA does not have a preferred suppliers list for MPs' office purchases, it does have two direct supplier relationships with retail businesses based in the UK or with a UK subsidiary. MPs can make use of these in purchasing certain office supplies and for letterhead printing.
wrans/answers2025-09-01 conversation_251
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-09-01)

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Sarah Owen:To ask the hon. Member for Warrington North, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, whether topping up statutory parental bereavement leave payment with occupational pay up to a staff member’s full pay for two weeks includes bereavement leave for pregnancy loss before 24 weeks. \p Charlotte Nichols: The occupational policies funded by IPSA with regard to MPs' staff aim to align with the eligibility criteria set by the Government with respect to statutory payments, in accordance with the need for IPSA's policy to reflect the experience of other working citizens.

The eligibility criteria for statutory parental bereavement pay establishes that the payment only applies after 24 weeks gestation. IPSA is, however, monitoring the progress of the Employment Rights Bill and once enacted, will update it policies and procedures in accordance with any changes.

Within the rules of the Scheme of of MPs' Staffing and Business Costs, MPs have the discretion to provide compassionate or bereavement leave to any staff member and this is laid out on IPSA's guidance website.
wrans/answers2025-02-26 conversation_1
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-26)

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Peter Lamb:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to his oral statement on British Indian Ocean Territory: Negotiations of 7 October 2024, Official Report, column 45, what guidance his Department has provided to Chagossians who are resident outside of Mauritian territory on accessing the trust fund. \p Stephen Doughty: After a treaty with Mauritius is ratified, the UK will capitalise a new trust fund for Mauritius to use in support of Chagossians. Separate to the Trust Fund, we will also increase our support to Chagossians living in the UK and around the world, through new and existing projects. As details of the Trust Fund will be agreed as part of the implementation of the Agreement after signature, no guidance has yet been issued.
wrans/answers2025-02-26 conversation_2
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-26)

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Peter Lamb:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Mauritian counterpart on the return of Chagossians without a Mauritian passport but in possession of (a) British, (b) Seychellois or (c) other citizenship. \p Stephen Doughty: Mauritius will be free to resettle the islands, other than Diego Garcia. It will be for Mauritius to set the terms of and manage any future resettlement. Ministers and officials continue to engage with their Mauritian counterparts as part of routine bilateral engagement.
wrans/answers2025-02-26 conversation_3
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-26)

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Mr Mark Francois:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will list all (a) discussions and (b) advice received by his Department from the International Telecommunication Union in relation to the UK's access to the electromagnetic spectrum around Diego Garcia. \p Stephen Doughty: Ofcom remains responsible for the management of the electromagnetic spectrum in the UK. FCDO and Ofcom officials have regular discussions about a range of issues including BIOT. UKMIS Geneva regularly engages with ITU on a range of matters on behalf of HMG.
wrans/answers2025-02-26 conversation_4
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-26)

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Dr Luke Evans:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the UK Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion and Belief on the role of freedom of religion or belief in his policies. \p Anneliese Dodds: The Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) holds regular discussions with the Minister for Human Rights on key FoRB issues and reports to the Foreign Secretary through the Minister for Human Rights. The UK Government champions the right to FoRB and promotes tolerance and mutual respect through our engagement in multilateral fora - including our position at the UN and Article 18 Alliance - our bilateral work, and programme funding.
wrans/answers2025-02-26 conversation_5
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-26)

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Alicia Kearns:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 31 January 2025 to Question 24486 on Republika Srpska and Serbia: Politics and Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the joint committees between the Republic of Serbia and Republika Srpska legislatures on the (a) sovereignty and (b) territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. \p Stephen Doughty: Efforts to develop regional cooperation, economic integration and inter-connectivity initiatives which raise living standards across the Western Balkans are important.

However it is vital that any such initiatives and related structures do not privilege individual groups or violate the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), or undermine the Dayton Peace Agreement, for which the UK remains steadfast in its support.

We urge all political leaders in BiH, Serbia and the wider region to work constructively to strengthen federal institutions in BiH, use their influence positively with Republika Srpska leaders to promote continued adherence to the established constitutional framework in BiH, and to refrain from actions that could undermine this.
wrans/answers2025-02-26 conversation_6
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-26)

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James McMurdock:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of reviewing the UK's engagement with the United Nations. \p Stephen Doughty: The UN is an important forum to counter those who oppose democracy, human rights, and free economies. It offers the UK a platform with global reach to play a leading role in solving international challenges - including the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and tackling climate change.

We want the UN to be as effective, efficient, and accountable as possible. The UK uses its influence to push for greater coherence and impact across the UN system in order to make the system more efficient, more representative and more responsive to those who need it most. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), together with colleagues across Government, actively works to ensure UK financial contributions to the United Nations and its agencies represent value for money to the British taxpayer and align with UK national interests. The FCDO rigorously scrutinises all UN budget proposals to ensure the proposed activities are in line with UK priorities and we continue to adjust the UK's engagement across the UN system to ensure the most effective promotion of UK interests.

The Chancellor has launched Phase 2 of the Spending Review, covering 2026/27 to 2028/29. This will zero-base all spending, conducting a full line-by-line review of all public spending to assess whether it is a priority for this government and represents value for money for the taxpayer. The Spending Review will conclude on 11 June 2025.
wrans/answers2025-02-26 conversation_7
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-26)

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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with Cabinet colleagues on the potential deployment of a European peacekeeping force to Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire. \p Stephen Doughty: The Foreign Secretary is in close contact with his Cabinet colleagues. As the Prime Minister has said, the UK is ready to play a leading role in accelerating work on security guarantees for Ukraine, including being ready and willing to contribute to security guarantees to Ukraine by putting our own troops on the ground in the future if necessary. Until then, we remain focused on putting Ukraine in the strongest possible position.
wrans/answers2025-02-26 conversation_8
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-26)

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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with the French ambassador on a European peacekeeping force in Ukraine. \p Stephen Doughty: We are in close touch with our European partners, including France, to help defend Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression. As the Prime Minister has said, the UK is ready to play a leading role in accelerating work on security guarantees for Ukraine, including being ready and willing to contribute to security guarantees to Ukraine by putting our own troops on the ground if necessary.
wrans/answers2025-02-26 conversation_9
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-26)

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Mark Pritchard:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the role of Russia's Africa Corps in the migration of people from (a) sub-Saharan Africa and (b) North Africa. \p Stephen Doughty: Russian proxies such as Africa Corps contribute to conflict and instability in parts of Africa, increasing displacement of local populations.

The UK is working with African and international partners to strengthen regional security, build resilience and address the long-term drivers of insecurity. In November 2024, we announced sanctions on those linked to Russian-backed mercenary groups operating in Libya, Mali and the Central African Republic. We are also disrupting irregular migration through our irregular migration sanctions regime, action with partners to reduce its drivers and enablers, and safely and respectfully returning those individuals with no right to remain in the UK.
wrans/answers2025-02-26 conversation_10
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-26)

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Priti Patel:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many (a) meetings and (b) discussions (i) the Prime Minister and (ii) his officials have had with their Mauritian counterparts since July 2024. \p Stephen Doughty: Ministerial meetings with external organisations will be published in the usual way on gov.uk.
wrans/answers2025-02-26 conversation_11
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-26)

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Sammy Wilson:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made representations to the United Nations on the creation of a United Nations Convention on the Rights of Older Persons. \p Stephen Doughty: The UK Government is committed to equality and opportunity for all, with a particular focus on those most likely to be marginalised and discriminated against, including on the grounds of their age. We are open in principle to the idea of a multilateral instrument dedicated to the human rights of older people and will continue to play a constructive role in discussions on this issue at the UN and other relevant fora. UK officials continue to discuss the issue with international counterparts.
wrans/answers2025-02-26 conversation_12
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-26)

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Joe Robertson:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department plans to retain the taskforce that identifies prominent extremists overseas. \p Stephen Doughty: Extremism has no place in our society and the Government is committed to tackling it in whatever form it takes. This includes Islamism and Extreme Right-Wing ideologies, which are the most prominent today. Further plans to tackle extremism, including the status of the taskforce, will be set out in due course.

The UK has robust safeguards to ensure visas are only issued to those who we want to welcome to our country. The Government's priority remains maintaining the safety and security of the UK. The Government makes no apologies for refusing people access to the UK if we believe they represent a threat to our society. Coming here is a privilege that we refuse to extend to those who seek to subvert our shared values.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-26)

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Ben Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the formal mechanisms set out in section 2 of the International Criminal Court Act 2001 have been triggered in relation to the arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu issued by the International Criminal Court on 21 November 2024. \p Stephen Doughty: If the UK receives a request for arrest and surrender or a request for provisional arrest from the International Criminal Court (ICC) for an indicted individual who is visiting the UK, then these warrants will go into a domestic legal progress. It is this process through our independent courts that determines whether or not to endorse, or issue, the warrant in accordance with the UK's ICC Act 2001.
wrans/answers2025-02-26 conversation_14
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-26)

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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will commit to increasing security guarantees for Ukraine. \p Stephen Doughty: As the Prime Minister has said, the UK is ready to play a leading role in accelerating work on security guarantees for Ukraine. This includes further support for Ukraine's military - where the UK has already committed £3 billion a year until at least 2030. It also means being ready and willing to contribute to security guarantees to Ukraine by putting our own troops on the ground if necessary.
wrans/answers2025-02-26 conversation_15
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-26)

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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will take steps to ensure that Ukraine continues to receive adequate military support. \p Stephen Doughty: The UK will deliver £3 billion of military assistance to Ukraine this year and every year until at least 2030. The UK-administered International Fund for Ukraine to procure military equipment now stands at over £1.3 billion. The UK will also provide £2.26 billion to the G7 Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration (ERA) Loans to Ukraine scheme, in which $50 billion from G7 countries will be delivered to Ukraine for its military, budget, and reconstruction needs.
wrans/answers2025-02-26 conversation_16
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-26)

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Mr Mark Francois:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what (a) discussions he has had with his counterpart in the US and (b) legal advice he has received on the electromagnetic spectrum over Diego Garcia. \p Stephen Doughty: The Foreign Secretary and US Secretary of State had a phone call on 27 January where they discussed a range of shared UK/US priorities, including the long-term protection of the base on Diego Garcia. The Government, as anyone else, is entitled to receive legal advice in confidence that will not be made public.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-26)

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Steve Barclay:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many officials in his Department are working on issues related to the Chagos Islands. \p Stephen Doughty: It would be difficult to assess how many officials are working on these issues, given that we do not record and measure the amount of time spent on any one topic where an official covers a range of matters.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-26)

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Ruth Jones:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the joint letter of 31 July 2024 issued by 18 United Nations Special Mechanisms, reference AL IRN 14/2024, on the treatment of the Baha’i community in Iran. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: The UK condemns Iran's restrictions against Freedom of Religion or Belief. Baha'is face particularly acute repression by the authorities in Iran, which includes but is not limited to unfair arrest, detention, and lengthy prison sentences. We are aware of the UN Special Rapporteurs' joint letter - the increased targeting of Baha'i women is an alarming escalation. We are committed to working with international partners to hold Iran to account for its repression of the Baha'is, and other religious minorities, including at the UN Third Committee. The UK raised ongoing discrimination against minority groups during Iran's Universal Period Review on 24 January.
wrans/answers2025-02-26 conversation_19
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-26)

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Ruth Jones:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the security situation for the Shia Muslim community in Parachinar. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: Promoting the rights and safety of religious minorities is a core part of the UK's diplomatic engagement in Pakistan. I raised the importance of religious tolerance and harmony, as well as the impact of rising extremism on vulnerable groups, when I met Pakistan's Human Rights Minister on 19 November. The British High Commission continues to raise the security situation for Shia Muslims in Parachinar at the highest levels. UK programmes are also promoting the rights of religious minorities, including in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Our Aawaz II programme promotes interfaith harmony by convening influential community and faith leaders and minority representatives to resolve local issues, particularly as religious tensions arise.
wrans/answers2025-02-26 conversation_20
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-26)

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Chris Law:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if the Government will meet with family members of Palestinian (a) abductees and (b) hostages held without (i) charge and (ii) trial in Israeli detention facilities. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: We are deeply concerned by reports of the mistreatment of Palestinian detainees held in Israeli detention centres. The UK continues to reiterate calls for Israel to allow the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) unfettered and immediate access to detention facilities. We continue to raise this with the Israeli government as a priority. The Foreign Secretary, the Minister for Development, the Foreign Secretary's Representative for Humanitarian Affairs in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (FSRHA) and I regularly meet NGOs to discuss topics including prisoners and detainees. The UK has always been clear that an immediate ceasefire is just the first step towards a lasting solution to this crisis. We are closely monitoring the situation and will continue to engage with international partners to ensure full implementation of the agreement, including the release of all hostages.
wrans/answers2025-02-26 conversation_21
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-26)

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Alison Bennett:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will ask the International Criminal Court to investigate the Taliban’s actions towards women in Afghanistan as crimes against humanity. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: We continue to condemn the Taliban's draconian restrictions on women and girls' rights. Those responsible for international crimes committed in Afghanistan should be held to account for their actions. We note the International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor's application for arrest warrants against Taliban leaders in relation to the persecution of women and girls in Afghanistan. We welcome the progress being made in the investigation in Afghanistan. The UK Government respects the independence of the ICC. It is for the ICC Prosecutor to determine independently who should be prosecuted in accordance with his mandate under the Rome Statute.
wrans/answers2025-02-26 conversation_22
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-26)

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Ayoub Khan:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if his Department will establish a mechanism to monitor the impact of USAID cuts on programmes to (a) conflict-affected countries and (b) multilateral organisations; and whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of the withdrawal of American funding from UNRWA on levels of UK funding. \p Anneliese Dodds: We are currently working to assess the implications of the US funding pause across development sectors, geographic regions and multilateral organisations. We are gathering information and working with other donor partners to share analysis of the pause before making any decisions.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-26)

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Joe Robertson:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the suspension of USAID on the UK's contribution to aid programmes. \p Anneliese Dodds: We are currently working to assess the implications of the US funding pause across development sectors, geographic regions and multilateral organisations. We are gathering information and working with other donor partners to share analysis of the pause before making any decisions.
wrans/answers2025-02-26 conversation_24
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-26)

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Patricia Ferguson:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the risk of conflict minerals from the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (a) being traded on the London Bullion Market and (b) appearing in UK (i) supply chains and (ii) products. \p Anneliese Dodds: We are deeply concerned by reports from the UN Group of Experts that M23 and Rwanda are illegally extracting critical minerals from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and are clear that such activity must stop immediately.

We are committed to addressing risks around conflict minerals and protecting human rights. The UK works through several international mechanisms to deliver on this, including encouraging compliance with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD's) Due Diligence Guidance for Responsible Mineral Supply Chains which enables businesses to operate responsibly from conflict-affected areas and the European Partnerships for Responsible Minerals which aims to increase the proportion of responsibly sourced minerals in supply chains.

The Government recognises the importance of high regulatory standards in financial markets. For Over-The-Counter wholesale markets for precious metals like the London Bullion Markets, the Financial Conduct Authority recognises the Global Precious Metals Code.
wrans/answers2025-02-26 conversation_25
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-26)

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Sarah Champion:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 6 February 2025 to Question 27261 on Israel: Hamas, if he will make an assessment of the value of Overseas Development Aid spent in the last five years that has been destroyed during the course of the conflict in Gaza. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: The UK works closely with trusted partners to ensure timely reporting and monitoring of aid losses. Following the ceasefire, partners are continuing to assess the situation on the ground after 15 months of conflict. Our understanding of the impact on UK aid provided will be drawn from these assessments. To note, UK funding is used to support a wide range of activities and services, as well as provision of goods. We welcome reports that more aid has been entering Gaza during the ceasefire period and continue to urge all parties to ensure that aid can safely and effectively reach those who need it in all parts of Gaza.
wrans/answers2025-02-26 conversation_26
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-26)

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Gareth Davies:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to his Department's press release entitled New partnerships with financial sector to unlock growth in UK and overseas, published on 3 February 2025, what role British International Investment will have in these partnerships; and how the scheme's funding will be (a) monitored and (b) measured. \p Anneliese Dodds: British Investment International (BII) is a core part of the Government's partnership with private finance to mobilise investment into emerging markets, unlocking economic growth and sustainable development. A central component of their role is a new £100m Mobilisation Facility announced by the Prime Minister at the UN General Assembly in October. As the press release describes, BII launched a Call for Proposals in January to partner with investors in the City of London to source the strongest concepts into which this Facility will invest to enable commercial investment to flow at scale into developing countries.

As the Prime Minister said in October, BII expects that the Mobilisation Facility will mobilise hundreds of millions of pounds into emerging markets. The Facility is monitored through Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's (FCDO) regular governance arrangements with BII, as its sole shareholder. These arrangements require BII to report to FCDO regularly, including through a formal annual report. In addition, the performance of the facility will be monitored and measured through an annual review process that FCDO conducts on all of its programmes. This annual review will further assess the progress, effectiveness, and value for money of the facility.
wrans/answers2025-02-26 conversation_27
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-26)

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Mr Gregory Campbell:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with refence to the Answer of 1 May 2024 to Question 23837 on World Bank: Climate Change, whether he expects all new financial flows to be aligned with the Paris Agreement by July 2025. \p Anneliese Dodds: The World Bank Group's International Development Association and International Bank of Reconstruction and Development have aligned all their new financial operations with the Paris Agreement since 1 July 2023. The Group has committed to align the rest of its institutions, the International Financial Corporation and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency, with the Paris agreement in their new financial operations from 1 July 2025.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-26)

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Melanie Ward:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his counterpart in Israel on the arrest and detention of (a) Mahmoud Muna and (b) Ahmad Muna. \p Mr Hamish Falconer: We are concerned by reports of the detention of Mahmoud and Ahmad Muna by the Israeli authorities. Our Ambassador in Tel Aviv, and the British Consulate General in Jerusalem, tweeted to express concern at the police raid, and to reiterate our support for freedom of expression as a fundamental right. We continue to call on Israeli authorities to exercise restraint and adhere to international law.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-26)

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Alison Bennett:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of designating gender apartheid as a crime against humanity under international law. \p Anneliese Dodds: The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is aware of calls for the inclusion of a new crime of gender apartheid in the draft Crimes Against Humanity Convention. We are assessing the merits and risks of such an approach by engaging closely with civil society and other partners to understand their views, and determine whether new international law is needed and would be beneficial.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-26)

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Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department has taken to help secure the release of hostages held by the Fulani militia in Nigeria in the last six months. \p Anneliese Dodds: The UK Government condemns all violence, including kidnaps, across Nigeria. Kidnapping for ransom is sadly a widespread practice in Nigeria, particularly in the North West where banditry is prevalent. Kidnappings often have financial rather than religious motives and communities of all religions and beliefs are vulnerable. Through the UK-Nigeria Security and Defence Partnership (SDP), a Multi-Agency Kidnap Fusion Cell (MAKFC) has been established to support cooperation between Nigeria's security and justice agencies. This will both reduce the harm to victims and hold those responsible to account. Through the SDP, the UK also continues to deliver support such as training to strengthen the capability of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-26)

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Claire Hanna:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what outcomes relating to building inclusive communities and economic growth The Crown Estate has delivered in Northern Ireland. \p Darren Jones: As custodians of the seabed, The Crown Estate plays a crucial role in supporting Northern Ireland’s energy strategy, which aims to deliver 1GW of electricity from offshore wind from 2030, enough to power about a million homes. This initiative, outlined in the Energy Strategy Action Plan and the Offshore Renewable Energy Action Plan, offers significant opportunities for both decarbonisation and economic benefits for communities and businesses in Northern Ireland.

The Crown Estate are also acutely aware and are strong advocates for the opportunity Northern Ireland businesses holds in the wider offshore wind industry of the UK and further afield, and the importance of the work of InvestNI and others such as Northern Ireland Maritime Offshore do to promote this.

Through partnerships with local councils and environmental groups, The Crown Estate has supported various coastal infrastructure projects. For example, the Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council’s extension of harbour protection at Portrush, providing larger and safer mooring areas, and the provision of extended and improved berthing facilities at Rathlin Harbour.

The Crown Estate also manages a significant portion of Northern Ireland's foreshore and tidal riverbed, supporting activities such as oyster, mussel, and seaweed cultivation, which contribute to local economies and promote sustainable practices. For instance, The Crown Estate is aiding oyster restoration work in Belfast Lough by assisting the Ulster Wildlife Trust in establishing clarity around seabed ownership, thereby swiftly securing the necessary permissions for their trials. The recovery of native oyster reefs will not only boost local biodiversity but also improve water quality and create habitats for other species.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-26)

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Claire Hanna:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much is the total value of (a) retail and (b) commercial assets owned by the Crown Estate in Northern Ireland. \p Darren Jones: The Crown Estate’s assets in Northern Ireland predominantly fall under the coastal, marine or cable asset classes. The total value of these asset classes is currently £25,970,540 across telecommunication cables, coastal, interconnectors, pipelines, power cables, storage, and mines royal.
wrans/answers2025-02-26 conversation_33
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-26)

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Claire Hanna:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much revenue the Crown Estate has generated from rents paid by (a) public authorities and (b) councils in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years. \p Darren Jones: The revenue The Crown Estate has generated from rents paid by public authorities in Northern Ireland is as follows: in 2020 the figure was £64,231.19, in 2021 the figure was £ 55,251.06, in 2022 the figure was £56,915.66, in 2023 the figure was £56,689.16 and in 2024 the figure was £46,748.87.

The revenue The Crown Estate has generated from rents paid by councils in Northern Ireland is as follows: in 2020 the figure was £212,545.13, in 2021 the figure was £241,800.99, in 2022 the figure was £267,414.88, in 2023 the figure was £256,387.66 and in 2024 the figure was £330,249.08.

The Crown Estate pays its entire net profits into the UK Consolidated Fund each year, contributing to the funding of vital public services across the UK, including in Northern Ireland.
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John Glen:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of proposed changes to the non-domiciled tax regime on (a) philanthropic giving and (b) the charitable sector. \p James Murray: The Government’s priority is improving the UK’s competitiveness internationally and securing economic growth. The non-domicile reforms have been specifically designed to make the UK competitive with a modern, simple tax regime that is also fair. The reforms establish a tax regime for new residents, which is more attractive to new arrivals than the current rules.

As part of the reforms, the Government also wants to incentivise non-domiciled individuals who are not eligible for the new regime to spend and invest their foreign income and gains in the UK. That is why existing and previous users of the remittance basis will be able to take advantage of a three-year Temporary Repatriation Facility (TRF) to bring their offshore funds to the UK at a discounted tax rate.

The Government published a Tax Information and Impact Note for this policy at Autumn Budget 2024. This can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/tax-changes-for-non-uk-domiciled-individuals/reforming-the-taxation-of-non-uk-domiciled-individuals.

Charities are a vital part of our society, and the Government continues to support them and their donors. Total charitable tax reliefs given to charities and donors was over £6bn for the tax year ending in April 2024.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 20 December 2024 to Question 19711 on Airports: Business Rates, whether any changes have been made to (a) using profitability metrics and (b) other processes since the last revaluation to the Valuation Office Agency's methodology for valuing business rates. \p James Murray: If by “profitability metrics” and “other processes” the question is referring to the method of valuation adopted by the Valuation Office Agency for airports, then there has been no change since the last revaluation.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-26)

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Steve Darling:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many people have made use of the National Insurance Credit buy-back scheme in each year since 2015. \p James Murray: All costs involved in promoting the National Insurance (NI) Credits buy-back scheme campaign will be published once it has concluded, as part of the regular transparency reports on GOV.UK.

HMRC and DWP are not able to confirm levels of staffing back to 2015 as this work and resource has not been ringfenced. An estimate of the resource currently deployed to voluntary NI contributions across both Departments (as at February 2025) is c.480 frontline civil servants.

The majority of customers can check for gaps in their NI record and make payment online. HMRC does not record how many people have made use of the National Insurance Credit buy-back scheme each year since 2015. However, I can confirm that since the enhanced online State Pension forecast service was launched on 29 April 2024, 60,000 people have topped up £62 million.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-26)

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Mark Garnier:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the Financial Ombudsman Service’s decision to introduce a £250 charge for claims management companies to refer cases. \p James Murray: The Government recognises that many professional representatives, including claims management companies, provide a valuable service to consumers by supporting them to make financial services redress claims. However, there are examples of poor behaviour from some professional representatives, and the Government considers that introducing a fee for professional representatives when they bring cases to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) will help to ensure that the FOS can focus on promptly resolving consumer complaints and reduce the impact of spurious complaints on financial services firms.

On 25 November 2024, Parliament approved a Statutory Instrument which allows the FOS to charge fees to professional representatives.

The FOS is responsible for determining exactly who it charges and the level of any fees, and following extensive consultation, it has confirmed its intention to charge professional representatives from 1 April 2025.
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Mark Garnier:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the recommendations within the House of Lords Financial Services Regulation Committee's report entitled Naming and shaming: how not to regulate, published on 6 February 2025. \p James Murray: The Government welcomes the publication of this report and its recommendations for the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Effective Parliamentary scrutiny is key to ensuring a well-functioning regulatory environment with high standards of accountability and transparency.

The Government will continue to engage the FCA as it considers the responses received to its most recent consultation on these proposals and the Committee’s report, and expects the FCA to ensure that any proposals it takes forward are effective, proportionate, and contribute to a competitive regulatory environment in the UK.
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Alison Taylor:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that there is adequate access to free-to-use cash machines in towns. \p Emma Reynolds: The Government recognises that cash continues to be used by millions of people across the UK, including those in vulnerable groups, and is committed to protecting access to cash for individuals and businesses.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) introduced regulatory rules for access to cash in September 2024. Its rules require the reasonable provision of free withdrawal and deposit facilities for personal current accounts. The FCA also require the UK’s largest banks and building societies to assess the impact of a closure or material alteration of a relevant cash withdrawal or deposit facility, and put in place a new service if necessary.

Where a resident, community organisation or other interested party feels access to cash in their community is insufficient, they can submit a request for a cash access assessment. Further information about submitting a cash access request can be found at the following link:  https://www.link.co.uk/helping-you-access-cash/request-access-to-cash
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Alison Taylor:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps the Government is taking to prevent the loss of in-person banking services in towns. \p Emma Reynolds: The Government understands the importance of face-to-face banking to communities, high streets and towns across the UK, and is committed to championing sufficient access for all as a priority. This is why the Government is working closely with banks to roll out 350 banking hubs, which will provide local residents and businesses up and down the country with critical cash and banking services. Over 200 banking hubs have been announced so far and over 100 are already open.

Alternative options to access everyday banking services can be via telephone banking, through digital means such as mobile or online banking and via the Post Office. The Post Office Banking Framework allows personal and business customers to withdraw and deposit cash, check their balance, pay bills and cash cheques at 11,500 Post Office branches across the UK.
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Gareth Davies:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of future trends in the level of the (a) State Pension and (b) Income tax personal allowance threshold; and whether her Department forecasts the State Pension to exceed the income tax personal allowance. \p James Murray: The Government is committed to ensuring that older people are able to live with the dignity and respect they deserve, and the State Pension is the foundation of state support for older people. The Government is committed to the Triple Lock for the duration of this parliament, and in April 2025, the basic and new State Pension will increase by 4.1%. This means that pensioners on a full new State Pension will get a boost of £470 to their incomes from April this year. Over the course of this Parliament, the yearly amount of the full new State Pension is currently forecast to go up by around £1,900, based on the Office for Budget Responsibility’s latest forecast.

The previous Government made the decision to freeze the income tax Personal Allowance at its current level of £12,570 until April 2028. At our first Budget, we decided not to extend the freeze on personal tax thresholds, meaning they will rise with inflation from April 2028.
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Gareth Davies:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what fiscal steps she is taking to support the purchase of zero-emission and low-emission vehicles. \p James Murray: The Government is fully committed to the transition to electric vehicles. At Autumn Budget 2024, the Government announced £2.3bn of funding for the automotive sector up to 2030 to support the transition to Zero Emission Vehicles. The Government also announced £120m of funding in 2025-26 to support the purchase of new electric vans via the plug-in vehicle grant and to support the manufacture of wheelchair accessible ZEV vehicles.

The Government also provides favourable taxation rates. At Autumn Budget the Government announced new Company Car Tax rates for 2028-29 and 2029-30 which will maintain generous incentives to support electric vehicle take-up.

More widely, HMG provides a range of measures to support people to transition to Zero Emission Vehicles. For instance, over £200 million for 2025-26 was announced at Budget to accelerate EV chargepoint rollout, including funding to support local authorities to install on-street chargepoints across England.
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Gareth Davies:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has plans to create a business tax roadmap including taxes such as secondary Class 1 National Insurance Contributions. \p James Murray: The Government published the Corporate Tax Roadmap at Autumn Budget 2024. This Roadmap confirms the major features of the Corporation Tax regime for the duration of this Parliament. The Roadmap reflects the particular importance of Corporation Tax to significant business investment decisions. It also reflects the high appetite for policy stability on Corporation Tax following the considerable changes of approach in recent years.

Raising the revenue required to fund public services and restore economic stability meant the Government has had to take difficult decisions on tax, which is why we asked employers to contribute more. The Government recognises the need to protect the smallest employers which is why we have more than doubled the Employment Allowance to £10,500, meaning more than half of businesses with NICs liabilities either gain or see no change next year. Businesses will still be able to claim employer NICs reliefs including those for under 21s and under 25 apprentices, where eligible.