theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Paula Barker:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Government's decision not to implement the recommendations of the report by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman entitled Women’s State Pension age: our findings on injustice and associated issues, published on 21 March 2024, on affected women. \p Torsten Bell: Equality Analysis was published as part of the Government response to Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s Investigation into Women’s State Pension age communications and associated issues, which is available at the following link:

Government response to Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s Investigation into Women’s State Pension age communications and associated issues - GOV.UK
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Dr Danny Chambers:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of removing the two-child benefit cap. \p Sir Stephen Timms: We cannot currently commit to ending the two-child limit. However, tackling child poverty, as the last Labour Government did, is at the heart of this Government’s missions. The Child Poverty Taskforce is exploring all available levers, including social security reform.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-03)

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Sir John Hayes:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what purposes the Health and Safety Executive has used artificial intelligence in the last 12 months. \p Sir Stephen Timms: A team of data analysts within the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have been undertaking research activities to explore how AI approaches can be used to gain insights from HSE data whilst maintaining strict adherence to data ethics principles.

HSE policy is continuously reviewed and updated as innovative technologies arise. These may then be selected for use, following scrutiny within the business to ensure they meet HSE's standards on security, ethics and benefits.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-03)

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Sarah Green:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to prevent the child maintenance system being used as a tool of financial abuse. \p Andrew Western: The Government have recently consulted on proposed reforms to manage all CMS cases in one service allowing the CMS to automatically identify missed, late and partial payments. This will provide greater protection from financial abuse. Responses to consultation are currently under consideration.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-03)

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Darren Paffey:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the impact of parental employment on child poverty. \p Liz Kendall: The Child Poverty Action Group estimates 38% of children in My Hon Friend’s constituency are now growing up in poverty

Increasing the employment rate for lone parents, and increasing the number of second earners in couples, is absolutely crucial to tackling this problem.

Our Get Britain Working plan, backed by £240m of additional investment, is reforming employment support and overhauling JobCentres to help more people get work and get on at work.

And increasing parental employment is a key focus of our Child Poverty Taskforce too.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-03)

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Patrick Spencer:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make a comparative estimate of the number of pensioners claiming Pension Credit in winter (a) 2023-24 and (b) 2024-25; and how many pensioners are ineligible for the winter fuel payment in Suffolk during winter 2024-25. \p Torsten Bell: We do not yet hold data on the number of Pension Credit recipients through winter 2024-25. However, Pension Credit outturn and forecasted caseload statistics are routinely published and made publicly available via Benefit expenditure and caseload tables 2024 - GOV.UK. In 2023/24, there were an estimated 1.35m pensioner households claiming Pension Credit in Great Britain. For 2024/25, this figure is forecast to increase to 1.43m.

Looking back at winter 2023-24, there were around 108,500 pensioner households in the County of Suffolk (comprised of the Local Authorities of Ipswich, East Suffolk, Mid Suffolk, Babergh, and West Suffolk) receiving the Winter Fuel Payment but not receiving Pension Credit, and will therefore be ineligible to receive it during 2024/25. This is based on February 2024 Pension Credit statistics which are available via DWP Stat-Xplore and the Winter Fuel Payment statistics for winter 2023 to 2024 - GOV.UK

Please note that the above does not take into account any potential increase in Pension Credit take-up that we might see as a result of the Government’s Pension Credit Awareness Campaign. We do not have data on those additional Pension Credit claims in winter 2024-25 by Parliamentary constituencies.

The published Pension Credit figures refer to households, so the number of individual pensioners in respect of whom Pension Credit is paid will be higher (i.e. taking account of households where a claimant has a partner and / or dependents).

In addition, while Pension Credit claimants constitute the majority of those that will be eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment, pensioners who claim other qualifying means-tested benefits will also be eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment. It is not, however, possible to include those on other qualifying means-tested benefits in these figures.
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James Asser:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to (a) improve access to pension information and (b) introduce the Pension Dashboards Scheme. \p Torsten Bell: The Government ensures everyone has access to free impartial pension guidance through the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS). Their MoneyHelper service provides guidance to the public on all areas of UK pensions. In September 2024, MaPS launched a new digital service to give individuals more choice on how to access guidance from Pension Wise, which is part of MoneyHelper.

Pensions dashboards will improve access to pensions information by allowing people to view information about their pensions, including the State Pension, securely and in one place online. This will help promote greater engagement with pensions information, empowering people to better prepare for retirement. MaPS oversees the Pensions Dashboards Programme (PDP) which is responsible for designing and implementing the digital architecture that will make pensions dashboards work.

PDP continues to test the connection journeys of around 20 ‘voluntary participant’ organisations. This activity will help support the connection of pension schemes and providers to the dashboards digital architecture from April 2025, in line with the published timetable. The connection of schemes and providers in line with the dates in guidance will enable MaPS and PDP to undertake user testing, in turn helping to inform the launch of dashboard services at the earliest possible point. Further information on dashboards delivery progress is set out in PDP’s update report, published biannually on the Pensions Dashboards Programme website: www.pensionsdashboardsprogramme.org.uk/progress-update-report.
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Neil Duncan-Jordan:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the impact of hydrogen power plants as part of the UK's energy sector. \p Kerry McCarthy: Hydrogen to power can play an important role in our electricity system at a range of scales. When connected to grid-scale hydrogen storage, it can provide low carbon inter-seasonal storage, whilst also providing a decarbonisation pathway for unabated gas.

In December 2024 the government announced its intention to introduce a hydrogen to power business model to support accelerated deployment of hydrogen-fired power stations.

This marks a key step in paving the way for Hydrogen to power to support delivery and maintenance of the Clean Power Mission and the UK’s target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050.
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Dave Doogan:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what progress GB Energy has made on delivering community energy projects. \p Michael Shanks: Great British Energy has as one of its key functions the delivery of the Local Power Plan which will provide funding and support to communities to meet the government's goal of 8GW of community energy by 2030.   The GBE Bill is still making its way through Parliament and the Autumn 2024 budget allocated £125m to set up the company in FY 25-26. We will have more to say on GBE's first investments in due course.
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Dave Doogan:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what progress he has made with Ofgem and energy suppliers on (a) understanding how energy costs will change for consumers following the switch from services relying on Radio Teleswitch and (b) ensuring consumers will have access to competitive tariffs when Radio Teleswitch Service meters are replaced. \p Miatta Fahnbulleh: Energy suppliers are best placed to advise on suitable tariffs for their customers, and to ensure that they inform affected customers of any changes to the cost of their energy.

Ofgem has been clear that suppliers must take all reasonable steps to ensure former RTS consumers stay on a closely equivalent tariff.
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Dr Simon Opher:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department has received representations from fossil fuel companies on the Global Plastics Treaty. \p Michael Shanks: Details of Ministers’ and Permanent Secretaries' meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK.

Published declarations include the purpose of the meeting and the names of any additional external organisations or individuals in attendance.
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Nick Timothy:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment (a) his Department and (b) its arms-length bodies has made of the potential impact of grid-scale battery energy storage solution systems on the safety of nearby residential units. \p Michael Shanks: I refer the hon Member to the answer I gave to UIN 24989.
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Dan Carden:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of reforming the Smart Export Guarantee to set minimum terms of tariffs. \p Michael Shanks: The Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) is a market-led mechanism in which energy suppliers, not government, set both tariff levels and structure. This is to encourage innovation and competition between suppliers.

The Government keeps the SEG under regular review to ensure it continues to meet our objectives. The latest SEG report shows registered generators more than tripled between 2022/23 to 2023/24, from 92,946 to 283,666.
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Wera Hobhouse:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of (a) the prevalence of malpractice in the third-party intermediary energy retail market and (b) the potential impact of the policies within the consultation entitled Regulating Third-Party Intermediaries (TPIs) in the retail energy market, published on 20 September 2024, on levels of malpractice. \p Miatta Fahnbulleh: Third-party intermediaries (TPIs) like price comparison websites, energy brokers, and auto-switching services are vital in helping consumers navigate the retail energy market, acting as intermediaries between energy suppliers and customers. However, not all TPIs offer optimal services. While most operate ethically and responsibly, there are exceptions. Several consumer harms have been reported, such as TPIs prioritising their own commercial interests over consumers', opaque contracting practices (including verbal contracts in the non-domestic market), instances of mis-selling, inadequate dispute resolution, and poor customer service.

The Government consultation on regulating TPIs in the retail energy market closed on 15 November. A government response will follow in due course once we have reviewed the feedback received.
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Harriet Cross:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to help support households in rural areas in Scotland that do not have a (a) mobile and (b) radio signal and cannot install a smart meter in advance of the closure of the radio teleswitch service in June 2025. \p Miatta Fahnbulleh: Where a household is one of the 0.7% of premises in Great Britain without Wide Area Network (WAN) coverage, energy suppliers can provide pre-configured smart meters, which operate like analogue meters, until a WAN connection can be established.

The Office for Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem) has been clear that energy suppliers are obligated under their licence conditions to ensure that a suitable metering system is installed, and that the customer's heating and hot water is not disrupted.
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Harriet Cross:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to help prepare households for the closure of the radio teleswitch service in June 2025. \p Miatta Fahnbulleh: The Radio Teleswitch Service (RTS) is an industry-led initiative, with the switch-off being overseen by the energy industry, Energy UK and Ofgem. I recently met with Ofgem and Energy UK to discuss plans for the switch-off. I will continue to meet them regularly to track progress.

Ofgem and Industry have convened a Taskforce involving energy suppliers, network operators, consumers groups and the Government, to coordinate activities to rapidly increase the pace of RTS replacements. A new campaign has launched highlighting the need for RTS customers to book a meter replacement as soon as their energy supplier contacts them.
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Harriet Cross:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether his Department plans to provide funding to households that cannot afford to replace their total heating total control heating system when it stops working following the closure of the radio teleswitch service in June 2025. \p Miatta Fahnbulleh: The Department is aware of the complexity of a Total Heating Total Control (THTC) metering system and the tariff requirements of customers with such a system installed. Energy suppliers are best placed to advise on suitable replacement systems and tariffs for their customers, and Ofgem has been clear that suppliers must take all reasonable steps to ensure former RTS consumers stay on a closely equivalent tariff.
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Alicia Kearns:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she has had discussions with (a) Ministers and (b) hon. Members on the application for a proposed Chinese Embassy. \p Matthew Pennycook: The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
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Bell Ribeiro-Addy:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of (a) changes in the number of housing association social tenants in rent arrears and (b) increased rents. \p Matthew Pennycook: The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
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Bell Ribeiro-Addy:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to prevent overcharging of service charges by (a) councils, (b) housing associations, (c) private landlords and (d) intermediary managing agents. \p Matthew Pennycook: The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
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Bell Ribeiro-Addy:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate she has made of the number of challenges brought to the English First-tier Property Tribunal against (a) councils, (b) housing associations, (c) private landlords and (d) intermediary managing agents for the (i) level and (ii) payability of service charges in 2024. \p Matthew Pennycook: The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
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Shaun Davies:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has set a deadline for councils to publish their (a) local growth plans and (b) local housing development plans. \p Matthew Pennycook: The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how much funding each council will receive from the Rural Services Delivery Grant in (a) 2024-25 and (b) 2025-26. \p Jim McMahon: I refer the hon Member to the answer given to Question UIN 20652 on 27 December 2024 and the answer to Question UIN 22380 on 15 January 2025.

We have published the latest Core Spending Power figures which includes a breakdown of Rural Services Delivery Grant funding for individual councils here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/core-spending-power-table-provisional-local-government-finance-settlement-2025-to-2026.
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Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to paragraph 2.2.1 of her Department's English Devolution White Paper, published 16 December 2024, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority becoming a Strategic Authority notwithstanding having a population below 1.5 million. \p Jim McMahon: The English Devolution White Paper sets out clear principles this Government will have regard to when considering proposals for new devolution agreements. This includes a new default assumption that proposals cover a combined population of 1.5 million or above to ensure they can deliver at a strategic scale, and must not create devolution ‘islands’ by leaving areas which are too small to go it alone or which do not have natural partners. There are a limited number of circumstances where it may be necessary to consider proposals that do not meet these principles, and Government will assess these proposals on a case-by-case basis.

All existing Combined Authorities, including Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, will automatically be classified as Strategic Authorities. The Government will consider locally developed proposals for changes to existing Strategic Authority boundaries where they meet the principles set out the in the White Paper.
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Rachel Taylor:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what her planned timetable is for (a) issuing updated guidance and (b) releasing funding for consultation with local communities on the Long-Term Plan for Towns. \p Alex Norris: The Chancellor confirmed at the Budget on 30 October that the Long-Term Plan for Towns will be retained and reformed as part of a new regeneration programme.

A revised prospectus for the programme will be published in due course, confirming the associated timelines and a new set of strategic objectives aligned to this government’s missions.

All 75 towns have now received an initial £250,000 of capacity funding. A further £200,000 of capacity funding will be issued in the 2025/26 financial year, to support the development of plans in line with our new objectives.
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Mr Will Forster:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to (a) tackle fraudulent EWS1 forms and (b) support affected homeowners. \p Alex Norris: EWS1s (External Wall System Fire Review) are not a legal or regulatory requirement. Their use is a commercial decision by mortgage lenders and subject to their individual lending criteria. EWS1 forms are completed by competent members of relevant professional bodies. The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) provides guidance on competence for professionals carrying out EWS1. The Department takes seriously any claims of fraud and would advise evidence of any such concerns should be notified to the relevant professional body and RICS, for investigation, and to take any appropriate action.

The absence of a correctly completed EWS1 should not be a blocker to mortgage lending, where a leaseholder can provide alternative evidence of the safety of their building, or that the building is in a remediation scheme or that the leaseholder qualifies for the leaseholder protections in the Building Safety Act.

We are working closely with the RICS, UK Finance and the lending industry to ensure the market continues to function for leaseholders in properties with building safety issues.

Leaseholders should contact the building owner or person responsible for fire safety if they have concerns about the fire safety of their building.
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Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the English Devolution White Paper, published on 16 December 2024, what electoral system will be used to elect mayors created under this plan. \p Jim McMahon: The voting system for unitary elections is First Past the Post.

For Mayoral Elections, I refer the hon Member to the answer given to Question UIN 20691 on 19 December 2024.
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Bell Ribeiro-Addy:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to support housing association social tenants in rent arrears. \p Matthew Pennycook: The government is clear that social landlords should seek to sustain tenancies and should only evict as a last resort.

Landlords will, when managing their social housing schemes, provide advice and assistance to those struggling financially, including signposting to support services.

The Pre-Action Protocol for Possession Claims by Social Landlords sets out the actions social landlords should take to support the tenant before they consider taking legal action for rent arrears. These actions include making early contact with tenants to discuss the cause of the arrears, checking eligibility for housing benefit, assisting with any claim, and agreeing affordable repayment terms for the arrears. The protocol can be found on the justice website here.

Consumer standards, which are set by the independent Regulator of Social Housing, define the outcomes which all registered providers of social housing must deliver. These require that registered providers must support tenants to maintain their tenancy or licence and prevent unnecessary evictions.
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Wendy Morton:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the National Planning Policy Framework, published on 12 December 2024, what her Department’s timescales are for implementing the provisions relating to paragraphs (a) 148 and (b) 155 on grey belt land development. \p Matthew Pennycook: The policies in paragraphs 148 and 155 of the revised National Planning Policy Framework came into effect on the day of publication, 12 December 2024.

Transitional arrangements in relation to the implementation of these policies are set out in Annex 1.

Further guidance to help local authorities review their Green Belt and identify grey belt land, will be published in the coming weeks.
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Liam Byrne:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what the planned funding allocations for (a) Birmingham City Council and (b) Solihull Borough Council are in each year for which figures are available. \p Jim McMahon: As part of the provisional Local Government Finance Settlement on 18 December 2024 the government published the latest Core Spending Power figures which are available here.

Included within the tables are figures for allocations dating back to 2015. Due to changes in the function and financing of local government, comparable data is not available prior to 2015-16.

Funding allocations from future settlements are subject to the outcome of future Spending Reviews. The government is committed to providing a multi-year funding settlement starting in 2026-27.
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James MacCleary:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what progress her Department has made on its target to build 1.5 million homes during this Parliament. \p Matthew Pennycook: The government’s Plan for Change includes an ambitious milestone of building 1.5 million safe and decent homes in England in this Parliament.

Progress will be measured through the number of net additional dwellings.

The department publishes a quarterly release entitled ‘Housing supply: Indicators of New Supply, England’. This includes estimates of new build starts and completions, by local authority, in each financial year since 1980-81, shown in Live Table 253 on gov.uk here.

We will continue to update Parliament in the usual manner.
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Samantha Niblett:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made the adequacy of the number of local authority planning officers in South Derbyshire to help support the Government's wider planning reform ambitions. \p Matthew Pennycook: While it is for individual local authorities to make their own assessments of their workforce, the government appreciate that planning departments across the country are experiencing challenges with recruitment, retention, and skills gaps and that in many cases these issues are having a negative impact on service delivery.

At the Budget, the Chanceller announced a £46 million package of investment into the planning system as a one-year settlement for 2025-2026. A proportion of this funding will be used to support capacity and capability in local planning authorities, including the recruitment and training of 300 graduate and apprentice planners and developing the skills needed to implement reforms and unlock housing delivery.

This will be further underpinned by increases in planning fees that will help improve the resourcing of planning application services, so that local planning authorities can fund the skills they need.

More broadly, the Department’s established Planning Capacity and Capability programme is also developing a wider programme of support, working with partners across the planning sector, to ensure that local planning authorities have the skills and capacity they need, both now and in the future, to modernise local plans and speed up decision making, including through innovative use of digital planning data and software.
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Liam Byrne:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what annual forecast she has made of the number of new social homes to be built in Birmingham and Solihull. \p Matthew Pennycook: The government is committed to delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable housebuilding in a generation.

We will set out details of new investment to succeed the 2021-26 Affordable Homes Programme at the Spending Review.

This new investment will deliver a mix of homes for sub-market rent and homeownership, with a particular focus on delivering homes for Social Rent.
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Alicia Kearns:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the letter from the Secretary of State for the Home Department and Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs on the planning and listed building consent applications by the Chinese Embassy in the UK for the redevelopment of the Royal Mint Court site in Tower Hamlets, dated 14 January, whether that letter will be admissible to the examination, in the context of being submitted after the deadline of 2 December 2024 for comments by interested parties. \p Matthew Pennycook: The conduct of the public inquiry is a matter for the Planning Inspectorate.
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Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of developers transferring sustainable urban drainage systems to Internal Drainage Boards for ongoing maintenance. \p Matthew Pennycook: The government is committed to securing the delivery of high-quality sustainable drainage systems to help manage flood risk and adapt to the effects of climate change.

National Planning Guidance is clear that local authorities should be satisfied that all Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems have clear maintenance and adoption arrangements in place for the lifetime of a development.

We will consider whether further changes are required to manage sustainable drainage systems provision through the planning system when we consult on further reform.

We will also consult this year on options to reduce the prevalence of private estate management arrangements to end the injustice of ‘fleecehold’.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-03)

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Paula Barker:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an assessment on the potential merits of rolling out Housing First pilots to all combined authorities. \p Rushanara Ali: The three Housing First pilot areas secured funding up to March 2025 through the Rough Sleeping Initiative 2022-25. From April 2025, local and combined authorities have the flexibility to choose to continue provision of their Housing First or Housing Led services through the Rough Sleeping Prevention and Recovery Grant allocations.

The Deputy Prime Minister is also leading cross-government work to develop a strategy to deliver the long-term solutions we need to get us back on track to ending all forms of homelessness. Work to develop the strategy also includes working with representatives from across the homelessness and rough sleeping sector, local and combined authorities and wider experts to assess what is working well nationally and locally and where improvements are needed.
wrans/answers2025-02-03 conversation_118
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-03 conversation_118

Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will publish any advice her Department has provided to local authorities on development on flood plains since July 2024 . \p Matthew Pennycook: The government is committed to building the homes the country needs while ensuring they are safe from flooding.

The National Planning Policy Framework, which was revised in December 2024, is clear that new housing and most other forms of development should not be permitted in functional flood plains.

Estimates have not been made of the number of homes which might, exceptionally, be built on flood plans, but development proposals would have to pass robust tests to proceed in such locations.

December’s update to the National Planning Policy Framework clarified how the flood risk sequential test should be applied to new development, which is one of the policy tools to steer development away from areas of high flood risk.
wrans/answers2025-02-03 conversation_119
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-03 conversation_119

Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the report by the Electoral Commission entitled Report on the 2024 UK Parliamentary general election and the May 2024 elections, what steps her Department is taking to implement the recommendations in that report on postal voting. \p Rushanara Ali: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 17831 on 12 December 2024.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-03 conversation_120

Darren Paffey:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to facilitate co-operation under the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 between local authorities in cases of domestic abuse. \p Rushanara Ali: This government is committed to tackling violence against women and girls and supporting victims of domestic abuse.

Since 2021, local authorities in England have had a duty to ensure that all victims and their children who need to flee their homes have access to support within safe accommodation when they need it.

MHCLG statutory guidance is clear that tier one local authorities should work collaboratively with tier two and neighbouring local authorities to develop a shared understanding of need, including for victims who need to flee their local area for their safety.

The government has raised total funding for this duty to £160 million in 2025/26, to enable local authorities in England to expand these essential services for victims of domestic abuse.

MHCLG regularly runs workshops with the Local Government Association to support local authorities to deliver their duties effectively. In addition, I am establishing a new Domestic Abuse Housing Group, co-chaired by the Domestic Abuse Commissioner, to maintain oversight and ensure that councils have the support they need to deliver their duty requirements.
wrans/answers2025-02-03 conversation_121
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-03 conversation_121

Mr Gregory Campbell:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will ensure that discussions on the Pan-Euro-Mediterranean Convention include trade between mainland Great Britain and Northern Ireland. \p Nick Thomas-Symonds: We are always looking at ways to reduce barriers to trade - within our clear red lines - because having a smooth trading relationship with European partners is essential to driving growth at home.

This is one of those options we are open to looking at to reduce barriers, and it’s right and responsible that we are looking at it to determine what is in the national interest of the whole of the UK. But we do not currently have any plans to join the Pan-Euro-Mediterranean Convention.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-03 conversation_122

Uma Kumaran:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much their Department spent on (a) media and (b) voice training for Ministers between 4 July 2022 and 4 July 2024. \p Georgia Gould: The Cabinet Office routinely provides or procures media or voice training for Ministers and Senior Officials who carry out frequent or high-profile media appearances in the course of their official duties. The Cabinet Office spent c.£75,800 on this type of training during the time period stated.
wrans/answers2025-02-03 conversation_123
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-03 conversation_123

John Glen:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when he plans to provide a substantive response to the Freedom of Information Act of 26 September 2024 from the Rt Hon Member for Salisbury, reference RFOI2024/13851. \p Georgia Gould: A response to FOI2024/13851 was sent on 31 January.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-03 conversation_124

Sir John Hayes:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, for what purposes the UK Statistics Authority has used AI in the last 12 months. \p Georgia Gould: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

A response to the Hon. Gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 24 January is attached.

UKSA Letter (pdf, 104.7KB)
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-03 conversation_125

Blake Stephenson:To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will make an assessment of the effectiveness of the UK’s statistics authorities at identifying rural deprivation. \p Georgia Gould: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

A response from the Director General for Office for Statistics Regulation to the Hon. Gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 24 January is attached.

OSR Letter (pdf, 134.2KB)
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-03 conversation_126

Andrew Bowie:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of applying the duty-free allowance to people departing from Great Britain to the European Union. \p James Murray: Allowances are generally not applied to outbound passengers. Instead, goods will be taxed upon arrival in the destination country (subject to any duty free allowances available in that country).

Inbound passengers to the UK are usually entitled to duty free allowances, which allow them to bring in goods up to certain limits without paying UK taxes, providing they are for personal use or to be gifted. Details of those allowances can be found here:   https://www.gov.uk/bringing-goods-into-uk-personal-use/arriving-in-Great-Britain
wrans/answers2025-02-03 conversation_127
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-03 conversation_127

Andrew Bowie:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of allowing duty free purchases to be made on landing in Great Britain. \p James Murray: Current duty-free policy avoids large quantities of untaxed goods entering the UK market, while reducing operational burdens at the border and supporting wider health objectives.

The Government keeps all taxes under review as part of the policy making process.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-03 conversation_128

Gareth Davies:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what information her Department holds on the total cost of the rebranding of the National Wealth Fund. \p Darren Jones: The Chancellor announced at the International Investment Summit on 14th October 2024 that the UK Infrastructure Bank (UKIB) would be transformed into the National Wealth Fund (NWF), building on UKIB’s expertise and leadership to go further to catalyse more private investment.

Processes relating to the rebranding to the NWF were managed and carried out by the NWF and were conducted within the NWF’s existing departmental budgets.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-03 conversation_129

Llinos Medi:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 24 January 2025 to Question 25389 on Crown Estate: Wales, if she will list all ministerial level meetings with the Welsh Government where the devolution of the Crown Estate in Wales has been discussed. \p Darren Jones: The UK Government has regular discussions with the Welsh Government at official and ministerial level on a range of issues. This has included a request from the Welsh Government that the UK Government considers devolution of the management of The Crown Estate in Wales.

In the last three months, there has been one ministerial meeting within the Treasury with the Welsh Government which included The Crown Estate and Wales. This was held on the 25 November 2024 between the Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Welsh Language. The meeting covered growth, resetting our relationship with the EU, Great British Energy and The Crown Estate.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-02-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-02-03 conversation_130

Daisy Cooper:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the average time to answer a customer telephone call was in each year since 2015. \p James Murray: Data on the number of complaints relating to telephony services is held in line with HMRC’s retention policy.

Reporting year

Number of complaints relating to telephony services

Number of telephony complaints as a proportion of all complaints received (%)

2015-16

Not held

Not held

2016-17

Not held

Not held

2017-18

Not held

Not held

2018-19

1,244

1.74%

2019-20

1,340

2.04%

2020-21

2,137

2.72%

2021-22

2,032

2.53%

2022-23

2,634

2.89%

2023-24

8,037

8.72%

In March 2023, HMRC changed from only recording the primary cause of a complaint to recording all contributing causes and factors of a complaint.

HMRC has previously faced challenges in delivering good customer service.

In 2024-25 HMRC has increased its telephony ‘adviser attempts handled’ and decreased wait times. HMRC’s latest performance information is published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmrc-monthly-performance-reports#reporting-year-2024-to-2025

HMRC is encouraging more of its customers to use its online services to complete tasks quickly and easily online. Satisfaction with HMRC’s online services is consistently above 80%.

HMRC operates a flexible resourcing model where staff are deployed across various types of customer service work throughout the year. This allows HMRC to allocate resources to support customers where and when they need it most across different channels, including helplines, post correspondence and webchat. Given the dynamic nature of HMRC’s workforce, their staffing records do not segregate helpline resources separately. Telephony services are funded from HMRC’s overall funding settlement.

HMRC started reporting on disconnections after 70 minutes when they introduced a new telephony system. Information on the number of disconnections from March 2023 and for April 2023 to March 2024 is published in the HMRC Annual report and accounts 2023 to 2024: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hmrc-annual-report-and-accounts-2023-to-2024

The average time to answer a customer telephone call for each year since 2015 is published as part of HMRC’s annual reports and accounts: 2023 to 2024 – historical data series (see above link).