theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-17)

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Julia Buckley:To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what requirement her Department has placed on academy trusts to monitor school buildings where asbestos is present. \p Stephen Morgan: The department takes the safety of children and those who work with them incredibly seriously, which is why we expect all academy trusts, local authorities and governing bodies as responsible bodies to have robust plans in place to manage asbestos in school buildings effectively, in line with their statutory duties, drawing on appropriate professional advice.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), as the regulator, sets the legal requirements and standards to manage asbestos and produces guidance for trusts and other responsible bodies to follow, as duty holders. The department provides guidance, tools and support to help all schools and responsible bodies effectively manage their school buildings, including guidance on the day-to-day monitoring and management of asbestos in schools and colleges, which was updated in October 2024. The Academy Trust Handbook 2024 is clear in its health and safety guidelines that “academy trusts have a duty to manage asbestos in their schools effectively, compliant with the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012” (clause 1.19).

The department follows the advice of the HSE as the regulator that, so long as asbestos-containing materials are undamaged and not in locations where they are vulnerable to damage, they should be left undisturbed and their condition monitored. However, the department has been clear that when asbestos does pose a risk to safety and cannot be effectively managed in place, it should be removed. The decision to remove asbestos should be considered on a case-by-case basis and annual condition funding provided by the department can be used for this purpose. In many cases, asbestos will be removed as part of wider rebuilding or refurbishment work.
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Gareth Snell:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential impact of the UK Emissions Trading Scheme on employment levels in ceramic manufacturers. \p Sarah Jones: The Government is committed to supporting UK industry to decarbonise and protecting hundreds of thousands of jobs in regions across the UK. A strong UK Emissions Trading Scheme (UK ETS) will drive green investment as part of a broader industrial strategy, helping deliver a just transition, grow the economy, and secure good jobs for people across the country.

UK ETS participants, including those in the ceramics sector, receive free allocations to protect energy-intensive, trade-exposed industries from carbon leakage. As part of the review into free allocations, an assessment of impacts to sectors will be conducted before any final decisions are taken.
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Gareth Snell:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the capability of UK ceramics manufacturers to transition to lower-carbon fuels. \p Sarah Jones: Carbon savings through fuel switching from fossil fuels to low carbon alternatives are needed for the industrial sector to transition to net zero. Government is developing a suite of policies to deliver these savings.

As it does so, it is closely engaging with sector trade association Ceramics UK, as well as ceramics manufacturers directly, to identify and understand the challenges and barriers to decarbonisation of this diverse sector.
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Helen Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that fuel poverty interventions are (a) sufficient and (b) well targeted. \p Miatta Fahnbulleh: The Government believes the only way to protect consumers permanently is to speed up the transition towards homegrown clean energy. The creation of Great British Energy will help us to harness clean energy and have less reliance on volatile international energy markets and help in our commitment to make Britain a clean energy superpower by 2030.

We continue to monitor energy prices and the price cap and are working to ensure bills are affordable for consumers in the long-term, including through our work with Ofgem to reform standing charges, and through our Warm Homes Plan which will upgrade millions of homes to make them warmer and cheaper to run.

The Government's review of the 2021 fuel poverty strategy reveals progress towards the statutory target has stalled. A new strategy is required, with a consultation open until 4 April.
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Dave Doogan:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what the budget is for GB Energy in the 2024-25 financial year; how much and what proportion of that budget has been spent; and what GB Energy has spent its funding on. \p Michael Shanks: Great British Energy (GBE) was allocated £11.1million for 2024/25, and a further £125 million was allocated in the Autumn Budget 2024 to set up GBE in FY 25-26. This will enable GBE to begin the roll out of local projects alongside other functions.

Information on departmental expenditure is made publicly available the usual way through the Department's annual report and accounts.
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Bell Ribeiro-Addy:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 3 March 2025 to Question 32098 on Nuclear Power, what estimate he has made of the proportion of clean electricity generated by nuclear energy by 2030. \p Michael Shanks: As set out in the Clean Power 2030 Action Plan, nuclear is estimated to have an installed capacity range of between 3 – 4 GW in 2030.
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Dr Scott Arthur:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the support provided by (a) his Department and (b) energy suppliers for people with chronic ill health for the cost of energy. \p Miatta Fahnbulleh: The Government believes the only way to protect consumers permanently is to speed up the transition towards homegrown clean energy. The creation of Great British Energy will help us to harness clean energy and have less reliance on volatile international energy markets and help in our commitment to make Britain a clean energy superpower by 2030.

The Warm Home Discount provides a £150 rebate off winter energy bills for eligible low-income households. On 25 February, we published a consultation on the expansion of the Warm Home Discount, giving more eligible households £150 off their energy bills. These proposals would bring around 2.7 million households into the scheme – pushing the total number of households that would receive the discount next winter up to around 6 million. The Warm Home Discount regulations expire in 2026, and we will want to consider all options for future bill support beyond this point.

We continue to monitor energy prices and the price cap and are working to ensure bills are affordable for consumers in the long-term, including through our work with Ofgem to reform standing charges, and through our Warm Homes Plan which will upgrade millions of homes to make them warmer and cheaper to run.
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Gareth Snell:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he plans to reintroduce an energy bills discount scheme for energy and trade intensive industries. \p Miatta Fahnbulleh: The Government believes that our mission to deliver clean power by 2030 is the best way to break our dependence on global fossil fuel markets and protect billpayers permanently.

The creation of Great British Energy will help us to harness clean energy with less reliance on volatile international energy markets and help in our commitment to make Britain a clean energy superpower by 2030. We are working relentlessly in this Parliament on how we reduce wholesale energy costs, and we want to make sure this follows through onto domestic and non-domestic bills.

Financial relief to support energy intensive industries with electricity costs is worth £470 million per year through a mixture of spending and bill discounts.

Additionally, 300 energy intensive businesses across the UK will benefit from the British Industry Supercharger, which has targeted measures to ensure the energy costs for key UK industries are in line with other major economies around the world.
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Gareth Snell:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of GB Energy on UK ceramic manufacturers. \p Michael Shanks: Ceramics manufacturing is an energy-intensive process, and we recognise that price shocks in recent years have left businesses and families struggling with energy bills.

In an unstable world, the only way to guarantee energy security and protect billpayers is to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels.

We have a sustainable, long-term plan to protect all UK billpayers. Great British Energy will be part of this plan by driving the deployment of homegrown energy to boost our energy independence. By delivering clean, secure energy, Great British Energy will help reduce our exposure to volatile international markets.
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Gareth Snell:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what discussions he has had with energy companies on reducing prices for (a) UK ceramic manufacturers and (b) other energy intensive industries. \p Miatta Fahnbulleh: Details of Ministers' meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK.

The Government believes that our mission to deliver clean power by 2030 is the best way to break our dependence on global fossil fuel markets and protect billpayers permanently.

The creation of Great British Energy will help us to harness clean energy with less reliance on volatile international energy markets and help in our commitment to make Britain a clean energy superpower by 2030.

Companies in the ceramics sector are eligible to apply to the British Industry Supercharger scheme, which has provided energy bill support to hundreds of firms in energy intensive sectors. Financial relief to support energy intensive industries with electricity costs is worth £470 million per year through a mixture of spending and bill discounts.

I understand that Minister Jones is due to meet with representatives of the ceramics sector later this month to discuss challenges faced by manufacturers, including high energy costs. Government is committed to continuing to listen and engage with the sector.
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Llinos Medi:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when he plans to (a) conclude and (b) publish his Departments review of electricity market arrangements. \p Michael Shanks: The government aims to conclude the policy development phase of the REMA Programme by mid-2025.

We intend to announce REMA’s final decisions and the timetable for implementation before the Contracts for Difference, Allocation Round 7 auctions open, giving investors clarity for prospective bids.
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Helen Maguire:To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, how many and what proportion of households are (a) eligible for and (b) in receipt of the Warm Homes Discount in Epsom and Ewell constituency. \p Miatta Fahnbulleh: The latest published Warm Home Discount statistics are for 2023/4 and use the constituency boundaries operating prior to the 2024 General Election. Most (87%) of the residential premises in Epsom and Ewell constituency come from Epsom and Ewell constituency under the previous boundaries, in which 2,369 households received the Warm Home Discount rebate in 2023-24. The statistics only cover receipt of the Warm Home Discount and not eligibility.
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Kirsteen Sullivan:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will take steps to help increase the level of employee participation in (a) the Share Incentive Plan and (b) the Save As You Earn scheme. \p James Murray: The Government fully understands the importance of enabling employees to share in the fruits of a company’s success, and for businesses to reward and retain employees effectively. The UK share schemes are popular, generous and internationally competitive.

A call for evidence on Save As You Earn (SAYE) and the Share Incentive Plan (SIP) ran from June to August 2023. It sought views on whether the schemes are meeting their policy objectives and opportunities to improve and simplify them. The Government is considering the responses to the call for evidence, and is grateful to those who took the time to respond.

The Government keeps all tax reliefs under review, to ensure they continue to meet their policy objectives in a way that is fair and effective.
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Pippa Heylings:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of occupational pension scheme investment supporting economic growth. \p Emma Reynolds: I refer the member to the answer given to PQ UIN 34987 on 6 March 2025.

The Government published the Interim Report of the Pensions Investment Review at Mansion House, which sets out proposals to reform the UK Pensions system. These reforms could unlock up to £80 billion in new productive investment including in businesses and infrastructure, including sustainable infrastructure to help reach the Government’s net zero targets, and help improve returns for savers.

The proposed reforms to the defined contribution workplace pension market will accelerate consolidation, creating fewer, larger schemes, with a minimum scale requirement. This will allow schemes to deliver better value, governance, and investment opportunities, through larger ‘mega-funds’ more able to undertake productive investment.

The Review also proposes reforms to the Local Government Pension Scheme (England and Wales) to tackle fragmentation and inefficiency. The LGPS manages £392 billion worth of assets, and the Interim Report proposes to require all 86 administering authorities to delegate investment management to pools. This will create large pools of professionally managed capital, in line with international best practice, and enhance the capacity and capability of the scheme to continue to drive national, local and regional investment and will help to ensure investments are able to reach all corners of the nation.

The final Pensions Investment Review report, including the final proposals to be legislated for, will be published in the Spring ahead of the introduction of the Pension Schemes Bill.

In addition to these reforms, the Government announced in January that it will pave the way for more well-funded DB pension schemes to share surplus funds with sponsoring employers and members, helping to drive growth by freeing up these funds for the benefit of the economy.
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Blake Stephenson:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 13 February 2025 to Question 29188 on Agriculture and Business: Inheritance Tax, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of reviewing her Department's data collection methods to enable the collection of data on the number of estates containing woodlands impacted in the 2025-26 financial year. \p James Murray: The reforms to inheritance tax agricultural and business property reliefs come into effect from 6 April 2026.

No estates, with or without woodlands, will be affected by these reforms in the 2025-26 financial year. There are no plans to review data collection on the number of estates containing woodlands for that year.
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Tonia Antoniazzi:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the Australian government's introduction of tax relief for distillers from July 2026 on the UK spirits industry. \p James Murray: No formal assessment has been made by the department regarding this specific policy.

As with all taxes, the Government keeps alcohol duty under review as part of its Budget process.
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Dame Caroline Dinenage:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much and what proportion of funding made available through the Equitable Life Payment Scheme was returned to her Department. \p Emma Reynolds: The Equitable Life Payment Scheme has been fully wound down and closed since 2016, and there are no plans to reopen any decisions relating to the Payment Scheme or review the £1.5 billion funding allocation previously made to it.

The remainder of the £1.5 billion has been set aside for future payments to the With-Profits Annuitants.
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Patrick Spencer:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much input VAT is forecast to be repayable to private schools for the first quarter that the VAT is levied; how much output VAT is expected to be raised from these schools from these schools in the first quarter; and what the net payment to private schools is for the first quarter of this implementation under the current HMRC interpretation of the guidance. \p James Murray: The Annex to the Government Response to the Technical Note, Government_Response_to_the_Technical_Note_on_Applying_VAT_to_Private_School_Fees_and_Removing_the_Business_Rates_Charitable_Rate_Relief.pdf, sets out the forecast input VAT and calculation of output VAT and net VAT liability resulting from this measure.

VAT revenue overall is recognised in the National Accounts on an accruals basis. As set out in the above Annex, the VAT liability in 2024/25 is time apportioned for the implementation date of 1 January 2025. The actual VAT input tax and output tax reported on VAT returns for any month or quarter will depend on various factors, including the date when schools meet the requirement to register for VAT (if not already registered), and which of the staggered quarterly accounting periods apply to the business.
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Munira Wilson:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 8 January 2025 to Question 21417 on Equitable Life Assurance Society: Compensation, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of providing full financial redress in cases where the state has accepted responsibility for personal (a) injustice and (b) financial loss. \p Emma Reynolds: In 2010 the government allocated up to £1.5 billon, tax free, for payment to affected policyholders and this decision was in line with the Ombudsman’s report. More detail on the history of the action taken on this issue can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/equitable-life-payment-scheme-final-report.

Since the Scheme closed in 2016, the Government’s position on this issue has been clear, that there are no plans to reopen any decisions relating to the Payment Scheme and this issue is considered closed.
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Mr James Frith:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to encourage (a) investment and (b) growth in the beer and pub sector through reforming business rates. \p James Murray: To deliver our manifesto pledge, from 2026-27, we intend to introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties, including pubs and breweries, with rateable values below £500,000. This permanent tax cut will ensure that they benefit from much-needed certainty and support.

This tax cut must be sustainably funded, and so we intend to introduce a higher rate on the most valuable properties on 2026-27 - those with Rateable Values of £500,000 and above. These represent less than one per cent of all properties, but cover the majority of large distribution warehouses, including those used by online giants.

The Government also published the ‘Transforming Business Rates’ Discussion Paper at Autumn Budget setting out priority areas for reform. This paper invites industry to help co-design a fairer business rates system that supports investment and is fit for the 21st century. Further information regarding the Discussion Paper can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/transforming-business-rates.
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Dr Scott Arthur:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans to provide additional funding to the Scottish Government for the cost of additional National Insurance contributions in the public sector from the 2025-26 financial year. \p James Murray: The Scottish Government will receive funding through the Barnett formula in the usual way in 2025-26, including for any support provided to UK Government departments for employer National Insurance contributions. This is the normal operation of the funding arrangements as set out in the Statement of Funding Policy.
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John Glen:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of the report by the FCSA entitled Regulating the UK’s umbrella market - FCSA’s response to proposals in Budget 2024, published on 11 March 2025. \p James Murray: The Government recognises the positive role that compliant and well-managed umbrella companies can play in the functioning of the temporary labour market. However, non-compliance in the umbrella company market is widespread and costs taxpayers billions of pounds a year.

HMRC analysis shows that at least 275,000 workers, and likely significantly more, were engaged at some point in 2022 to 2023 by umbrella companies that were involved in tax avoidance, evasion or fraud. In the same year around £500 million was lost to disguised remuneration tax avoidance schemes, almost all of which was facilitated by umbrella companies. Hundreds of millions more was lost to so called ‘mini umbrella company’ fraud and other fraudulent attacks by people abusing umbrella company structures.

The Government is committed to closing the tax gap and making the tax system fairer by ensuring temporary workers are protected from large, unexpected tax bills caused by unscrupulous behaviour from non-compliant umbrella companies. That is why the Chancellor announced in her Autumn Budget that the Government will introduce legislation to make recruitment agencies using umbrella companies legally responsible for accounting for PAYE on workers’ pay.

The Government set out the expected Exchequer impacts of this measure at the Budget. The Government will publish a full Tax Impact and Information Note later this year.
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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the reclassification of double cab pick ups on (a) small businesses and (b) family farms in Lancashire. \p James Murray: Double Cab Pick Up vehicles (DCPUs) have in the past been treated as goods vehicles for tax purposes, rather than cars. Following a judgement by the Court of Appeal, Double Cab Pick Ups must be treated as cars, rather than goods vehicles, for certain tax purposes, based on their primary suitability.

The transitional arrangements put in place mean that this will not affect the capital allowances treatment of any business that already owns a DCPU, or that purchases one before April 2025; and businesses that purchase a DCPU after this date will still be able to deduct the cost from their taxable profits at 18% or 6% per year. Under the transitional arrangements for Benefit-in-Kind treatment, anyone who has accessed a DCPU before 6 April 2025 will not be impacted until the sooner of disposal of the vehicle, 5 April 2029 or when their lease expires.

In addition, there are alternatives to DCPUs (such as Single Cab Pick Ups, or 4x4 vans) that are still treated as goods vehicles.
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Patrick Spencer:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether food for people living at (a) school and (b) home will have VAT payable on it under the VAT guidance published in November 2024 by HMRC. \p James Murray: Since 1 January 2025, all education services and vocational training provided by private schools in the UK for a charge have been subject to VAT at the standard rate of 20 per cent. This also applies to boarding services provided by private schools.

Since the announcement of this policy, HMRC has taken action to support private schools through the change. This includes publishing bespoke guidance, which is available here: Charging and reclaiming VAT on goods and services related to private school fees - GOV.UK.

This guidance explains that whether VAT applies will depend on how schools charge for meals.

If meals are part of a single supply of education or boarding, the meals will have the same VAT liability as the main supply. So, for example, if a private school charges one fee for education or boarding services, and meals are included as part of the ‘package’ covered by those fees, then 20 per cent VAT will normally be charged on that package without splitting it into individual elements with individual liabilities.

Where a school supplies education or boarding and also supplies other elements for a separate fee, such as meals, these will normally be seen as separate supplies. Where meals are supplied separately, the school must determine if it is closely related to the supply of education, in which case it will be exempt, so no VAT should be applied. Generally, meals supplied during the school day will be closely related to education.
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Mr Gregory Campbell:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of tax reliefs provided to charities who work in both Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic, but are physically based in Northern Ireland and constituted in the Irish Republic. \p James Murray: The UK tax regime for charities is among the most generous in the world with tax reliefs for charities and their donors worth over £6 billion for the tax year to April 2024.

In March 2023, the UK Government announced that from April 2024 charitable tax reliefs would be restricted to UK-based charities. This means that, to be eligible for UK charity reliefs, a charity must fall under the jurisdiction of the High Court in England and Wales, Northern Ireland, or the Court of Session in Scotland. This can be achieved through registration with one of the UK charity Commissions or HMRC. Such a charity can continue to support charitable causes in both Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many and what proportion of hereditaments in England with a Rateable Value above £500,000 are internet retail warehouses. \p James Murray: The Valuation Office Agency published official statistics detailing the number of non-domestic properties in England with a rateable value over £500,000, broken down by sector, sub-sector, special category and region here: www.gov.uk/government/publications/non-domestic-rating-property-counts-and-rateable-value-rv-for-properties-in-england-with-rv-over-500000.

There is no special category code for ‘internet retail warehouses’. You may find the data for ‘retail warehouses and food stores’, and ‘large distribution warehouses’ helpful.
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Dr Scott Arthur:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of staff cuts at Dundee University on economic growth. \p Darren Jones: The Government recognises the crucial role of universities in the UK’s innovation ecosystem and in delivering the skills needed to drive growth as part of the Industrial Strategy. Education policy is however devolved in Scotland. It is for the Scottish Government to consider the broader impact of developments in the education sector in Scotland, including of any potential staff cuts in Scottish universities.
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Liam Conlon:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps her Department is taking to support high-street banking hubs in Beckenham and Penge constituency. \p Emma Reynolds: The Government understands the importance of face-to-face banking to communities and high streets in Beckenham and Penge and across the UK and is committed to championing sufficient access for all as a priority. This is why the Government is working closely with industry to roll out 350 banking hubs across the UK. The UK banking sector has committed to deliver these hubs by the end of this Parliament. Over 200 hubs have been announced so far, and over 100 are already open.

The Financial Services and Markets Act 2023 granted the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) the responsibility and powers to seek to ensure the reasonable provision of cash withdrawal and deposit facilities. Under the FCA’s regime, LINK, the operator of the UK’s largest ATM network, is responsible for undertaking access to cash assessments. When a cash access facility such as a bank branch closes, or if LINK receives a request directly from a community, LINK assesses a community’s access to cash needs and can recommend a new service, such as a banking hub. A community request can be submitted to LINK via its website.

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.
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Richard Burgon:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the projected Official Development Assistance allocations are for the fiscal years 2025 and 2026; and whether these projections indicate a phased approach towards the planned reduction to 0.3% of Gross National Income in 2027. \p Darren Jones: Future ODA allocations will be decided at Phase 2 of the Spending Review and will deliver on the PM’s announcement that ODA will be reduced to the equivalent of 0.3% of GNI by 2027.
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Charlie Dewhirst:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 30 January 2025 to Question 24653 on Arms Length Bodies, which financial years Phase 2 savings apply to; whether those savings are from the RDEL budget; what the baseline is for those savings; and whether those savings are in addition to Phase 1 savings. \p Darren Jones: Phase 2 of the Spending Review covers financial years 2026/27 to 2028/29 on RDEL to 2029/2030 on CDEL, whilst Phase 1 covers 2025/26.

Over Phase 2, a 5% minimum RDEL savings target has been set for all departments and arm’s-length bodies. This is in addition to the 2% productivity, efficiency, and savings target the government set departments in Phase 1 of the Spending Review.

The outcomes of the Spending Review will be set out at its conclusion in June.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-17)

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Neil Duncan-Jordan:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will take steps to increase the level of child benefit in line with inflation. \p Darren Jones: To ensure that Child Benefit retains its value, the Government will increase Child Benefit in line with the consumer prices index for the year to September 2024, which is 1.7%. This means that, from 7 April 2025, the Child Benefit rate for the eldest child will increase to £26.05 per week and the rate for other children will increase to £17.25 per week.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-17 conversation_131

Siân Berry:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to (a) engage and (b) communicate with the public about major infrastructure projects. \p Darren Jones: The government is committed to delivering a cross-cutting 10 year infrastructure strategy communicating to the public its approach to housing, economic and social infrastructure, alongside a pipeline to give industry a clear sense of the government’s long-term priorities.

The government is seeking to engage collaboratively with the public, including the construction sector, its supply chain, major investors and other key industry stakeholders as it develops the Strategy to understand how it can support investment in and the delivery of shared objectives for infrastructure.

As part of this engagement, in January the government published a working paper setting out the government’s plans for the Strategy and some key areas under consideration.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-17 conversation_132

Siân Berry:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of the report by the Institution of Civil Engineers entitled Paying for Britain’s Infrastructure System, published on 25 February 2025. \p Darren Jones: The government is committed to delivering a cross-cutting 10 Year Infrastructure Strategy communicating to the public its approach to housing, economic and social infrastructure, alongside a pipeline to give industry a clear sense of the government’s long-term priorities.

The government has been engaging openly with industry – including the Institution of Civil Engineers – as it develops this Strategy to ensure that it is credible and deliverable.

As part of this engagement, in January the government published a working paper setting out the government’s plans for the Strategy and some key areas under consideration.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-17 conversation_133

Jas Athwal:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help improve the provision of (a) physical banks and (b) banking hubs in Ilford South constituency. \p Emma Reynolds: Banking has changed significantly in recent years with many customers benefiting from the ease and convenience of remote banking. However, the Government understands the importance of face-to-face banking to constituents and businesses in Ilford South and across the UK and is committed to championing sufficient access for all. This is why the Government is working closely with industry to roll out 350 banking hubs across the UK. The UK banking sector has committed to deliver these hubs by the end of this Parliament. Over 200 hubs have been announced so far, and over 100 are already open.

The Financial Services and Markets Act 2023 granted the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) the responsibility and powers to seek to ensure the reasonable provision of cash withdrawal and deposit facilities. Under the FCA’s regime, LINK, the operator of the UK’s largest ATM network, is responsible for undertaking access to cash assessments. When a cash access facility such as a bank branch closes, or if LINK receives a request directly from a community, LINK assesses a community’s access to cash needs and can recommend a new service, such as a banking hub.

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. The Government protects the Post Office network by setting minimum access criteria. These include ensuring that 99% of the UK population lives within three miles of a Post Office and 90% of the population within one mile.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-17 conversation_134

Blake Stephenson:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has considered the marginal propensity to consume when developing policies affecting individuals since 5 July 2024. \p Emma Reynolds: The marginal propensity to consume influences the level of consumption in the economy, and is relevant for economic forecasting.

HM Treasury considers data on household consumption published by the Official for National Statistics as part of its ongoing monitoring of the economy.

HM Treasury does not prepare forecasts for the UK economy, including assessments of the impact of policy decisions on UK household consumption. These forecasts are the responsibility of the independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR).

The OBR’s next forecast will be published on the 26th March 2025.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-17 conversation_135

Robin Swann:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to (a) support and (b) expand credit unions. \p Emma Reynolds: The Government has made clear its strong support for the credit union sector, recognising the value that credit unions bring to their members in local communities across the country in providing products and affordable credit. We continue to engage regularly with this sector to understand the current barriers they face and consider further opportunities for growth.

The Chancellor announced new measures to support the growth of the credit union and mutuals sector in her Mansion House speech on 14 November 2024. This included publishing a call for evidence on the potential to reform common bonds for credit unions in Great Britain, asking the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) to produce a report on the mutuals landscape by the end of 2025, and welcoming the establishment of an industry-led Mutual and Co-operative Business Council.

Responsibility for credit unions in Northern Ireland is a devolved matter for the Northern Ireland Executive. Treasury officials engage with their counterparts in the Department for the Economy.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-17 conversation_136

Mike Martin:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when the Chief Secretary to the Treasury plans to respond to the correspondence from the hon. Member for Tunbridge Wells on seizing frozen Russian assets, dated 16 January 2025. \p Darren Jones: The correspondence from the hon. Member for Tunbridge Wells is receiving urgent attention and a response will be issued by HM Treasury in due course.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-17 conversation_137

Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what the 2013 population projection from the 2011 Census used in the Settlement Funding Assessment estimates the population of Cambridgeshire to be in that year. \p Jim McMahon: The estimated projection from the 2011 Census of the population of Cambridgeshire for the 2013/2014 local government finance settlement is 635,923. More detail is available here.

The government is committed to introducing an improved and updated approach to funding local authorities, including Fire and Rescue Authorities, from 2026-27. We sought views on our principles and objectives for funding reform through a consultation which ran from 18 December 2024 - 12 February 2025.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-17 conversation_138

Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 6 March 2025 to Question 34056 on Fire and Rescue Services: Finance, what specific elements of the Settlement Funding Assessment use population data from the 2001 Census. \p Jim McMahon: The 2013/2014 funding formulae for the Settlement Funding Assessment used a mix of 2001 and 2011 Census data. The publication available at this link provides further detail on which set of Census data each element of the formulae use.

The government is committed to introducing an improved and updated approach to funding local authorities, including Fire and Rescue Authorities, from 2026-27. We sought views on our principles and objectives for funding reform through a consultation which ran from 18 December 2024 - 12 February 2025.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-17 conversation_139

Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 27 February 2025 to Question 32152 on Unitary councils, what the estimated population per councillor is under the new proposed unitaries with 500,000 populations. \p Jim McMahon: The independent Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE) is responsible for conducting Electoral Reviews of local government, which examine a council’s electoral arrangements including determining the total number of members to be elected to the council (council size) and the optimum number of electors per councillor. Local authorities are able to make a submission on council size to the LGBCE when undertaking an Electoral Review, to set out options for the number of councillors and reflecting on the number of councillors required for the local authority.

The LGBCE’s guidance states that in calculating the appropriate total number of members per council, they are seeking to propose a council size which is appropriate for the individual characteristics of the local authority in question, and will consider the following factors:

The LGBCE decision on council size marks the start of the formal review process for warding patterns (the number, names and boundaries of individual wards), with final electoral arrangements for the number of members implemented by an Order of Parliament.

The Electoral Review process is subject to a local consultation.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-17 conversation_140

Alison Hume:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to help support leaseholders that have had EWS1 forms issued by Tri Fire. \p Alex Norris: As per the answer given to Question UIN 28103 on 11 February 2025, my officials continue to regularly engage with the mortgage lending and insurance industries.

Where a mortgage lender who is a signatory to the statement on cladding is not accepting an EWS1 for a building which requires work to remediate building safety defects, then leaseholders should provide alternative evidence that their building is in the Cladding Safety Scheme, Building Safety Fund or covered by a developer that has signed the Developer Remediation Contract. This evidence could be, for example, a letter from MHCLG or the developer. Leaseholders can also complete a Leaseholder Deed of Certificate to evidence they qualify for the leaseholder protections in the Building Safety Act.

For buildings which do not need remedial works, then lenders or insurers may accept Fire Risk Appraisals of External Walls.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-03-17)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-03-17 conversation_141

Neil Duncan-Jordan:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to invest in the Affordable Homes Programme after 2026. \p Matthew Pennycook: 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.