theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
wrans/answers2025-01-13 conversation_445
Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-13)

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Jon Trickett:To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of Airbus not completing the takeover of the Spirit AeroSystems site in Belfast on jobs (a) at Airbus and (b) throughout the supply chain in (i) Northern Ireland and (ii) Britain. \p Hilary Benn: My Department and the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) is fully aware of the commercial discussions taking place about the potential acquisition of Spirit AeroSystems business. The Government is working with the Northern Ireland Executive to help ensure the best outcome for Spirit and all its skilled and hard working staff.

DBT continues to be in contact with Spirit, Airbus, Boeing and other potential buyers. We want to see an outcome for Spirit that includes a commitment to develop Spirit and its supply chain as part of any acquisition and provides the best possible opportunity for growth and jobs in Northern Ireland.

The UK Government is aware Spirit employs nearly five thousand staff at its sites in Northern Ireland and Scotland supplying world-class aerospace products across the globe. It is for this reason, and its contribution to the UK’s economy, that UKG has a keen interest in seeing that any acquisition provides the best opportunity for growth and investment.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-13)

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Jon Trickett:To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the break up of Spirit on the Northern Ireland economy. \p Hilary Benn: The Government is working with the Northern Ireland Executive to help ensure the best outcome for Spirit Aerospace and all its skilled and hardworking staff.

The Northern Ireland Office and the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) are fully aware of the commercial discussions taking place about the potential acquisition of the Spirit business. DBT continues to be in contact with Spirit, Airbus, Boeing and other potential buyers and we want to see an outcome that includes a commitment to develop and grow the aerospace industry in Northern Ireland both directly and through the supply chain.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-13)

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Jon Trickett:To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps he is taking to support Spirit AeroSystems (a) production and (b) jobs. \p Hilary Benn: The Government is working with the Northern Ireland Executive to help ensure the best outcome for Spirit Aerosystems and all its skilled and hardworking staff.

The Northern Ireland Office and the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) are fully aware of the commercial discussions taking place about the potential acquisition of the Spirit business. DBT continues to be in contact with Spirit, Airbus, Boeing and other potential buyers, and we want to see an outcome that includes a commitment to develop Spirit and its supply chain as part of any acquisition and provides the best possible opportunity for growth in Northern Ireland.

DBT continues to provide support for Spirit’s Research and Development activity through the Aerospace Technology Institute programme.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-13)

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Peter Fortune:To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of the accessibility of the consultation on Non-Jury Trials Justice and Security (Northern Ireland) Act 2007, published on 9 December 2024. \p Hilary Benn: The consultation on the non-jury trial provisions under the Justice and Security (Northern Ireland) Act 2007 was drafted to ensure that as many people as possible are given the opportunity to share their views on the non-jury trial provisions. As well as publishing on GOV.UK, links to the consultation were sent directly to a selection of relevant stakeholders, including those from the legal profession, law enforcement and academia in order to encourage responses. A link to the consultation was also shared on the Northern Ireland Office’s X account.

The consultation provides two methods of response; a direct email address and a postal address.

The Northern Ireland Office will provide the consultation document in alternative accessible formats on request. The GOV.UK page provides an email address that members of the public can use to request an alternative format and encourages respondents to specify what format they require and, if relevant, what assistive technology they use.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-13)

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Adam Jogee:To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what discussions he has had with the Chemical Industries Association about the (a) access to and (b) regulation of safe and approved chemicals in Northern Ireland. \p Hilary Benn: The Department for Work and Pensions is the policy lead with regard to chemical regulation across the UK, as sponsor of the Health and Safety Executive.

In that role, the Department for Work and Pensions continuously assesses the adequacy of chemical regulation across the whole of the UK.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-13)

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Adam Jogee:To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of chemical regulation in Northern Ireland. \p Hilary Benn: The Department for Work and Pensions is the policy lead with regard to chemical regulation across the UK, as sponsor of the Health and Safety Executive.

In that role, the Department for Work and Pensions continuously assesses the adequacy of chemical regulation across the whole of the UK.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-13)

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Jim Allister:To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether the conditions for notification to the EU that the Stormont Brake has been triggered have been met on Regulation (EU) 2024/2865 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2024 amending Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008 on classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures. \p Hilary Benn: The Government is under statutory obligations to assess any Stormont Brake notification against the tests set out by law. I will make a decision in due course.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-13)

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Mr Gregory Campbell:To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that the work of Intertrade UK is not affected by trade barriers faced by some GB-based businesses supplying to Northern Ireland-based consumers. \p Hilary Benn: A key focus for Intertrade UK will be to promote the full extent of the UK’s market to businesses and traders and to help to counter any misconceptions businesses and traders in Great Britain may have about providing goods and services in Northern Ireland.

I expect to be in a position to announce the full membership of Intertrade UK and the date of the first meeting shortly.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-13)

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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what the Electoral Commission's timetable is for publishing details of spending by Labour Together for the 2024 general election. \p Sir Jeremy Wright: The Commission will publish returns recieved from registered non-party campaigners in two stages, with returns under £250,000 published shortly and those over £250,000 published in the coming months.

Non-party campaigners are required to register with the Electoral Commission if they intend to spend more than £10,000 on regulated campaigning ahead of a general election. However, they are only required to report their spending and donations to the Commission if they spend more than £20,000 in England, or £10,000 in any other part of the UK.

Labour Together registered with the Commission in March 2024. Following the election, they confirmed they did not exceed the reporting threshold. As a result, they are not required to submit a return.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-13)

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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, what estimate the Electoral Commission has made of the number of people on the electoral roll in (a) Northern Ireland and (b) Great Britain for each general election since 2010. \p Sir Jeremy Wright: The Electoral Commission publishes data and research on elections taking place in the UK, including electorate figures.

Figures on the number registered voters at each general election since 2010 are in the table below.

Northern Ireland

Great Britain

2010

1,169,184

44,428,277

2015

1,236,765

45,117,432

2017

1,242,698

45,592,735

2019

1,293,971

46,273,781

2024

1,363,961

46,859,848
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-13)

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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 8 January 2025 to Question 22035 on Candidates: Expenditure, what steps the Electoral Commission is taking to increase the transparency of (a) candidate spending and (b) donation returns in relation to the General Election 2024. \p Sir Jeremy Wright: The Electoral Commission does not have regulatory or enforcement powers with regard to candidate spending and donations. It does, however, publish candidate returns together in one place in order to provide voters with greater transparency and a fuller picture of the money spent and recieved by the candidates at the election. It will publish headline figures from candidate spending returns at the 2024 general election in due course.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-01-13)

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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Right hon. Member for Kenilworth and Southam, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, pursuant to the Answer of 8 January 2025 to Question 22037 on Candidates: expenditure, whether the 20 pence per page prescribed fee can be charged for electronic information provided by email. \p Sir Jeremy Wright: The charge to be supplied of copies of the election expenses is 20p per copy page, as set out in regulation 10 (3) of the Representation of the People Regulations 2001. The legislation does not specify whether this is in paper or electronc form.

As the legislation does not specify format, and as the fee is intended to cover the administrative costs of providing these documents, it may be applied to electronic documentation provided by email.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-13)

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Mr Lee Dillon:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of changes to the business rates system from 1 April 2026 on businesses in the horseracing industry. \p Dan Tomlinson: The Government is creating a fairer business rates system that protects the high street, supports investment, and is fit for the 21st century.

To deliver our manifesto pledge, from 2026/27, the Government intends to introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties, including those on the high street, 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 in 2026/27 - those with Rateable Values (RVs) 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 final design, including the rates, for the new business rates multipliers will be announced at Budget 2025, so that the Government can factor the revaluation outcomes and broader economic and fiscal context into decision-making. When the new multipliers are set, HM Treasury intends to publish analysis of the effects of the new multiplier arrangements.

Ahead of these changes being made, we recognise that businesses will need support in 2025/26. As such, the Government has prevented the current RHL relief from ending in April 2025, extending it for one year at 40 per cent up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business, and the Government has frozen the small business multiplier.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-13)

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Mark Pritchard:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will lower business rates for (a) high street businesses, (b) businesses without a physical storefront on a street and (c) other small and medium sized businesses. \p Dan Tomlinson: The Government is creating a fairer business rates system that protects the high street, supports investment, and is fit for the 21st century.

As set out at Autumn Budget 2024, the Government will introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure properties with ratable values (RVs) below £500,000 from 2026/27. This permanent tax cut will ensure they benefit from much-needed certainty and support. The Government is sustainably funding this by introducing a higher tax rate on properties with RVs of £500,000 and above.

The final design, including the rates, for the new business rates multipliers will be announced at Budget 2025, so that the Government can factor the revaluation outcomes and broader economic and fiscal context into decision-making. When the new multipliers are set, HM Treasury intends to publish analysis of the effects of the new multiplier arrangements.

The Transforming Business Rates: Interim Report, published on 11 September, sets out the Government’s next steps to deliver a fairer business rates system. The Government is exploring enhancing Small Business Rates Relief to more effectively support investment and expansion among small businesses.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-13)

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Mr Louie French:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what comparative assessment she has made of the potential impact of the proposed higher business rates multiplier for properties with a rateable value above £500,000 on (a) physical retailers and (b) online businesses. \p Dan Tomlinson: The Government is creating a fairer business rates system that protects the high street, supports investment, and is fit for the 21st century.

As set out at Autumn Budget 2024, the Government will introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure properties with rateable values (RVs) below £500,000 from 2026/27. This permanent tax cut will ensure they benefit from much-needed certainty and support. The Government is sustainably funding this by introducing a higher tax rate on properties with RVs of £500,000 and above.

The final design, including the rates, for the new business rates multipliers will be announced at Budget 2025, so that the Government can factor the revaluation outcomes and broader economic and fiscal context into decision-making. When the new multipliers are set, HM Treasury intends to publish analysis of the effects of the new multiplier arrangements.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-13)

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Sir James Cleverly:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the Valuation Office Agency has had recent discussions with the (a) Scottish Government and (b) Scottish Assessors Association on (i) council tax (A) revaluation and (B) re-banding and (ii) the automated valuation model. \p Dan Tomlinson: The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) routinely meet with devolved governments. The VOA has not discussed banding with Scottish Government or Scottish Assessors Association (SAA) but has provided an overview of their model assisted valuation to the SAA as part of regular knowledge sharing.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-13)

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Tonia Antoniazzi:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of an increase in fuel duty on the competitiveness of (a) haulage and (b) coach operators based in Wales. \p Dan Tomlinson: At Autumn Budget 2024, the Government announced continued support for people and businesses by extending the temporary 5p fuel duty cut and cancelling the planned increase in line with inflation for 2025/26. The temporary 5p cut is scheduled to expire in March 2026. The Government considers the impact of fuel duty on households and businesses across the country, with decisions on rates made at fiscal events.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-13)

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Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of implementing a pay-per-mile charge for electric vehicles on their drivers. \p Dan Tomlinson: The Government keeps the tax system under review, with changes announced at fiscal events and careful consideration given to the impacts of any changes.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-13)

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Rebecca Smith:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of its plans for business rates reform on the (a) wholesale sector and (b) (i) number of jobs and (ii) levels of costs in the wholesale sector. \p Dan Tomlinson: The Government is creating a fairer business rates system that protects the high street, supports investment, and is fit for the 21st century.

As announced at Autumn Budget 2024, the Government will introduce permanently lower businessrates multipliers for retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties with rateable values (RVs) below £500,000 from 2026/27.

To fund these lower RHL multipliers sustainably, from 2026/27, the Government is also introducing a higher multiplier on properties with RVs of £500,000 and above. The final design, including the rates, for the new business rates multipliers will be announced at Budget 2025, so that the Government can factor the revaluation outcomes and broader economic and fiscal context into decision-making.

The Government has considered the impact of these policies on a range of sectors as part of the policy development process.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-13)

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Andrew Rosindell:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will ensure that betting duty on greyhound racing (a) online, (b) in betting shops and (c) on course remains the same as for bets on horseracing. \p Dan Tomlinson: We consulted on measures to simplify gambling duty and improve compliance. The consultation closed on 21 July and all responses are being carefully considered. The Chancellor makes decisions on tax at fiscal events and will set out our response to the consultation at the Budget.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-13)

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Sir James Cleverly:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the HMRC guidance, Local authorities and similar bodies (VAT Notice 749), whether local authorities will be able to recover VAT on private hire for school transport. \p Dan Tomlinson: Local authorities have a duty to provide free transport from home to school, in certain circumstances. This is a non-business activity for VAT and where a local authority purchases the services of private hire companies in order to fulfil their statutory obligations, the VAT can be recovered under the section 33 refund scheme for local authorities.

However, if a VAT-registered local authority is charging for transport services, and VAT is due on the fee, that is a taxable business activity. In these circumstances, the local authority can reclaim the VAT on its costs as input tax, under the normal rules.

Guidance on when a local authority’s activities are regarded as non-business for VAT purposes is covered in section 2 of VAT Notice 749, which is available on GOV.UK. Section 4 of the Notice provides guidance on the section 33 refund scheme.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-13)

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Ben Maguire:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential impact of abolishing the Vehicle Excise Duty exemption for classic cars on owners of (a) classic and (b) heritage vehicles. \p Dan Tomlinson: The Government annually reviews the rates and thresholds of taxes and reliefs to ensure that they are appropriate and reflect the current state of the economy. The Chancellor makes decisions on tax policy at fiscal events in the context of the public finances.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-13)

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Vicky Foxcroft:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the impact of (a) VAT and (b) Insurance Premium Tax exemptions on the affordability of Motability Scheme advance payments. \p Dan Tomlinson: The Motability Scheme allows those eligible for a qualifying mobility allowance to lease a new car, Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle, scooter or powered wheelchair. The Motability Scheme receives relief from VAT and Insurance Premium Tax.

The level of advanced payments is commercially determined by the Motability Operations Group, which is independent of Government. A number of vehicles are currently available through Motability without any additional payment beyond the enhanced Mobility component of PIP.

The Government keeps all taxes under review, and the Chancellor makes decisions on tax policy at fiscal events in the context of the overall public finances.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-13)

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Mr Louie French:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 3 November 2025 to Question 84975 on Dance and Music: Finance, what data her Department holds on the number of pupils that have left the independent school sector following the (a) application of VAT to private school fees and (b) removal of business rates charitable rate relief from private schools. \p Dan Tomlinson: The Government conducted thorough and detailed analysis of the impacts of the VAT policy and at Autumn Budget 2024 published a Tax Impact and Information Note (TIIN) which sets out this analysis. This is a comprehensive assessment of the impacts on individuals and families, businesses and the wider economy, as well as equalities impacts. This can be found online here:

VAT on Private School Fees & Removing the Charitable Rate Relief for Private Schools - GOV.UK

Government analysis on the expected impact of the removal of charitable rate relief from private schools in England can be found online here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/removal-of-eligibility-of-private-schools-for-business-rates-charitable-relief/removal-of-eligibility-of-private-schools-for-business-rates-charitable-relief.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-13)

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James McMurdock:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department plans to join the UN Framework Convention on International Tax Cooperation. \p Dan Tomlinson: The UK is committed to working with all stakeholders to ensure inclusive and effective international tax cooperation, and has been actively engaging in negotiations at the UN over a future Framework Convention, including the recent informal sessions for the technical workstreams.

The UK believes that a UN Tax Framework Convention has the potential to further advance international tax cooperation, but to be successful, it needs to be clear in its aims, avoid duplicating initiatives, and seek to secure the broad support and participation of members.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-13)

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Jack Rankin:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has considered moving the uprating of excise duty from Retail Price Index to Consumer Prices Index. \p Dan Tomlinson: The Government confirms tax rates and thresholds annually. In some cases, reflecting the government’s economic and fiscal objectives, they are uprated to account for inflation.

The Office for National Statistics, regulated by the UK Statistics Authority (UKSA), produces a range of inflation statistics. The most widely used estimates of inflation, both by Government and the private sector, are the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) and the Retail Prices Index (RPI)

The Government agrees with UKSA that RPI has flaws, and at times overstates and at times understates changes in prices. RPI’s shortcomings are well-documented. In 2013, as a result of flaws in the way it is measured, RPI lost its status as a National Statistic. Since 2010 the Government has been reducing its use of RPI and has committed to not introduce any new uses of RPI. Further moves away from RPI are complex and more work is required to understand the costs and benefits of any changes.
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Blake Stephenson:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she has made an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of the press release by the Mineral Products Association entitled Landfill Tax reforms could trigger shortages and damage growth ambitions, published on 28 July 2025. \p Dan Tomlinson: The Government recently consulted on proposals to reform Landfill Tax to ensure the regime remains effective in encouraging waste to be diverted away from landfill and to support the Government’s circular economy objectives. As part of the consultation, the Government has received a wide range of views from stakeholders on the impact of the proposals, including from representatives of the mineral products sector. The consultation closed on 28 July, and the Government is considering responses and will set out next steps in due course.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-13)

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

All tax rates and thresholds are reviewed at fiscal events.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-13)

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Jack Rankin:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make it her policy to (a) reduce and (b) freeze tobacco excise duty. \p Dan Tomlinson: At Autumn Budget 2024, the Government renewed the commitment to a tobacco duty escalator, which increases duty by 2 per cent above RPI inflation at each Budget, until the end of the current Parliament. This is part of the Government’s focus on health prevention and to continue our drive to reduce smoking prevalence.
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Jack Rankin:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the tobacco excise regime on smoking prevalence since 2021. \p Dan Tomlinson: Tobacco duty aims to both raise revenue and reduce harm to public health by discouraging smoking. High duty rates make tobacco less affordable and are a proven way to reduce smoking prevalence and have helped reduce the percentage of adult smokers in the UK from 26% in 2000 to 11.9% in 2023. The ONS survey on adult smoking habits 2023 can be found here.

Adult smoking habits in the UK - Office for National Statistics
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Mark Pritchard:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will commit not to introduce any new taxes which increase the cost of doing business. \p Dan Tomlinson: At the Budget on 26 November, the government will continue to deliver on the priorities of the British people: cutting NHS waiting lists, cutting the national debt and cutting the cost of living. There will be no return to austerity and we will end the unfairness and low growth that squeezes living standards for working people: that is the path to national renewal.

The Chancellor’s decisions on tax will be announced in the usual way at the Budget.

I do note that the 2023 budget under the Conservative government increased corporation tax on businesses from 19% to 25%.

We do not comment on tax speculation ahead of fiscal events.
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Jim Allister:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the introduction of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism on businesses in Northern Ireland in (a) 2026 and (b) 2027; and what steps her Department is taking to help prepare businesses in Northern Ireland for the implementation of that mechanism. \p Dan Tomlinson: From January 2027, the UK Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (UK CBAM) will apply across the whole of the UK, including Northern Ireland. The UK Government included an assessment of business impacts in the 2024 consultation 'Introduction of a UK carbon border adjustment mechanism from 2027'.

The EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (EU CBAM) will apply in its definitive regime from January 2026 and does not apply in Northern Ireland.
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Jim Allister:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the introduction of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism mandated by Regulation (EU) 2023/956 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 May 2023 on trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland from 1 January 2026 for the period (a) between 1 January 2026 and 31 December 2026 and (b) from from 1 January 2027 onwards. \p Dan Tomlinson: From January 2027, the UK Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (UK CBAM) will apply across the whole of the UK, including Northern Ireland. The UK Government included an assessment of business impacts in the 2024 consultation 'Introduction of a UK carbon border adjustment mechanism from 2027'.

The EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (EU CBAM) will apply in its definitive regime from January 2026 and does not apply in Northern Ireland.

To support business readiness for the EU CBAM, the Department for Business and Trade offers a comprehensive support package, including the Export Support Service (ESS), webinars, and an upcoming digital explainer on business.gov.uk, signposting to relevant European Commission resources.
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Ann Davies:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department plans to maintain tax relief on pension contributions. \p Torsten Bell: Pensions tax relief is one of the most expensive reliefs in the personal tax system, costing £78.2 billion in 2023/24.

The Government remains committed to encouraging pension saving, to help ensure that people have an income, or funds on which they can draw, throughout retirement.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-13)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-13 conversation_23

Gareth Thomas:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans to take further steps to reform regulation of the (a) home and (b) travel insurance markets. \p Lucy Rigby: The government expects that insurers deliver good outcomes to consumers and firms are required to do so under Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) rules. These rules require firms to ensure their products offer fair value. This means the price paid by consumers must be reasonable compared to the benefits they receive. The FCA monitors firms and has robust powers to act against firms that breach its rules.

The government’s Financial Inclusion Strategy, published on 5 November 2025, recognises that insurance has an important part to play in financial resilience and wellbeing, and sets out a range of interventions to improve access. This includes a total signposting initiative which will help underserved consumers find insurance policies which meet their needs.

The government also plans to publish the final report of the cross-government Motor Insurance Taskforce in the autumn. As part of the taskforce’s work to understand how the cost of motor insurance impacts on particular groups of customers, the FCA is conducting statistical analysis to evaluate the impacts on different age groups and consumers living in areas with a higher proportion of minority ethnic residents. The FCA will publish its findings later this year.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-13)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-13 conversation_24

Ann Davies:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment she has made of the impact of frozen personal tax thresholds on pensioners’ disposable incomes. \p Torsten Bell: The previous government made the decision to freeze the income tax Personal Allowance at its current level of £12,570 until April

The previous government published a Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) setting out the impacts.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-13)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-13 conversation_25

Jim Allister:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, for what reason the Trader Support Service has not used the derogation to delay until 1 January 2026 the commencement of Import Control System 2 for the movement of goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. \p Dan Tomlinson: All businesses, including those using the Trader Support Service, have until midnight on 31 December 2025 to onboard onto the Import Control System 2 (ICS2), so they can continue to provide safety and security information for certain goods moving by road to Northern Ireland.

Traders can continue to move goods through the Trader Support Service using ICS NI until 31 December 2025.

The ICS2 system has been available for road movements since 1 April 2025, with operators initially having until 1 September 2025 to onboard to the new system. This has subsequently been extended to 31 December 2025 to give businesses more time to prepare.

HMRC has an extensive communications and engagement plan to support business readiness for the changes, and businesses moving goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland are encouraged to start using ICS2 before 31 December 2025 if they are ready to do so.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-13)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-13 conversation_26

Sir John Whittingdale:To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will have discussions with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the potential merits of reversing recent changes to agricultural property relief and business property relief. \p Dan Tomlinson: HM Treasury Ministers discuss a range of subjects with Ministers from other departments, including the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

The Government believes its reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief from 6 April 2026 get the balance right between supporting farms and businesses, fixing the public finances, and funding public services. The reforms reduce the inheritance tax advantages available to owners of agricultural and business assets, but still mean those assets will be taxed at a much lower effective rate than most other assets. Despite a tough fiscal context, the Government will maintain very significant levels of relief from inheritance tax beyond what is available to others and compared to the position before 1992. Where inheritance tax is due, those liable for a charge can pay any liability on the relevant assets over 10 annual instalments, interest-free.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-13)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-13 conversation_27

Jim McMahon:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many dual-national offenders whose British citizenship was revoked and who were transferred under prisoner transfer agreements have (a) served their full sentence and (b) been released early in the receiving state. \p Mike Tapp: The information requested is not currently available from published statistics, and the relevant data could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.

When a transfer occurs under a Prisoner Transfer Agreement, the receiving state becomes responsible for the enforcement of the sentence according to their domestic laws, including their relevant release arrangements.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-13)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-13 conversation_28

Mr Peter Bedford:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the impact of pandemic-related delays on asylum seekers’ eligibility for Indefinite Leave to Remain; and whether transitional provisions will be introduced to ensure that people affected by administrative delays between 2019 and 2022 are not disadvantaged under proposed changes to immigration legislation. \p Mike Tapp: We have a proud history of providing protection to those who need it, for as long as it is needed, in accordance with our obligations under the Refugee Convention.

Settlement applications are determined based on length of residence following a grant of permission to stay, rather than date of initial application.

We will be holding a public consultation on the new settlement rules later this year.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-13)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-13 conversation_29

Dame Chi Onwurah:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 3 November 2025 to Question 85760 on Visas: Digital Technology, when the eVisa error form was introduced; and how many of those forms have been received. \p Mike Tapp: Between 1st November 2024 and 12th December 2024 customers could use the former Biometric Residence Permit (BRP) error form to report issues to UKVI on both their eVisa and their BRPs. A standalone eVisa error correction webform was then rolled out by UK Visas and Immigration on 12th December 2024.

The Department publishes a range of data on its digital status programme and will be, in due course, publishing management information on the volumes of eVisa error corrections webforms received.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-13)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-13 conversation_31

Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 20 October 2025 to Question 79293 on Offences against Children: Criminal Investigation, how many phases will Operation Beaconport have; and if she will set out the scope of each phase. \p Jess Phillips: A new national police operation into group-based child sexual exploitation and abuse, Operation BEACONPORT, is now underway and being overseen by the NCA in collaboration with the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) and other policing partners, as recommended in Baroness Casey’s report. This will identify more perpetrators, give victims the justice they deserve, ensure best practice is shared, and equip the system to deal with complex cases more effectively.

This will be done through assistance to live investigations through support and guidance, a review of cases where they were closed with no further action, improving operating models to ensure child sexual exploitation and abuse is treated as serious and organised crime, and ensuring technology is harnessed to identify vulnerable children and safeguard them. It will also identify the prolific perpetrators carrying out these heinous offences.

Terms of Reference are being discussed and agreed with policing partners with future budgets subject to the department’s allocation process.

The closed case review element will have phases running concurrently. Each phase will build on the last.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-13)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-13 conversation_32

Mr Gregory Campbell:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 5 November 2025 to Question 87001 on Female Genital Mutilation: Training, what categories of reasons were allocated to the people who registered but did not attempt the free e-learning training on female genital mutilation. \p Jess Phillips: We have issued a range of materials to support professionals to help them understand Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), spot the signs, and support victims and survivors. This includes making available free e-learning for all frontline staff for example in healthcare, police, Border Force and children’s social care.

From 1 November 2023 to 31 October 2024, 121,773 people registered for the free e-learning module on FGM. Of that number, there were 17,999 ‘Not attempted’. As this is a free e-learning module and not mandatory, we do not hold information regarding reasons for not attempting or completing the module.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-13)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-13 conversation_33

Michael Wheeler:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department’s publication entitled Annual statistics of scientific procedures on living animals, Great Britain 2024, published on 23 October 2025, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the increase in the number of procedures conducted for LD50 and LC50 tests from 2023 to 2024. \p Dan Jarvis: The Lethal Dose 50 and Lethal Concentration 50 procedures are subject to strict regulations under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. This legal framework requires that animals are only ever used in science where there are no alternatives, where the number of animals used is the minimum needed to achieve the scientific benefit, and where the potential harm to animals is limited to that needed to achieve the scientific benefit.

Some authorised medicines in the UK include quality control tests which require the use of animals, conducted to ensure the quality, safety, and efficacy of specific medicines. These tests account for the LD50 cases still conducted.

The requirement for LD50 and LC50 tests is set by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) guidelines and the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) regulations set by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs.

This Government is committed to the development of non-animal alternatives and will publish a strategy by the end of this year to support the development, validation and uptake of alternatives to animal testing.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-11-13)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-11-13 conversation_34

Michael Wheeler:To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to her Department’s publication entitled Annual statistics of scientific procedures on living animals, Great Britain 2024, published on 23 October 2025, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the increase in the number of procedures involving (a) fish, (b) rats and (c) horses from 2023 to 2024. \p Dan Jarvis: In 2024, there were 2.64 million regulated scientific procedures carried out in Great Britain involving living animals. This is a decrease of 1% on the previous year, and the lowest number since 2001.

The trends in the number of animals and types of procedures carried out each year are influenced by a range of extraneous factors, for example requirements for research and testing which include products being brought to market.

The Home Office is responsible for regulating under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (ASPA) to assure compliance with protections afforded to animals used in science and to administrate the licensing framework. Data trends and requirements will be assessed by the authorities whom have particular responsibilities and requirements for the use of animals of science.