theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the oral contribution of the Minister of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government during the Twelfth sitting of the Public Bill Committee on the Planning and Infrastructure Bill on Tuesday 20 May 2025, Official Report, column 558, what her Department's planned timeline is for consideration of measures to improve the take up of SuDS. \p Matthew Pennycook: The government is committed to requiring sustainable drainage systems in new development and we have already taken action to support that objective by setting out updated policy in the revised National Planning Policy Framework published on 12 December 2024.

We are looking carefully at what additional steps might be taken to further improve the implementation of SuDS. A final decision will be made in the coming months.
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Victoria Collins:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to support the digitalisation of the property transaction process. \p Matthew Pennycook: The government is committed to modernising the home buying and selling process.

We recently announced local authority pilots involving making key property information available online and the introduction of common data standards so that data can be shared between trusted professionals more easily.
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Edward Morello:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to support Dorset council to ensure housing developments in West Dorset are (a) affordable and (b) suitable for young families. \p Matthew Pennycook: It is for local planning authorities to assess the size, type and tenure of housing needed for different groups in the community, including young families and older residents.

As set out in the Written Ministerial Statement I made on 26 November 2024 (HCWS249), the government is giving careful consideration to the recommendations from the Older People’s Housing Taskforce report.

Whilst second homes and short-term lets can benefit local economies, the government appreciate that excessive concentrations in some areas of the country can impact the availability and affordability of homes, both to rent and buy. In addition to the measures the government has already committed to, including a registration scheme for short term lets and changes to the furnished holiday lets rules, we continue to consider what additional powers we might give local authorities to enable them to respond to the pressures created by excessive concentrations of short-term lets and second homes.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-30)

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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to support neighbourhood planning; and whether there is a target on neighbourhood plan take-up. \p Matthew Pennycook: The government remains of the view that neighbourhood plans can play an important role in the planning system. Communities can continue to prepare neighbourhood plans where they consider that doing so is in their best interests. The government has no target for neighbourhood plan take-up.
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Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make it her policy to strengthen protections for peatland from development in Mid Bedfordshire constituency. \p Matthew Pennycook: Safeguarding peatland plays an important role in climate change mitigation and adaptation, as well as maintaining and enhancing biodiversity.

The National Planning Policy Framework contains a very high level of protection against proposals which might affect peatlands. The Framework is clear that development plans should not identify proposals for new or extended sites for peat extraction, and that planning permission should not be granted for peat extraction from new or extended sites.

In relation to other forms of development that could affect peatland, the Framework sets out that development resulting in the loss or deterioration of irreplaceable habitats, including habitats with peat soils such as blanket bog and lowland fen, should be refused, unless there are wholly exceptional reasons and a suitable compensation strategy exists.
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James McMurdock:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of powers held by local authorities to remove travellers from unauthorised encampments on public land. \p Matthew Pennycook: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 46336 on 30 April 2025.
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Sir Oliver Dowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of Houses in Multiple Occupation on local communities. \p Matthew Pennycook: Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) can play an important part in the housing market, providing relatively low-cost accommodation for rent.

Local planning authorities already have powers to limit the proliferation of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) through ‘Article 4’ directions.

In addition to the manatory licensing of large HMOs, local areas can also choose to require smaller HMOs to be licenced to ensure such properties are safe and well managed, and that the character of local communities are protected.

Local authorities have robust powers to ensure landlords of HMOs comply with all relevant regulations. This includes powers to issue civil penalties, prosecute landlords and obtain banning orders.

No recent assessments of the potential impacts of increases in demand for HMOs, or of the potential impacts of such increases on specific local communities, have been made.

The Renters’ Rights Bill introduces reforms to improve the regulation of private rented sector properties, including HMOs, and drive-up standards within the sector. This includes a Decent Homes Standard and new enforcement powers for local authorities.

My Department will continue to engage with local authorities on a range of local issues, including matters relating to HMOs and we will keep the regulation of HMOs under review.
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James Naish:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the merits of taking steps to ensure that the National Planning Policy Framework 2024 gives greater weight to (a) food production and (b) agricultural infrastructure in planning decisions. \p Matthew Pennycook: The government places great importance upon our agricultural land and food production.

The National Planning Policy Framework is clear that planning policies and decisions should recognise the benefits of the Best and Most Versatile Agricultural Land (land in grades 1, 2 and 3a of the Agricultural Land Classification (ALC) system).

Where significant development of agricultural land is demonstrated to be necessary, areas of poorer quality land should be preferred to those of a higher quality.

Later this year, the Government will publish a Land Use Framework for England, which will set out the evidence, data and tools needed to support development that safeguards our most productive agricultural land.
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Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to page 10 of the impact assessment for the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, published on 6 May 2025, how her Department calculated the £1.1 billion value for planning fees reforms. \p Matthew Pennycook: I refer the hon. Member to Annex 11 of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill Impact Assessment which can be found on gov.uk here.
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Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make it her policy to map grey belt land. \p Matthew Pennycook: It is for individual local planning authorities to assess if land is grey belt and to determine whether and how to amend Green Belt boundaries through the preparation or updating of plans.

On 27 February 2025, Planning Practice Guidance was published to assist local authorities and other decision-makers, and to support a consistent approach to determining whether land is grey belt. It can be found on gov.uk here. This new guidance will support authorities in producing Local Plans, while also making sure that planning applications and development on suitable grey belt land can proceed in the short-term in areas without an up-to-date plan.

The government has also provided 133 local planning authorities with £70,000 of pump priming funding each to contribute towards the costs of carrying out Green Belt reviews in their areas.

Any alteration to a Green Belt boundary is reported to the Department and the details published on gov.uk in our annual Green Belt statistical release. In addition, the Department publishes statistics on land use change, including estimates of new residential addresses created in Green Belt and other categories of land.
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Neil Duncan-Jordan:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing a cap on private rents for residential properties. \p Matthew Pennycook: The government has been clear it does not support the introduction of rent controls, including rent stabilisation measures. We believe they could make life more difficult for private renters, both in terms of incentivising landlords to increase rents routinely up to a cap where they might otherwise not have done, and in pushing many landlords out of the market, thereby making it even harder for renters to find a home they can afford.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-30)

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Liz Jarvis:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the potential implications for her policies of the decision to remove The Gardens Trust as a statuatory consultee on planning applications that may affect a site nationally designated on the Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest. \p Matthew Pennycook: As set out in the Written Ministerial Statement 10th March (HCWS510), the government intends to consult on the impacts of removing statutory consultee status from a limited number of bodies, including The Gardens Trust.
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Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking with the Mayor of London to increase the level of construction of affordable housing in London. \p Matthew Pennycook: On taking office in July 2024, the government acted quickly to agree changes to the Affordable Homes Programme to strengthen the delivery of affordable homes in London, including providing the GLA with flexibilities on completion deadlines and allowing the GLA to fund some intermediate rent homes.

At the Spending Review the Chancellor announced £39 billion for a successor to the Affordable Homes Programme over 10 years from 2026-27 to 2035-36; a 10-year rent settlement; an intention to implement a rent convergence mechanism; and £2.5bn in low interest loans to support new development (alongside commercial lending).

These measures cover the main elements of our social and affordable housing investment strategy in this Parliament. Alongside other aspects of our reform programme, including forthcoming details on future quality and safety regulation, they will give Registered Providers, including those operating in London, the clarity and certainty they need to quickly ramp up investment in existing and new stock.
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Blake Stephenson:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if she will make an estimate of the number of planners employed by (a) local authorities and (b) developers who have a Level 7 apprenticeship qualification. \p Matthew Pennycook: The Department does not currently hold detailed data on the number of planners employed by local authorities or developers who possess a Level 7 Chartered Town Planner Apprenticeship qualification.
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Victoria Collins:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what the (a) average and (b) longest waiting times are for appeals awaiting an inspector assignment. \p Matthew Pennycook: The Planning Inspectorate's Strategic Plan commits to removing all casework backlogs and meeting all Ministerial targets by 2027.

The Inspectorate continues to make considerable progress towards meeting that ambition across casework areas including nationally significant infrastructure projects, local plan examinations, critical Secretary of State casework and appeals against refusal of planning permission.

It is, for example:

Appeals against enforcement notices and refused lawful development certificates is the remaining significant area of casework backlog.

The Planning Inspectorate is an Arm's Length Government Body with responsibility for allocation of resources, prioritisation and overall operational performance. The Inspectorate publishes updates on its performance on its website regularly.

The Planning Inspectorate does not record the date an inspector is assigned to a case and are unable to give the average and longest wait time for an inspector.
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Dan Norris:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to help support first time buyers in North East Somerset and Hanham constituency. \p Matthew Pennycook: The affordability challenges facing prospective first-time buyers mean that too many people are now locked out of homeownership. This government is determined to change that, ensuring that young families and hardworking renters can buy a home of their own.

Boosting the supply of homes of all tenures must be at the heart of any strategy to improve housing affordability which is why the government’s Plan for Change includes a hugely ambitious milestone of building 1.5 million safe and decent homes in England in this Parliament.

In addition to increasing the supply of homes of all tenures, in July, the government will launch a new, permanent Mortgage Guarantee Scheme which will help to support and sustain availability of low deposit mortgage products, helping prospective buyers with a deposit as small as 5% to own a home.
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Dr Al Pinkerton:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department plans to review the guidance on the display of flags to ensure it remains aligned with (a) current practices and (b) community expectations. \p Matthew Pennycook: The government has no current plans to amend the guidance in question.
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Mr Angus MacDonald:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill on the environment in Inverness, Skye, and West Ross-shire constituency. \p Matthew Pennycook: The Environment Act 2021 requires Ministers to have ‘due regard’ to the policy statement on environmental principles when making policy. This is to ensure that environmental considerations are at the heart of policymaking across government.

Environmental considerations in respect of the Planning and Infrastructure Bill were given due regard in line with the requirements of the Environment Act 2021.
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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what accountability mechanisms exist for private landlords who receive public funds through (a) Housing Benefit and (b) Universal Credit. \p Matthew Pennycook: Local authorities have a wide range of enforcement tools to take action against private landlords who fail to comply with regulations, including those who receive public funds through Housing Benefit and Universal Credit. They can, for example, issue improvement notices and civil penalties, prosecute landlords, and apply to have landlords banned from letting properties for serious offences.

The Renters' Rights Bill, currently before Parliament, includes a range of measures designed to strengthen landlord accountability. These include a requirement for all landlords to sign up to the new Private Rented Sector Database; a new independent Landlord Ombudsman which will provide binding resolutions for tenant complaints; the extension of the Decent Homes Standard to the private rented sector; and the application of Awaab’s law to the private rented sector.

The Bill also strengthens rent repayment orders, including doubling the maximum amount that a landlord can be ordered to pay from 12 to 24 months’ rent. Where a landlord commits certain offences and rent has been paid through Housing Benefit or Universal Credit, local authorities can claim back rent through a rent repayment order.
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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department has taken to compare best practice in (a) the UK and (b) other countries on reducing public expenditure on private rents. \p Matthew Pennycook: My Department uses both domestic and international evidence to inform policy development in relation to a wide range of issues, including in respect of public expenditure on private rents.
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Mr Andrew Snowden:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps the National Housing Bank will take to ensure that housing developments are equitably distributed across different regions. \p Matthew Pennycook: I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 18 June 2025 (HCWS712).
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Manuela Perteghella:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps her Department is taking to support residents’ associations in securing completion of outstanding works on housing developments. \p Matthew Pennycook: The government recognise the frustrations that stalled or delayed sites can cause to communities.

Once housebuilders have been granted permission for residential development, meeting local housing needs and preferences, we expect to see them built out as quickly as possible.

Local planning authorities have powers to issue a completion notice to require a developer to complete their development if it is stalled. If they fail to do so, the planning permission for the development will lapse.

The revised National Planning Policy Framework published on 12 December 2024 includes policies designed to support increased build out rates, including the promotion of mixed tenure development.

On 25 May, the government published a Planning Reform Working Paper: Speeding Up Build Out (which can be found on gov.uk here) inviting views on further action the government should take to speed up homes being built.

On the same day, we launched a technical consultation on implementing measures to improve the transparency of build rates from new residential development, which includes proposals to implement provisions in Section 113 of the LURA on the power to decline to determine applications. The consultation can be found on gov.uk here. Subject to the outcome of the consultation, the government intends bring forward the regulations to implement these measures at the earliest practical opportunity with the new build out reporting framework coming into force from 2026.

Local planning authorities have a wide range of enforcement powers, with strong penalties for non-compliance, which they can use where development has not taken place in accordance with the planning permission given. It is for authorities to decide how and when they use their powers depending on the circumstances of each case.
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Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what estimate she has made of the number of allotments in the UK. \p Matthew Pennycook: My Department does not hold data on the number of allotments in the UK.
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Kevin Hollinrake:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 6 June 2025 to Question 53912 on Asylum: Housing, whether the Planning Inspectorate has considered any planning appeals relating to such change of use from hotels to asylum accommodation in the last 24 months. \p Matthew Pennycook: The Planning Inspectorate does not hold the requested information in a readily searchable way, and planning appeals are not routinely categorised by the specific nature of the change of use, such as from hotels to asylum accommodation. As such, it is not possible to confirm whether any appeals relating to this specific change of use have been considered in the last 24 months.
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Luke Taylor:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to review selective licensing rules for private landlords. \p Matthew Pennycook: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 26845 on 5 February 2025, which sets out changes we made to selective licensing in December. We have no plans to make further changes at this time.
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Adam Dance:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to help tackle the effects of land banking by property developers in (a) Yeovil constituency, (b) Somerset and (c) England. \p Matthew Pennycook: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 60243 on 24 June 2025.
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Sarah Bool:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the written statement of 20 June 2025 entitled Fair Funding Review 2.0 and Modernising and Improving the Administration of Council Tax, HCWS724, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that North Northamptonshire Council is adequately supported to implement the modernised council tax administration system. \p Jim McMahon: The Government has been clear in its council tax administration consultation, that it aims to strike a balance between delivering a fairer system for taxpayers and giving councils the tools to collect the council tax they require to deliver public services. The Government will engage directly with councils on how best to implement any changes in relation to council tax administration.

One element of supporting councils is changes to funding: At the 2025 Spending Review, the government committed a further £3.4 billion of grant funding to local government over the Spending Review period (2026-27 to 2028-29). Furthermore, the government’s Fair Funding Review 2.0 consultation includes proposals which target funding where it’s needed most, this can be found here.
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Sarah Bool:To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of the proposed consolidation of small grants into larger funding pots on North Northamptonshire Council. \p Jim McMahon: The Government is delivering its commitment to simplify the local government funding landscape by consolidating as much revenue funding as possible across departments into the Local Government Finance Settlement (LGFS). This will significantly streamline and rationalise local government funding, giving local authorities much greater certainty about their budgets in the coming years, allowing them to make more effective financial decisions.

The consolidation of grants will also reduce the resources that local authorities spend monitoring and reporting on grant conditions. This will free-up resources for public services and enable local authorities to decide the most effective way to spend money in their communities.

Further detail will be published at the provisional LGFS later this year.
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Lee Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of proposed changes to (a) Universal Credit and (b) Personal Independence Payment on veterans. \p Sir Stephen Timms: No assessment has been made. Information on previous occupations is not systematically recorded on DWP IT systems and is not readily available for analysis.

Information on the impacts of the Pathways to Work Green Paper has been published here: Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill publications - Parliamentary Bills - UK Parliament.

The number of people currently on PIP who did not score 4 points in one category in their last assessment should not be equated with the number who are likely to not to be awarded the daily living component of PIP in future. Our intention is that changes will start to come into effect from November 2026, subject to parliamentary approval. After that date, people already in receipt of PIP will continue to be treated under the current rules, with only new claimants having the new criterion applied. As a result of behavioural responses to the change, we expect that a higher proportion of new claimants will score 4 points against at least one activity than happens currently.

We are consulting on how best to support those who are affected by the new eligibility changes, including ensuring health and care needs are met. We have also announced a wider review of the PIP assessment to make it fair and fit for purpose, which I am leading. We are bringing together a range of experts, stakeholders and people with lived experience to consider how best to do this. We will provide further details as plans progress.

We will be making changes so no one currently on PIP will lose PIP as a result of the four-point change. The four point eligibility requirement will be implemented from November 2026 for new claims only, subject to Parliamentary approval.

We take our commitments under the Armed Forces Covenant very seriously. My department has taken steps to ensure that veterans with injuries or conditions arising from their service are appropriately supported when accessing statutory support, this includes the establishment of the Armed Forces Independence Payment and ensuring that those receiving War Disablement Pensions and guaranteed income payments made under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme do not have their Universal Credit (UC) reduced to take account of this income.

We have welcomed veterans and representative organisations to respond to our Green Paper consultation to share their views on how wounded, injured and sick veterans can best be supported. To promote further engagement, we recently held a specific consultation event for Armed Forces and veterans’ organisations on 25 June to hear their experiences and thoughts directly.
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Catherine Atkinson:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of her proposed reforms to PIP on people who (a) travel to work and (b) require (i) practical and (ii) mental health support at work. \p Sir Stephen Timms: Information on the impacts of the Pathways to Work Green Paper has been published here: Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill publications - Parliamentary Bills - UK Parliament.

We are consulting on how best to support those who are affected by the new eligibility changes, including ensuring health and care needs are met. We have also announced a wider review of the PIP assessment to make it fair and fit for purpose, which I am leading. We are bringing together a range of experts, stakeholders and people with lived experience to consider how best to do this. We will provide further details as plans progress

We will be making changes so no one currently on PIP will lose PIP as a result of the four-point change. The four point eligibility requirement will be implemented from November 2026 for new claims only, subject to Parliamentary approval.
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Anna Dixon:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what proportion of PIP claims are fraudulent; how many existing PIP claimants are expected to lose their allowance as a result of proposed changes to limit eligibility to those scoring at least four points on one domain; and what data her Department holds on how PIP claimants are spending their allowance for people who are (a) in work and (b) not in work. \p Sir Stephen Timms: Information on Fraud and Error in the Benefit System, including Personal Independence Payment, is published here.

Information on the impacts changes to PIP have been published here: Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill publications - Parliamentary Bills - UK Parliament.

We will be making changes so no one currently on PIP will lose PIP as a result of the four-point change. The four point eligibility requirement will be implemented from November 2026 for new claims only, subject to Parliamentary approval.

The number of people currently on PIP who did not score 4 points in one category in their last assessment should not be equated with the number who are likely to not to be awarded the daily living component of PIP in future. Our intention is that changes will start to come into effect from November 2026, subject to parliamentary approval. After that date, people already in receipt of PIP will continue to be treated under the current rules, with only new claimants having the new criterion applied. As a result of behavioural responses to the change, we expect that a higher proportion of new claimants will score 4 points against at least one activity than happens currently.

We are consulting on how best to support those who are affected by the new eligibility changes, including ensuring health and care needs are met. We have also announced a wider review of the PIP assessment to make it fair and fit for purpose, which I am leading. We are bringing together a range of experts, stakeholders and people with lived experience to consider how best to do this. We will provide further details as plans progress

Information on how claimants spend their benefit is published in The Uses of Health and Disability Benefits, and, for a subset in receipt of the Support Group rate of Employment and Support Allowance and its Universal Credit equivalent, in chapter 3.4 of The work aspirations and support needs of claimants in the ESA Support Group and Universal Credit equivalent.
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Munira Wilson:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many (a) Universal Credit and (b) Universal Credit health element claimants are (i) current and (ii) previous members of the UK Armed Forces. \p Sir Stephen Timms: Data is not held on the total number of UC claimants who are currently serving in the Armed Forces or who have served in the past. Data is held on those who have identified themselves so far.

Therefore, data on Armed Forces status has only been recorded for a proportion of the UC claimants. Data coverage continues to improve over time and by September 2024 data was held on the armed forces status of approximately 77% of the GB UC caseload, as shown in the table below:

UC caseload month

Proportion of caseload with a recorded status

Currently serving

Served in the past

Not served

Prefer not to say

No recorded status

September 2024

77%

4,700

68,000

5,400,000

37,000

1,700,000

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) started collecting data on the Armed Forces status of Universal Credit (UC) claimants in Great Britain (GB) in April 2021. At first only new claimants were asked about their Armed Forces status. From June 2021 onwards, other UC claimants reporting changes in their work and earnings have also been able to report their status. From July 2021 onwards, UC agents have also been able to record claimants’ Armed Forces status if they are told about this via other means such as journal messages, face-to-face meetings or by telephone.

It should be noted that Armed forces status is self-reported by claimants and is not verified by the Ministry of Defence or Office for Veterans’ Affairs. A claimant’s status can be recorded as “currently serving”, “served in the past”, “not served” or “prefer not to say”.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-30)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-30 conversation_244

Catherine Atkinson:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of her proposed reforms to PIP on (a) employment and (b) health and care needs of disabled people. \p Sir Stephen Timms: Information on the impacts of the Pathways to Work Green Paper has been published here: Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill publications - Parliamentary Bills - UK Parliament. A further programme of analysis to support development of the proposals in the Green Paper is being developed and undertaken in the coming months.

The number of people currently on PIP who did not score 4 points in one category in their last assessment should not be equated with the number who are likely to not to be awarded the daily living component of PIP in future. Our intention is that changes will start to come into effect from November 2026, subject to parliamentary approval. After that date, people already in receipt of PIP will continue to be treated under the current rules, with only new claimants having the new criterion applied. As a result of behavioural responses to the change, we expect that a higher proportion of new claimants will score 4 points against at least one activity than happens currently.

We are consulting on how best to support those who are affected by the new eligibility changes, including ensuring health and care needs are met. We have also announced a wider review of the PIP assessment to make it fair and fit for purpose, which I am leading. We are bringing together a range of experts, stakeholders and people with lived experience to consider how best to do this. We will provide further details as plans progress

We will be making changes so no one currently on PIP will lose PIP as a result of the four-point change. The four point eligibility requirement will be implemented from November 2026 for new claims only, subject to Parliamentary approval.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-30)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-30 conversation_245

Mr Gregory Campbell:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an estimate of the annual cost of State Pension payments to people resident in Northern Ireland in 2024. \p Torsten Bell: The annual cost of State Pension payments administered by DWP to people resident in Northern Ireland is estimated to be around £4.34 million in 2024. This is based on latest figures for the quarter ending November 2024. Source: DWP Stat-Xplore.

This figure reflects State Pension payments made by DWP to people living in Northern Ireland and does not include any State Pension payments administered under the devolution settlement by the Department for Communities in Northern Ireland.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-30)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-30 conversation_246

Adam Dance:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to increase transparency in the private pension sector. \p Torsten Bell: The Government is developing pensions dashboards which will allow people to view their pensions picture, including State Pension, securely and in one place online.

Relevant occupational, personal and stakeholder pension schemes are legally required to connect to pensions dashboards and provide pensions information upon request. This will help people to reconnect with their pension pots and better plan for retirement.

The Value for Money measures in the Pension Schemes Bill will also drive transparency across the Defined Contributions pensions sector by requiring schemes to provide standardised metrics across three core pillars of value: costs and charges; investments; and quality of service. DWP are working closely with the Financial Conduct Authority and The Pensions Regulator to ensure we design a framework and regulatory regime that increases comparability, transparency and competition across DC pension schemes, delivering better outcomes for pension savers.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-30)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-30 conversation_247

Adam Dance:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to ensure pension holders in Yeovil constituency receive (a) up-to-date and (b) easily accessible online valuations from their pension providers. \p Torsten Bell: The Government is developing pensions dashboards which will allow people to view their pensions picture, including State Pension, securely and in one place online.

Relevant occupational, personal and stakeholder pension schemes are legally required to connect to pensions dashboards and provide pensions information upon request. This includes information about the value of their pensions. This will help people to reconnect with their pension pots and better plan for retirement.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-30)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-30 conversation_248

Zöe Franklin:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the (a) accuracy and (b) transparency of Special Expenses calculations by the Child Maintenance Service for (i) flights, (ii) fuel and (iii) other high-cost contact travel. \p Andrew Western: The Department for Work and Pensions and Child Maintenance Service rigorously monitors accuracy as part of our service ambition to further reduce error and increase our accuracy levels. The National Audit Office set a target of monetary value errors under 1%. This standard is consistently met.

Since applications for special expense variations relate to the Paying Parents’ own expenditure, Paying Parents are expected to provide any information and evidence needed to support their application. Guidance for DWP decision makers on child maintenance, in relation to Variation decisions is available in the following link Volume 3 - Variations (Chapters 27-36).
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-30)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-30 conversation_249

Zöe Franklin:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps the Child Maintenance Service takes to provide clear explanations and evidence when rejecting claims submitted by paying parents. \p Andrew Western: The Child Maintenance Service (CMS) trains caseworkers in making effective decisions, which includes explaining decisions effectively to customers and issuing letters containing information about the different factors considered and rules applied when making decisions. Caseworkers also adhere to a ‘contact hierarchy’ when assessing the most suitable form of communication, which gives them the discretion to consider other forms of contact if they deem appropriate.

CMS will investigate any claims received from Paying Parents and make decisions based on evidence provided or corroborated by other sources. If a decision is made to reject a claim, they will clearly explain in writing the reason for the decision, how to contact CMS to discuss it further, and the rights of dispute and appeal.

When a customer requests CMS to review a decision, known as a Mandatory Reconsideration, CMS will review any evidence held that informed the original decision, alongside any further evidence submitted by the deadline to inform the outcome of the Mandatory Reconsideration.

CMS issues a written Mandatory Reconsideration Notice to all customers involved in the case. The letter includes information on the type of decision reviewed, the date the original decision was made and the effective date, as well as the Mandatory Reconsideration outcome and reason for the decision.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-06-30)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-06-30 conversation_250

Catherine Atkinson:To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department has taken to co-produce reforms to the welfare system with (a) disabled people and (b) their carers. \p Sir Stephen Timms: This government values the input of disabled people and people with health conditions, in addition to representative organisations that support them. That is why we opened a public consultation that ran until 30 June 2025, for a full 12 weeks after a full suite of accessible versions were published on 7 April.

The consultation welcomed all views, especially those of disabled people, as well as carers, who provide essential support for people with long-term health conditions and disabilities. We held a programme of in-person and virtual consultation events across the country, to hear from people directly.

We continue to facilitate other ways to meaningfully involve disabled people and their perspectives in our reforms, including through collaboration committees, the PIP assessment review and the Disability Advisory Panel.

We are setting up Collaboration Committees announced in the Green Paper, which will help to further develop our welfare reforms. These will involve bringing together groups of disabled people and other experts for specific work areas to collaborate and provide discussion, challenge, and recommendations.

Throughout the PIP assessment review, we are working closely with disabled people and organisations that support them to ensure that the voices of those who go through the PIP assessment, and those with expertise in the system are embedded in the review.

The Disability Advisory Panel, which we announced in the Get Britain Working White Paper, will be a strategic advisory panel consisting of disabled people and individuals with long-term health conditions.

I also continue to regularly meet with stakeholders, including disabled people and their representatives, to discuss our reforms and listen to their views.