Mark Garnier MP: written questions

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the added value concept introduced by the Financial Conduct Authority in its proposed cryptoasset perimeter guidance (CP26/13) appears in the Regulated Activities Order or any of its exclusions.

Answer: No published answer in this record yet.

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions her Department has had with the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Victims, Violence Against Women and Girls, and International Justice on the potential correlation between dangerous dr

Answer: The Department works across Government to tackle violence against women and girls, including with the Ministry of Justice. As part of this work, Lilian Greenwood, then Minister for Local Transport, discussed dangerous driving as a means of coercive contro...

Answered 11 Sept 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of introducing a Graduated Driving Licence on (a) road collisions and (b) fatalities of younger car drivers.

Answer: The Department for Transport has indicated that it will not be possible to answer this question within the usual time period. An answer is being prepared and will be provided as soon as it is available.

Answered 11 Sept 2026

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the Government plans to use the powers in the Financial Services and Markets Bill 2026 to establish a mutual recognition framework for digital assets, including stablecoins, to support the UK's competitivene

Answer: The Government acknowledges the potential benefits of recognising compatible jurisdictions’ regulatory regimes, including promoting growth and competitiveness by supporting cross-border activity.The Financial Services and Markets Bill will enable HM Treas...

Answered 4 Sept 2026

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to update the Financial Collateral Arrangements (No. 2) Regulations 2003 to ensure that tokenised assets receive the same legal treatment as traditional counterparts.

Answer: It is important that our legal framework supports digital innovation. As set out in the Wholesale Financial Markets Digital Strategy, the government is committed to providing legal clarity where it is needed.We are engaging with the sector to understand w...

Answered 7 Sept 2026

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the Financial Conduct Authority's proposed added value test in the Cryptoasset Permitter Guidance on the development of UK decentralised finance inf

Answer: The Government's objective is to deliver a UK cryptoasset regime that appropriately balances the protection of consumers from detriment with a regulatory environment that supports innovation and growth. The Government continues its close engagement with t...

Answered 7 Sept 2026

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the Financial Conduct Authority's proposed perimeter guidance on cryptoassets does not treat developers and maintainers of decentralised finance protocols as regula

Answer: The Government's objective is to deliver a UK cryptoasset regime that appropriately balances the protection of consumers from detriment with a regulatory environment that supports innovation and growth. The Government continues its close engagement with t...

Answered 7 Sept 2026

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when he expects to review the proposed 40% prudential risk weighting for cryptoassets, including non-UK stablecoins; and what international (a) regulatory developments and (b) market conditions would trigger such a

Answer: The Government's objective is to deliver a UK cryptoasset regime that appropriately balances the protection of consumers from detriment with a regulatory environment that supports innovation and growth. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), as the indepe...

Answered 7 Sept 2026

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he is working with the Financial Conduct Authority to ensure that its proposed approach to decentralised finance does not reduce innovation by restricting access to DeFi protocols.

Answer: The Government's objective is to deliver a UK cryptoasset regime that appropriately balances the protection of consumers from detriment with a regulatory environment that supports innovation and growth. The Government continues its close engagement with t...

Answered 7 Sept 2026

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment has been made of the potential impact on peoples' retirement savings of replacing the Lifetime ISA with the proposed First-Time Buyer ISA.

Answer: The Government recognises that the Lifetime ISA (LISA) is not working for everyone and that its dual purpose of supporting both home ownership and retirement saving can create complexity for savers. The Government is therefore consulting on a new FTB ISA ...

Answered 4 Sept 2026

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate his Department has made of the cost savings which will result from ending the retirement savings function of the Lifetime ISA under the new First-Time Buyer ISA.

Answer: The Government recognises that the Lifetime ISA (LISA) is not working for everyone and that its dual purpose of supporting both home ownership and retirement saving can create complexity for savers. The Government is therefore consulting on a new FTB ISA ...

Answered 4 Sept 2026

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will publish an economic impact assessment comparing the proposed First-Time Buyer ISA with the Lifetime ISA.

Answer: The Government recognises that the Lifetime ISA (LISA) is not working for everyone and that its dual purpose of supporting both home ownership and retirement saving can create complexity for savers. The Government is therefore consulting on a new FTB ISA ...

Answered 4 Sept 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to ensure the consultation entitled Discussion paper on key elements of the Scale Policy has regard to clause (a) 40, sub-section 28L and (b) 45 of the Pension Schemes Act.

Answer: The ‘Discussion Paper on the key elements of the Scale Policy’ was published in July and seeks industry views on how scale can be demonstrated, as well as greater detail on the current operation of default arrangements and investment strategies in multi-e...

Answered 7 Sept 2026

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans to include the recommendations of the Access to Banking Review in the Financial Services and Markets Bill 2026.

Answer: The Access to Banking Services Review will consider access to in-person banking services and whether changes to access to in-person banking services are causing consumer detriment. The evidence collected by the Review will inform future decisions on wheth...

Answered 7 Jul 2026

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the trend in the number digitally excluded adults.

Answer: The Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) Financial Lives Survey reports that 1.2 million UK adults (2%) were digitally excluded in 2024, a significant decrease from 6.9 million (14%) in 2017. Digital inclusion was considered as part of the Government’s Fin...

Answered 7 Jul 2026

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of delaying the anti-circumvention rules for ISAs to April 2028.

Answer: At Autumn Budget 2025, we announced that, from 6th April 2027, the Cash ISA allowance will be reduced to £12,000 while the limit for Stocks and Shares and Innovative Finance ISAs will remain at £20,000. To ensure the reformed ISA limits operate as intende...

Answered 7 Jul 2026

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of reviewing the property price cap of (a) the Lifetime ISA, (b) the Help to Buy ISA and (c) the First-Time Buyer ISA on an annual basis.

Answer: On 23 June the Government published a consultation on the implementation of the First-Time Buyer ISA (FTB ISA), further details of which can be found at www.gov.uk/government/consultations/first-time-buyer-isa-consultation. The consultation confirmed that...

Answered 7 Jul 2026

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans to implement a property price cap on the First-Time Buyer ISA based on whether the property is (a) in London and (b) outside London.

Answer: On 23 June the Government published a consultation on the implementation of the First-Time Buyer ISA (FTB ISA), further details of which can be found at www.gov.uk/government/consultations/first-time-buyer-isa-consultation. The consultation confirmed that...

Answered 7 Jul 2026

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans to increase the property price cap for (a) the Lifetime ISA, (b) the Help to Buy ISA and (c) the First-Time Buyer ISA.

Answer: On 23 June the Government published a consultation on the implementation of the First-Time Buyer ISA (FTB ISA), further details of which can be found at www.gov.uk/government/consultations/first-time-buyer-isa-consultation. The consultation confirmed that...

Answered 7 Jul 2026

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she will take to ensure the long-term viability of the Lifetime ISA following the implementation of the First-Time Buyer ISA product.

Answer: On 23 June the Government published a consultation on the implementation of the First-Time Buyer ISA (FTB ISA), further details of which can be found at www.gov.uk/government/consultations/first-time-buyer-isa-consultation. The consultation confirmed that...

Answered 7 Jul 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, following the conclusion of the consultation entitled ‘Trust-based pension schemes: Trustees and governance, building a stronger future’, what steps he will take to ensure any guidance to pension fund t

Answer: Trustees of occupational pension schemes must act in accordance with their legal and fiduciary duties and in the interests of scheme members. The consultation ‘Trust-based pension schemes: Trustees and governance, building a stronger future’ seeks views o...

Answered 9 Jul 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the consultation entitled ‘Trust-based pension schemes: Trustees and governance, building a stronger future’, whether he is taking steps to ensure future guidance doesn’t impede on the

Answer: Trustees of occupational pension schemes must act in accordance with their legal and fiduciary duties and in the interests of scheme members. The consultation ‘Trust-based pension schemes: Trustees and governance, building a stronger future’ seeks views o...

Answered 9 Jul 2026

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to (a) deliver reform to the UK’s capital framework and (b) support growth.

Answer: Achieving growth with good jobs and higher living standards in all parts of the country is an central priority for this government, and it is essential that the UK’s capital framework supports this. HM Treasury is responsible for the overall regulatory fr...

Answered 29 Jun 2026

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what comparative assessment she has made of the competitiveness of the capital framework of (a) the UK and (b) international counterparts.

Answer: Achieving growth with good jobs and higher living standards in all parts of the country is an central priority for this government, and it is essential that the UK’s capital framework supports this. HM Treasury is responsible for the overall regulatory fr...

Answered 29 Jun 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to ensure public funding for sports facilities increases participation among (a) women, (b) people with disabilities, (c) and inactive communities.

Answer: The Government will invest £400m in new and upgraded grassroots sport facilities, promoting health, wellbeing and community cohesion, while removing the barriers to physical activity for under-represented groups, such as women and girls, people with disab...

Answered 29 Jun 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how her Department ensures that public funding for sports facilities supports a wide range of sports.

Answer: The Government will invest £400m in new and upgraded grassroots sport facilities, promoting health, wellbeing and community cohesion, while removing the barriers to physical activity for under-represented groups, such as women and girls, people with disab...

Answered 29 Jun 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she had made of the potential merits of providing multi-year capital funding settlements for community facilities to help national governing bodies and local partners to (a) plan,

Answer: The Government will invest £400m in new and upgraded grassroots sport facilities, promoting health, wellbeing and community cohesion, while removing the barriers to physical activity for under-represented groups, such as women and girls, people with disab...

Answered 29 Jun 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to ensure that future capital funding helps to tackle disparities in access to year-round sporting provision.

Answer: The Government will invest £400m in new and upgraded grassroots sport facilities, promoting health, wellbeing and community cohesion, while removing the barriers to physical activity for under-represented groups, such as women and girls, people with disab...

Answered 29 Jun 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of access to (a) covered and (b) indoor sports facilities, particularly in socially deprived areas.

Answer: The Government will invest £400m in new and upgraded grassroots sport facilities, promoting health, wellbeing and community cohesion, while removing the barriers to physical activity for under-represented groups, such as women and girls, people with disab...

Answered 29 Jun 2026

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what is the status of National Wealth Fund Bill.

Answer: The National Wealth Fund has the remit it needs to invest in a wide range of projects, businesses, and assets to drive growth across the UK. HMG has provided NWF with a total capitalisation of £27.8bn and has invested £5.8bn since its launch in 2024. Sinc...

Answered 4 Jun 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to ensure that the prosecution and processes that support sexual offence cases, are compliant with the Victims’ Code.

Answer: The Victims’ Code sets out what victims can expect from the criminal justice system. The Ministry of Justice recently consulted on a draft Victims’ Code (this closed on 30 April) and the Department is currently analysing the consultation responses to ensu...

Answered 19 May 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to expedite cases involving sexual offences.

Answer: The Government inherited a justice system in crisis with a record and rising number of criminal cases waiting to be heard in the Crown Court. Victims are facing unacceptable delays and without action, the situation will continue to spiral, far beyond the ...

Answered 19 May 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions she is having with the Secretary of State for Business and Trade on supporting the space-sector in delivering the ambitions set out in the Advanced Manufacturing Sector

Answer: The Department of Science, Innovation and Technology and the Department for Business and Trade are working closely to deliver the Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan for space. Ministers with responsibility for space in both departments have discussed prog...

Answered 27 Apr 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions she is having with the Secretary of State for Defence on the dual use of space-sector technologies.

Answer: Ministers regularly discuss the delivery of a co-ordinated One-Government approach to space with counterparts in Defence and other Departments. As part of this the Department works closely with the National Security and Defence space community across Gove...

Answered 22 Apr 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what targets her Department has set for improving the UK’s position in the global space economy.

Answer: The UK has a strong position in the global space economy that the government is committed to maintaining. Building on our countries space heritage and deep pool of skilled talent, supportive regulation, and world-leading financial systems, the UK captures...

Answered 22 Apr 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how her Department prioritises British businesses in its procurement of space sector contracts.

Answer: The Government is committed to supporting high-growth British space businesses. The new Procurement Act introduces a simpler and more transparent system that supports small businesses and enables contracting authorities to recognise quality and innovation...

Answered 22 Apr 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what is the priority for the Government for negotiating a free trade agreement with Thailand.

Answer: The Government has not commenced any negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Thailand. My department keeps its approach to FTAs under active review to support growth, resilience and the UK’s strategic interests.Thailand is an important economic ...

Answered 20 Apr 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions he has had with the Home Office about reciprocal VISA rights with Thailand.

Answer: None.

Answered 20 Apr 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what progress he has made on the development of a free trade deal with Thailand.

Answer: The Government has not commenced any negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Thailand. My department keeps its approach to FTAs under active review to support growth, resilience and the UK’s strategic interests.Thailand is an important economic ...

Answered 20 Apr 2026

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has had discussions with the chairman of Open Banking Limited on ensuring a fair and equitable funding model for participating banks.

Answer: No published answer in this record yet.

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she is taking steps to safeguard the data protection rights of staff at Open Banking Limited.

Answer: No published answer in this record yet.

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has had discussions with the Competition and Markets Authority about the governance of Open Banking Limited.

Answer: No published answer in this record yet.

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what consideration is made when awarding work capability assessment contracts of potential additional costs to the Exchequer involved in contractors awarding bonuses or making performance related salary

Answer: Functional Assessment Services contracts (including delivery of Work Capability Assessments) are outsourced to four prime contractors. The Department awarded these contracts following fair and open competition to deliver the best value for taxpayers. This...

Answered 11 Mar 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the Department provides work capability assessment contractors with additional funding for them to award bonuses or performance related salary uplifts.

Answer: Functional Assessment Services contracts (including delivery of Work Capability Assessments) are outsourced to four prime contractors. All reward and remuneration to employees, including any potential incentivisation to meet contractual requirements, is f...

Answered 16 Apr 2026

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 25 February 2026 to Questions 113526 and 113527, what stage she is at in the appointment process for the Digital Markets Champion.

Answer: I refer the member to the answer given to 113526 and 113527 on the 25 February 2026.

Answered 2 Mar 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he will launch the Pensions Dashboard by the end of 2026.

Answer: When we have assurances that the service is safe, secure and thoroughly user-tested, the Secretary of State will provide industry 6 months’ notice ahead of the launch of the government-backed MoneyHelper Pensions Dashboard. Insights gained from the launch...

Answered 26 Feb 2026

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of trends in the level of the use of AI technologies in financial advice by (a) consumers and (b) industry.

Answer: The government believes that the safe and effective adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in financial services is a major strategic opportunity, with the potential to power growth across the UK. As set out in the Government’s Financial Services Growth...

Answered 4 Mar 2026

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions she has had with the Financial Conduct Authority on modernising adviser charging rules.

Answer: HM Treasury engages regularly with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) on a range of regulatory issues, including the regulation of financial advice. The FCA plans to consult on simplifying and consolidating its investment advice rules and guidance to r...

Answered 4 Mar 2026

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Education on improving the delivery of financial education.

Answer: The government recognises the importance of financial literacy in helping people to manage their finances and make the most of their money, and is taking steps to improve provision of financial education across all age groups. In July 2024, the government...

Answered 4 Mar 2026

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to Section 4.230 of the Autumn Budget 2025, whether she plans to publish the consultation on the new ISA product before the Easter recess.

Answer: At Autumn Budget 25 the government announced that it will publish a consultation in early 2026 on the implementation of a new, simpler ISA product to support first time buyers to buy a home. Once available, this new product will be offered in place of the...

Answered 4 Mar 2026

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to Section 4.230 of the Autumn Budget 2025, what steps she is taking to maintain the viability of the Lifetime ISA.

Answer: At Autumn Budget 25 the government announced that it will publish a consultation in early 2026 on the implementation of a new, simpler ISA product to support first time buyers to buy a home. Once available, this new product will be offered in place of the...

Answered 4 Mar 2026

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the regulatory disclosure requirements for investing.

Answer: The Government wants to see more people benefit from the higher returns and long-term financial resilience that investing can provide.On 8 December, the FCA published their final rules for the new Consumer Compositive Investment (CCI) regime which will en...

Answered 4 Mar 2026

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many meetings of the Retail Investment Campaign steering group have taken place.

Answer: The Government wants to see more people benefit from the higher returns and long-term financial resilience that investing can provide. That is why the Chancellor’s Leeds Reforms included bold actions to boost retail investment.The Government welcomes the ...

Answered 4 Mar 2026

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what progress she has made on the Retail Investment Campaign.

Answer: The Government wants to see more people benefit from the higher returns and long-term financial resilience that investing can provide. That is why the Chancellor’s Leeds Reforms included bold actions to boost retail investment.The Government welcomes the ...

Answered 4 Mar 2026

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 on the effectiveness of Targeted Support.

Answer: Targeted support will be a new form of support, designed to bridge the gap between guidance and full financial advice. It will enable firms authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to proactively suggest appropriate products or courses of actio...

Answered 4 Mar 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to check the compliance of PIP assessment facilities.

Answer: Where the department provides estate for the delivery of Personal Independence Payment assessments, we ensure that all assessment centres meet relevant legislative requirements, including full compliance with the Equality Act 2010.For assessment centres s...

Answered 2 Mar 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many PIP assessment officers there were in each month since January 2025.

Answer: The information requested is not held in the format specified.However, while data on the monthly totals for average health professional (HP) full‑time equivalents (FTEs) working on the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) contracts, and overall HP FTE leav...

Answered 18 Mar 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many PIP assessment officers left their role in each month since January 2025.

Answer: The information requested is not held in the format specified.However, while data on the monthly totals for average health professional (HP) full‑time equivalents (FTEs) working on the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) contracts, and overall HP FTE leav...

Answered 18 Mar 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans her Department has for improving provision of financial education as part of the adult education curriculum.

Answer: The essential skills entitlements, funded through the adult skills fund (ASF), support adults without a GCSE maths grade 4 or higher, or equivalent qualification, or are assessed at working below this level, to undertake a range of free courses including ...

Answered 31 Mar 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that pension scheme communications are made more transparent and understandable for the general public.

Answer: Pension schemes are under legal obligations to provide key information to members. Schemes should ensure that all communications are accurate, clear, concise, relevant and in plain English.Simpler Annual Benefit Statements, introduced in 2022, make define...

Answered 25 Feb 2026

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps the Department is taking to ensure that the recruitment process for the Digital Markets Champion includes interviewing candidates from a broad range of professional backgrounds, including those with exper

Answer: Last July the government published the Wholesale Financial Markets Digital Strategy. The strategy announced that the government will appoint an industry expert as Wholesale Digital Markets Champion, who will provide leadership from, and for, the sector on...

Answered 25 Feb 2026

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the importance of appointing a Digital Markets Champion with experience and understanding of digital assets and distributed ledger technologies, to help position the UK as a global hu

Answer: Last July the government published the Wholesale Financial Markets Digital Strategy. The strategy announced that the government will appoint an industry expert as Wholesale Digital Markets Champion, who will provide leadership from, and for, the sector on...

Answered 25 Feb 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to funding for physical education and sports on child obesity.

Answer: Physical activity is an important part of a healthy lifestyle that plays a role in tackling childhood obesity.Too many children and young people do not meet the Chief Medical Officer’s recommendation of 60 minutes of daily physical activity. The departmen...

Answered 2 Mar 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people on the basic State Pension have inherited part of the additional State Pension from their deceased spouse or partner.

Answer: The Department does not hold published readily accessible data on the number of individuals in receipt of the Basic State Pension who have inherited part of the Additional State Pension from a deceased spouse or partner.

Answered 10 Feb 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people receive the basic state pension and the additional state pension.

Answer: In Great Britain in 2025/26, around 8.1 million individuals were forecast to receive the basic State Pension (this is the State Pension under the pre-2016 system), with around 6.9 million of these individuals forecast to receive the Additional State Pensi...

Answered 10 Feb 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to extend the permitted development right for floating solar installations to disused quarries and docks in England and Wales.

Answer: Planning is a devolved matter within the competency of the Welsh Parliament. The government continues to keep permitted development rights in England under review.

Answered 10 Feb 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what plans he has to extend permitted development rights for floating solar installations to on-farm reservoirs in England and Wales.

Answer: Planning is a devolved matter within the competency of the Welsh Parliament. The government continues to keep permitted development rights in England under review.

Answered 10 Feb 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to expand the permitted development right for floating solar installations on reservoirs in England and Wales to allow the electricity generated by the floating

Answer: Planning is a devolved matter within the competency of the Welsh Parliament. The government continues to keep permitted development rights in England under review.

Answered 10 Feb 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what oversight her Department exercises over Network Rail’s commercial approach to major station redevelopments involving private capital.

Answer: My Department’s oversight of such propositions varies, depending on factors such as the conditions of any private capital contributions and impacts on the operation of the network.

Answered 26 Feb 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of Network Rail’s approach to the proposed redevelopment of London Liverpool Street Station on inward foreign direct investment.

Answer: The Office for Investment, a joint unit across DBT, HMT & No.10, promotes the UK as one of the world’s leading destinations for Foreign Direct Investment, supported by our strong business environment, highly skilled workforce and globally competitive ...

Answered 6 Feb 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to help ensure that the UK can attract private sector investment in nationally signification infrastructure projects.

Answer: The Department for Business and Trade is taking active steps to attract private sector investment into nationally significant infrastructure projects. Through the expanded Office for Investment, we provide enhanced relationship management for major and so...

Answered 5 Feb 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to encourage private investors to help deliver the commercial structures used for (a) Liverpool Street Station and (b) other major rail infrastructure developments.

Answer: As set out in the Ten-Year Infrastructure Strategy, the Government is committed to increased private investment alongside public funding to transform the UK’s infrastructure.Officials are engaged with Network Rail and Platform4 - the government’s new prop...

Answered 11 Feb 2026

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer on 8 December 2025 to Question 96643, whether she has any plans to require pensioners who receive both the basic state pension and the additional state pension as their only income to pay inco

Answer: As set out in my reply to Question 96643, the Chancellor has said that those whose only income is the basic or new State Pension without any increments will not have to pay income tax over this Parliament. At the Budget, the Government announced that it w...

Answered 12 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer on 8 December 2025 to Question 96643, whether she has any plans to require pensioners who received the state pension as their only income and consequently inherit part of (a) the basic state p

Answer: As set out in my reply to Question 96643, the Chancellor has said that those whose only income is the basic or new State Pension without any increments will not have to pay income tax over this Parliament. At the Budget, the Government announced that it w...

Answered 12 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when he plans to publish the Government’s response to the consultation entitled ‘Modern leasehold: restricting ground rent for existing leases’ published on 9 November 2023.

Answer: I refer the hon. Members to the answer given to Question UIN 99005 on 5 January 2026.

Answered 14 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024, when he will bring forward secondary legislation to implement the core elements of the Act.

Answer: The government has already made significant progress when it comes to commencing provisions in the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024: On 24 July 2024, we brought into force provisions relating to rentcharge arrears, building safety legal costs and th...

Answered 14 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent discussions he has had with the National Leasehold Campaign.

Answer: MHCLG Ministers and officials engage regularly with a range of stakeholders in respect of leasehold and commonhold reform, including the National Leasehold Campaign.

Answered 14 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether Plotland sites will be included within the draft Leasehold and Commonhold Reform Bill.

Answer: I refer the hon. Members to the answer given to Question UIN 102833 on 12 January 2026.

Answered 14 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he plans to publish the draft Leasehold and Commonhold Reform Bill before the end of the 2024-26 parliamentary session.

Answer: I refer the hon. Members to the answer given to Question UIN 102833 on 12 January 2026.

Answered 14 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions he has had with his USA counterpart under the Transatlantic Taskforce for Markets of the Future on mutual recognition of UK and US cryptoasset firms, aligned disclosure standards, and ensuring that

Answer: The Transatlantic Taskforce for Markets of the Future was established by HM Treasury and the US Treasury on 22 September. Its purpose is to bring the world’s leading financial centres together to develop concrete policy options and recommendations on furt...

Answered 5 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the Transatlantic Taskforce for Markets of the Future is being used to develop a joint UK-US approach to tokenisation, including cross-border access to tokenised securities and aligned rules for capital, dis

Answer: The Transatlantic Taskforce for Markets of the Future was established by HM Treasury and the US Treasury on 22 September. Its purpose is to bring the world’s leading financial centres together to develop concrete policy options and recommendations on furt...

Answered 5 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department plans to use the Transatlantic Taskforce for Markets of the Future to deepen engagement with United States’ regulators following the finalisation of the GENIUS Act, to support regulatory align

Answer: The Transatlantic Taskforce for Markets of the Future was established by HM Treasury and the US Treasury on 22 September. Its purpose is to bring the world’s leading financial centres together to develop concrete policy options and recommendations on furt...

Answered 5 Jan 2026

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 19 June 2025 to Question 61158, whether she plans to publish the statutory instrument on open banking in the first quarter of 2026.

Answer: The National Payments Vision, published in November, set out the government’s ambitious plans for the next phase of Open Banking, building on the UK’s leadership in this area. This includes steps towards delivering seamless, Open Banking enabled, account-...

Answered 15 Dec 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to his Oral Statement on 11 November 2025 entitled Pensions, if he will publish the research findings from the Department's 2007 evaluation on the effectiveness of automatic pension forec

Answer: Report no.447 “Evaluation of Automatic State Pension Forecasts” is publicly available and can be accessed at:https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20121212081018mp_/http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd5/rports2007-2008/rrep447.pdfAs confirmed in ...

Answered 10 Dec 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to his Oral Statement on 11 November 2025 entitled Pensions, whether the 2007 report on the effectiveness of automatic pension forecast letters is the one referenced in the Parliamentary

Answer: The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s reports titled “Women’s State Pension age: our findings on the Department for Work and Pensions’ communication of changes”, published 19 July 2021, and “Women’s State Pension age: our findings on injustice ...

Answered 10 Dec 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the 2007 report on the effectiveness of automatic pension forecast letters is the one referenced in the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman's report entitled Women's State Pension age: ou

Answer: The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s reports titled “Women’s State Pension age: our findings on the Department for Work and Pensions’ communication of changes”, published 19 July 2021, and “Women’s State Pension age: our findings on injustice ...

Answered 10 Dec 2025

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to Section 4.167 of the Autumn Budget 2025, when her Department plans to publish the solution ensuring that pensioners who only receive the state pension will not (a) have to fill out a tax return and

Answer: As the Chancellor has said, over this Parliament those whose only income is the basic or new State Pension without any increments will not have to pay income tax. As announced at the Budget, the government will ease the administrative burden for pensioner...

Answered 8 Dec 2025

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to paragraph 4.167 State Pension and Simple Assessment of the Budget 2025, published in November 2025, when her Department began consulting on this policy.

Answer: As the Chancellor has said, over this Parliament those whose only income is the basic or new State Pension without any increments will not have to pay income tax. As announced at the Budget, the government will ease the administrative burden for pensioner...

Answered 8 Dec 2025

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she considered including an assessment of the potential impact of paragraph 4.167 State Pension and Simple Assessment of the Budget 2025, published in November 2025, on costs to the public purse within the B

Answer: As the Chancellor has said, over this Parliament those whose only income is the basic or new State Pension without any increments will not have to pay income tax. As announced at the Budget, the government will ease the administrative burden for pensioner...

Answered 8 Dec 2025

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to Section 4.167 (State Pension and Simple Assessment) of the Budget 2025, if she will publish the cost impact of this policy.

Answer: As the Chancellor has said, over this Parliament those whose only income is the basic or new State Pension without any increments will not have to pay income tax. As announced at the Budget, the government will ease the administrative burden for pensioner...

Answered 8 Dec 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many pensioners receive the full state pension as their only income.

Answer: The Department does not hold readily available information to identify how many pensioners receive the full State Pension as their only income. Information is, however, available from Departmental survey data which shows, in 2023/24, around 1.1m pensioner...

Answered 9 Dec 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the National Inquiry, how she will ensure the survivors of group-based child sexual exploitation and abuse are supported throughout the process.

Answer: We remain committed to delivering an inquiry that earns trust and delivers truth. Following the appointment of the Chair and the establishment of the Inquiry, the Chair will consult on the Terms of Reference with victims and survivors and other key stakeh...

Answered 4 Dec 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the National Inquiry into Group-Based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse will (a) conclude and (b) publish its findings.

Answer: We remain committed to delivering an inquiry that earns trust and delivers truth. Following the appointment of the Chair and the establishment of the Inquiry, the Chair will consult on the Terms of Reference with victims and survivors and other key stakeh...

Answered 4 Dec 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the National Inquiry into Group-Based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse will start to conduct (a) hearings and (b) local investigations.

Answer: We remain committed to delivering an inquiry that earns trust and delivers truth. Following the appointment of the Chair and the establishment of the Inquiry, the Chair will consult on the Terms of Reference with victims and survivors and other key stakeh...

Answered 4 Dec 2025

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether it is her policy to protect accrued pension rights when changing the tax treatment of pensions.

Answer: The Government does not comment on media speculation ahead of Budgets nor collect real-time data on the number of individuals accessing their pensions. Taking unplanned steps in respect of an individual’s pension may not be in their long-term financial in...

Answered 11 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of the number of customers accessing pensions prior to the Autumn Budget 2025; and whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of media coverage of the Budget on pension ade

Answer: The Government does not comment on media speculation ahead of Budgets nor collect real-time data on the number of individuals accessing their pensions. Taking unplanned steps in respect of an individual’s pension may not be in their long-term financial in...

Answered 11 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to help further education colleges support young people who are not in education, employment or training through (a) flexible funding arrangements and (b) supporting collabor

Answer: Through the Post-16 education and skills white paper, the department is committed to enabling local and strategic authorities, schools, and further education (FE) providers to more effectively identify, track and share data about young people. These measu...

Answered 4 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what data his Department uses, other than the Labour Market Force survey, to estimate the population of people who are not in education, employment or training.

Answer: The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) uses multiple data sources to inform our view of how young people are performing in the labour market and whether young people are not in education, employment or training (NEET). These include statistics based o...

Answered 29 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of trends in the number of students who are at risk of being withdrawn from their study programme for not attending their GCSE retak

Answer: I refer the hon. Member for Wyre Forest to the answer of 31 October 2025 to Question 83275.

Answered 31 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps his Department plans to take to distribute funding for people not in education, employment or training through the Youth Guarantee scheme in each region.

Answer: As set out in the Get Britain Working White Paper, we are developing a Youth Guarantee to ensure young people aged 18-21 can access high-quality training, apprenticeships, and personalised support to find work. As a first step, we are working with eight Y...

Answered 30 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how her Department uses data on people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) to develop policy in the context of changes in the number of people who are NEET.

Answer: The department collects and uses a range of data and evidence relating to young people who are not in education, employment, or training (NEET) to inform policy, including ‘Participation in education, training and employment’, which can be accessed at: ht...

Answered 31 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing supported internship funding arrangements for young people aged between 16 and 19 who require additional support to enter the

Answer: The department is continuing to invest in supported internships by providing up to £12 million to March 2026 to support local areas to sustain their progress and develop their supported internship offers.This includes funding to expand the department’s pi...

Answered 29 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department plans to take to help re-engage young people with education, health and care plans who are not in employment, education or training.

Answer: There are 165,000 16 to 25 year-olds with an education, health and care (EHC) plan. Of these, it is estimated that approximately 22,000 are not in education, employment or training (NEET).Published data for the reporting year 2025 shows that approximately...

Answered 29 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate her Department has made of the number of young people with education, health and care plans who are not in employment, education or training.

Answer: There are 165,000 16 to 25 year-olds with an education, health and care (EHC) plan. Of these, it is estimated that approximately 22,000 are not in education, employment or training (NEET).Published data for the reporting year 2025 shows that approximately...

Answered 29 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing in year growth funding to schools affected by additional starts relating to provision intended to (a) prevent and (b) reduce the number of you

Answer: The department funds any 16, 17 or 18-year-old who wants a place in post-16 education.Typically, this is through lagged funding, where the main funding is based on student numbers in the year before. However, for those institutions with a significant grow...

Answered 29 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing additional intervention funding for the provision of education re-engagement programmes for 16 to 18 year olds who have defaulted their initia

Answer: Under Section 68 of the Education and Skills Act 2008, local authorities are required to make available the support it considers appropriate to encourage, enable or assist all young people aged 16 to 19 to effectively participate in education or training....

Answered 29 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department plans to expand access to mental health services for young people at risk of not being in education, employment or training.

Answer: The Department recognises that young people with poor mental health can be at risk of not being in education, employment, or training.This is why the Government is investing in mental health support services for young people, including continuing the roll...

Answered 6 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of mental health on trends in the number of people who are not in education, employment or training; and whether this is reflected in supp

Answer: We know that quality employment, education, and training have a positive impact on mental health, and leads to greater independence and a feeling of fully participating in society. That is why, as set out in the Get Britain Working White Paper, DWP and Df...

Answered 29 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of social factors on trends in the number of people who are not in education, employment or training.

Answer: DWP recognises that a range of social factors contribute to trends in the number of young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET). Research by the Youth Futures Foundation (published December 2023 - Risk factors for being NEET among...

Answered 29 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of (a) local and (b) regional factors on trends in the number of people who are not in education, employment or training.

Answer: The quarterly estimates for young people (aged 16-to-24 years) who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) in the UK can be found here: Young people not in education, employment or training (NEET) - Office for National Statistics. Currently, t...

Answered 29 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department engages with local authorities for the collection of data of the number of people not in education, employment or training.

Answer: The department regularly engages with local authorities with regard to monitoring not in education, employment or training (NEET) data and fulfilling their statutory duties. Statutory guidance directs local authorities to track information about all 16 an...

Answered 31 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department applies the same methodology for the number of people not in employment, education or training who are (a) 16 to 18 and (b) 18 to 24 years of age.

Answer: The department publishes statistics on those not in education, employment or training (NEET) for England from the labour force survey (LFS) for young people aged 16-24. These statistics are accessible at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.u...

Answered 31 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions he has had with the Office for National Statistics on the potential barriers to (a) monitoring and (b) collecting data on the number of 18-24 year olds who are not in education, employm

Answer: Official statistics on the number of young people who are not in education, employment or training aged 18-24 years old are estimated using the Labour Force Survey – a large, nationally representative household survey. These official statistics publicatio...

Answered 27 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what discussions he has had with the Office for National Statistics on the potential impact of trends in participation rates in the Labour Market Force on the accuracy of its estimates of the number of

Answer: Official statistics on the number of young people who are not in education, employment or training aged 18-24 years old are estimated using the Labour Force Survey – a large, nationally representative household survey. These official statistics publicatio...

Answered 27 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department plans to continue to use the Labour Market Force survey as the basis for estimating the number of people categorised as NEET.

Answer: Official statistics on the number of young people who are not in education, employment or training aged 18-24 years old are estimated using the Labour Force Survey – a large, nationally representative household survey. These official statistics publicatio...

Answered 27 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of trends in the (a) response and (b) participation rates of Labour Market Force surveys.

Answer: The DWP monitors a wide range of internal and external data – from management information, a range of surveys and administrative data sources - to inform its policymaking. Actions taken to improve the quality of the ONS LFS data can be found here - Labour...

Answered 27 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what information his Department holds on the number of young people who had dropped out of further education were trying to find work or training on 20 October 2025.

Answer: The department does not hold data on the number of people who have dropped out of further education and are searching for work or training.

Answered 3 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what timeframe her Department uses to determine how long young people are out of education, employment or training before they are categorised as NEET.

Answer: The department publishes statistics on those not in education, employment or training (NEET) for England from the labour force survey (LFS) for young people aged 16-24. These statistics are accessible at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.u...

Answered 31 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans she has to provide pathways for students who have been withdrawn from further educations due to their absence from Maths and English GCSE lessons.

Answer: Further education colleges can decide to retain students who have been absent from their maths or English lessons, but they will have their future funding allocations reduced by half the national funding rate for every eligible student who is not offered ...

Answered 31 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will take steps to ensure that further education colleges are able to apply discretion in relation to retaining students who may have been absent from maths or English GCSE lessons.

Answer: Further education colleges can decide to retain students who have been absent from their maths or English lessons, but they will have their future funding allocations reduced by half the national funding rate for every eligible student who is not offered ...

Answered 31 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to prevent Further Education colleges from losing the whole funding allocation for students who do not meet the maths and English condition of funding.

Answer: Further education (FE) providers who do not support eligible students in maths and/or English under the maths and English condition of funding will have their future funding allocations reduced by half the national funding rate for each student and would ...

Answered 31 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will take steps to help support students who are retaking (a) maths and (b) English GCSE whilst in further education.

Answer: The department is committed to supporting high quality teaching and learning for students who are continuing their English and maths study during 16 to 19 under the maths and English condition of funding. The department has already introduced the requirem...

Answered 7 Nov 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to help students to change their further education course.

Answer: Students in further education (FE) do have the option to change courses. The process can vary between institutions and may have implications for funding, which should be carefully considered.For funding purposes, a student aged 16 to 19 is considered as h...

Answered 31 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether those who leave further education before the end of their course are included in the without education, employment or training statistics in the year of departure.

Answer: The department publishes statistics on those not in education, employment or training (NEET) for England from the labour force survey (LFS) for young people aged 16-24. These are accessible at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-stat...

Answered 31 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how many and what proportion or people without education, employment or training (a) left school and (b) left further education before the end of their course.

Answer: The department publishes statistics on those not in education, employment or training (NEET) for England from the labour force survey (LFS) for young people aged 16-24. These are accessible at: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-stat...

Answered 31 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the challenges faced by his Department in implementing the youth guarantee trial across the West Midland Combined Authority area.

Answer: The Department for Work and Pensions and the Department for Education continue to work closely with the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) on the design and delivery of their Youth Guarantee Trailblazer. WMCA has actively engaged its seven Local Auth...

Answered 27 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to help support UK-based businesses that work on orbit (a) servicing and (b) assembly.

Answer: In-Orbit Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing (ISAM) has been identified as one of five National Space Capabilities, reflecting its strategic importance for economic growth, national security, and space sustainability.To date, the Government has support...

Answered 20 Oct 2025

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to support the implementation of the active debris removal mission.

Answer: The government is actively supporting the UK’s first Active Debris Removal (ADR) mission, recognising its importance for space sustainability and economic growth.The UK Space Agency has launched a £75.6m procurement to deliver this mission, which will rem...

Answered 20 Oct 2025