Mel Stride MP: written questions 2025

60 published records · newest first.

Written questions

Defence: ExpenditureTreasuryTabled 3 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 34811More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of whether real-terms or nominal figures provide the most accurate metric for evaluating an increase in defence spending.
Answer: £13.4bn represents the increase in total NATO qualifying defence spending from 2024-25 to 2027-28 based on OBR forecasts. As the Prime Minister has announced, defence spending will reach 2.5% GDP in 2027-28. Our GDP percentage spent on defence is the key ...
Answered 11 Mar 2025
Original Parliament record
Armed Forces: FinanceMinistry of DefenceTabled 3 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 34810More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether the £13.4 billion for the armed forces was calculated based on NATO-qualifying spending; and what his Departmental budget will be in the 2027-28 financial year.
Answer: The £13.4 billion increase relates to total NATO qualifying defence spend. This is the increase in cash terms between defence spending in 2027-28 and what the UK spends today. HMT is currently undertaking the second phase of the Spending Review, which wil...
Answered 11 Mar 2025
Original Parliament record
Defence: FinanceTreasuryTabled 3 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 34809More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Prime Minister’s oral statement on Defence and Security of 25 February 2025, Official Report, column 631, what the level of defence spending was due to be in the 2027-28 financial year prior to
Answer: Departmental budgets from 2026-27 to 2028-29 will be determined as part of the ongoing Spending Review, details of which will be announced on 11 June 2025.
Answered 11 Mar 2025
Original Parliament record
Defence: FinanceTreasuryTabled 3 Mar 2025AnsweredUIN 34808More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Prime Minister’s oral statement on Defence and Security of 25 February 2025, Official Report, column 631, how much and what proportion of the £13.4 billion increase in defence spending is new m
Answer: £13.4bn represents the forecast increase in total NATO qualifying defence spending between 2024-25 to 2027-28. This increase comprises the reallocated ODA funding, as well as forecast increases to existing NATO qualifying spend based on OBR forecasts, ove...
Answered 11 Mar 2025
Original Parliament record
Work Capability AssessmentDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 28 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 34602More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Tables in the document entitled Work Capability Assessment Reform: update to estimated number of claimants affected, dated 18 April 2024, what her Department's estimate is of the n
Answer: The figures requested can be found in the table below: Note – This reform was planned and made by the previous Government, but the figures reflect the latest OBR forecasts and assumptions. Number of claimants affected by Work Capability Assessment Reform,...
Answered 5 Mar 2025
Original Parliament record
Universal CreditDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 28 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 34601More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what her Department's timetable is for abolishing the couple's administrative earnings threshold; and what estimate she has made of the potential impact of the abolition of the couple's administrative e
Answer: The previous administration planned to abolish the Couples AET to increase compliance and conditionality requirements on working households, without clear evidence that this would be cost-effective. The Government’s plans for supporting working households...
Answered 12 Mar 2025
Original Parliament record
Work Capability AssessmentDepartment for Work and PensionsTabled 28 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 34600More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether it remains her Department's policy to begin the rollout of the abolition of the Work Capability Assessment and the categories of Limited Capability for Work and Limited Capability for Work Relat
Answer: We’ve been clear that WCA isn’t working and needs to be reformed or replaced. We are working to develop proposals for reform to the system of health and disability benefits and will set them out in a green paper in the spring. As part of the Get Britain W...
Answered 5 Mar 2025
Original Parliament record
Office for Budget Responsibility: ForecastsTreasuryTabled 28 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 34599More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the estimated economic impact of additional public investment within the Office for Budget Responsibility’s forecasts reflects the composition of that investment spending in each year of the forecast period.
Answer: The independent Office for Budget Responsibility produces comprehensive economic and fiscal forecasts twice a year. This includes a judgement on how public investment levels impact the economy. This judgement is based on the Public Investment and Potentia...
Answered 5 Mar 2025
Original Parliament record
Capital Investment: Government DepartmentsTreasuryTabled 28 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 34598More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will provide a breakdown by department of the additional capital expenditure announced at the October Budget for each financial year up to 2029-30.
Answer: At Autumn Budget 2024 the government announced over £100 billion of additional capital investment over the next five years compared to the plans the government inherited. In 2025-26, this amounts a £13 billion increase compared to Spring Budget 2024 plans...
Answered 5 Mar 2025
Original Parliament record
Public Sector Debt: Budget October 2024TreasuryTabled 28 Feb 2025AnsweredUIN 34597More
Question: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the forecast level of (a) public sector net debt, (b) public sector net debt excluding Bank of England and (c) public sector net financial liabilities was at the time of the Autumn Budget 2024 in (i) cash terms
Answer: At Autumn Budget 2024, the government put the public finances on a sustainable path by strengthening the fiscal framework, including announcing new fiscal rules, and taking difficult decisions on tax, welfare and spending. The information requested is all...
Answered 5 Mar 2025
Original Parliament record

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