Written Statements

Thursday 18th December 2025 Written Statements

Thursday 18 December 2025

Covid-19 Inquiry Response Costs

Thursday 18th December 2025 Written Statements

[The Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office (Nick Thomas-Symonds)]

The UK covid-19 inquiry is examining the UK’s response to and impact of the pandemic. The Government are fully committed to supporting the work of the covid-19 inquiry and to learning lessons from the covid-19 pandemic to ensure the UK is better prepared for a future pandemic.

The Government recognise the unprecedented and wholly exceptional circumstances of the pandemic. The inquiry is therefore unprecedented in its scope, complexity and profile.

The independent UK covid-19 inquiry publishes its own running costs quarterly. The chair is under a statutory obligation to avoid unnecessary costs in the inquiry’s work, and she has been clear as to her intention to complete her work as quickly and efficiently as possible.

I would like to update the House on the costs to the UK Government associated with responding to the UK covid-19 inquiry. Figures provided are based upon those from a selection of the most relevant Departments and are not based on a complete set of departmental figures, and are not precise figures for accounting purposes. Ensuring a comprehensive and timely response to the inquiry requires significant input from a number of key Government Departments, including, but not limited to, the Cabinet Office, the Department of Health and Social Care, the UK Health Security Agency, the Home Office and His Majesty’s Treasury, many of which are supported by the Government Legal Department. While every effort has been made to ensure a robust methodology, complexities remain in trying to quantify the time and costs dedicated to the inquiry alone.

It should be noted that alongside full-time resource within Departments, inquiry response teams draw on expertise from across their organisations. These costs, including costs associated with staff taking time to provide written or oral evidence, are not included in the costs below.

Breakdown of staff and costs

The Government response to the UK covid-19 inquiry is led by inquiry response units across Departments. The associated staff costs for Q2 2025-26 are below.



Q2 number of UK covid-19 inquiry response unit staff—207 full time equivalents.

Q2 cost of UK covid-19 inquiry response unit staff—£4,310,000 (including contingent labour costs).

Financial year 2025-26 (Q1 + Q2), total cost of UK covid-19 inquiry response unit staff—£9,314,000 (including contingent labour costs).

Inheritance tax relief for infected blood compensation payments

Thursday 18th December 2025 Written Statements

[The Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury (Dan Tomlinson)]

At Budget 2025, the Government announced that they would extend the existing relief from inheritance tax to compensation payments made from the infected blood compensation scheme and the infected blood interim compensation payment scheme. A tax information and impact note has been published and can be found here: 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/inheritance-tax-and-infected-blood-compensation-payments

Prior to these changes, infected blood compensation payments were already relieved from IHT on the death of the infected or affected person eligible for compensation. However, if the infected or affected person had died before the compensation payment was received, the IHT relief did not extend to the estate of whoever received the payment following their own death (the “first living recipient”).

The Finance Bill 2025-26 contains a power to make changes to the IHT treatment of infected blood compensation schemes in secondary legislation. The Government will lay regulations before Parliament, subject to parliamentary approval of the Bill, and this statement sets out what this means in practical terms, and what action impacted individuals should take ahead of regulations being made.

Changes for first living recipients

First living recipients will be able to pass on the value of infected blood compensation payments upon their death without attracting an IHT charge. This change will apply retrospectively.

Alternatively, first living recipients can pass on some, or all, of their compensation payment during their lifetime as a “qualifying gift”. When first living recipients make a qualifying gift, the compensation will be treated as never having formed part of their estate. As a result, qualifying gifts will not attract an IHT charge, and the IHT relief on death for the compensation transferred will also pass to the recipient of the qualifying gift.

If the compensation payment was made before 4 December 2025, the first living recipient will have two years from 4 December 2025 to make any qualifying gifts. If the compensation payment is made after 4 December 2025, the first living recipient will have two years from the date of payment to make any qualifying gifts.

Any such qualifying gifts must be recorded in writing and signed by the first living recipient, even if the gift has already been made.

Changes for infected and affected people

Any compensation in an infected or affected person’s estate on death will continue to be relieved from IHT. Lifetime transfers of compensation payments made by infected or affected people will not attract an IHT charge. This change will apply retrospectively to qualifying gifts of infected blood compensation payments that have already been made by an infected or affected person. Any such gifts must be recorded in writing and signed by the infected or affected person, even if the gift has already been made.

Collection and refunds of IHT on infected blood compensation payments

As of 26 November 2025, His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs will no longer collect IHT on infected blood compensation payments in the circumstances set out above.

HMRC will also refund any overpaid amounts of IHT made before these changes were announced. Personal representatives who have paid IHT on infected blood compensation payments can claim a refund by submitting a corrective account using form C4, which is available at: 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/inheritance-tax-corrective-account-c4

Customers who require assistance with this process can contact HMRC’s IHT helpline for support. Contact details are available at: 

https://www.gov.uk/find-hmrc-contacts/inheritance-tax-general-enquiries

[HCWS1209]

Ajax Armoured Vehicle Investigation

Thursday 18th December 2025 Written Statements

[The Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry (Luke Pollard)]

I am updating Parliament before Christmas recess on the British Army’s armoured cavalry programme, known as Ajax. The safety of our service personnel remains a top priority for me and for the Ministry of Defence.

On 26 November 2025, after around 30 service personnel operating Ajax reported noise and vibration symptoms during a training exercise, I confirmed to the House that I had directed a pause of the use of Ajax for training and exercising while a safety investigation is carried out. This safety investigation is ongoing. Service personnel who reported noise and vibration symptoms during Exercise Titan Storm were operating across 23 vehicles. All these vehicles have now undergone a 45-point inspection. 13 of the vehicles have undergone further inspections specifically relating to the potential cause of noise and vibration and the remaining 10 vehicles will undergo these tests. The outcome of these inspections will be reported to Ministers in the new year.

In the House on 8 December 2025, I confirmed that in addition to the Army’s safety investigation, a Defence Accident Investigation Branch investigation is also under way—this also remains ongoing. I also confirmed that I had directed a ministerial review be carried out. I expect the outcomes of this review very shortly.

On 8 December, I set out my intention to bring together an independent group of experts to add expertise and external challenge to our work, and we are making progress on this.

The pause on use of Ajax for training and exercising was implemented immediately. Reliability growth trials have continued at Bovington training area to provide data to inform the ongoing investigations. During the trials on 12 December 2025, one soldier reported vibration symptoms. The individual did not require hospitalisation and is being provided with the appropriate medical support. The vehicle involved was not one of the 23 vehicles whose personnel reported issues during Exercise Titan Storm, but was instead part of the RGT to establish a safety baseline for comparison. The vehicle was immediately removed from the trials and will undergo a thorough investigation.

This additional report of an injury is a serious concern to me, so out of an abundance of caution and to ensure the safety of our personnel, I have directed a pause on all Ajax trials. This is in addition to the ongoing pause for training and exercising. The pause to the trials will allow time for the individual’s symptoms to be investigated and for the vehicle to be thoroughly inspected. In the new year, I will assess if trials can be restarted.

The investigation teams are conducting their work thoroughly and at pace and they must be given the time and space required to ensure that all information and evidence is considered. Findings from the investigations into Ajax will be closely aligned to decisions in the defence investment plan.

I met General Dynamics last week and I continue to have regular meetings with the Chief of the General Staff, with the Army and with officials.

As I told Parliament last week, it is unacceptable for the safety of our personnel to be at risk. I will provide further updates to the House in due course.

[HCWS1212]

Nuclear Energy Infrastructure National Policy Statement

Thursday 18th December 2025 Written Statements

[The Minister for Energy (Michael Shanks)]

Today I am pleased to announce we have designated the national policy statement for nuclear energy generation, EN-7, according to the Planning Act 2008. EN-7 now provides the planning framework for all nationally significant infrastructure projects proposing to use nuclear fission to generate energy, replacing EN-6, which applied to projects deployable by the end of 2025.

This marks an important milestone in delivering our ambition to make the UK a clean energy superpower, in part through an expansion and diversification of the UK nuclear energy industry. The designation of EN-7 builds on the momentum of recent Government action, including the publication of the Prime Minister’s strategic steer to the nuclear sector following the report from the nuclear regulatory taskforce. Our implementation of the report’s recommendations will shape a modernised, more agile regulatory environment, while maintaining the UK’s high standards of safety, security, and environmental protection.

Alongside EN-7, we will be publishing the EN-7 supplementary information. This document clarifies the planning and regulatory requirements for nuclear energy projects, helping applicants to navigate the process for applying for development consent, and to engage effectively with regulators and expert consultees. By providing practical advice, the supplementary information aims to streamline project delivery, reduce uncertainty, and support robust safety and environmental standards. It will be updated regularly to reflect stakeholder feedback, ensuring it remains a valuable resource for all involved.

The EN-7 and supporting documents, including the EN-7 supplementary information, are available on gov.uk.

[HCWS1208]

Independent Farm Profitability Review

Thursday 18th December 2025 Written Statements

[The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Emma Reynolds)]

A strong domestic farming sector is, and always will be, a linchpin for national security. As Secretary of State, I will always champion British farming and rural communities. I have visited farms up and down the country, and in all these interactions, I have seen the ingenuity, determination and pride that defines our British farming communities. Whether the farming is arable, livestock, horticulture or mixed enterprise, the message I hear consistently is that to become profitable, productive and resilient, farmers need clarity and certainty from the Government. That is exactly what I intend to deliver.

Today, I am publishing Baroness Batters’ independent farming profitability review. The Government commissioned this review to examine how we can support farm businesses to become more profitable. Doing so is essential for our country’s economic growth and food security, enabling a stronger, more productive domestic farming sector that also helps keep high-quality British food on shelves for consumers who want to buy British.

I would like to extend my sincere thanks to Baroness Batters for her exemplary efforts in leading this review. Drawing on her years of experience and deep understanding of working farms, alongside months of research and stakeholder engagement, she has produced a breadth of work that will help in the development of our long-term 25-year road map for the sector.

The review makes 57 recommendations and highlights the sector’s potential to stand at the heart of Britain’s economic renewal. It calls for stronger partnership between the Government and industry, better data to drive productivity, smarter regulation, and more targeted innovation themes, which are central to this Government’s plan for change and essential to my vision to grow the rural economy.

One theme stands out very strongly from the review, and that is the need for agriculture, the food industry and the Government to work in partnership. I could not agree more. That is why, today, I am establishing a new farming and food partnership board, which I will chair, alongside the farming Minister, my hon. Friend the Member for Wallasey (Dame Angela Eagle), as deputy. It will be about serious action and a strong voice at the centre of the Government bringing together senior leaders in farming, food, retail, and finance.

The new board will help shape decisions, remove barriers to investment and tackle the challenges the sector faces. This is a key element of our cross-Government food strategy.

Importantly, the board will not take a one-size-fits-all approach. It will focus on specific agricultural sectors, tailoring growth in sectors like horticulture and in poultry, where there is significant untapped potential to increase homegrown production. I want to unlock the untapped opportunities in specific parts of the food chain and deliver specific sector plans.

I want to give farmers confidence to grow and invest. Most farmers are small and medium sized business owners, as well as custodians of the land, and they want to sell their produce for the best price and have a long and sustainable future. Helping them do so strengthens the whole food chain—supporting households with reliable, affordable access to British produce at a time when the cost of living remains a concern for many families.

Alongside the launch of the board, the Government are today setting out immediate actions to back farm businesses:

This week, the Housing Secretary, my right hon. Friend the Member for Streatham and Croydon North (Steve Reed), and I took action to cut wasteful bureaucracy, and are changing planning rules to make food production a priority for councils. This will mean the system is more supportive of the infrastructure farmers need. That is a win for getting more on-farm reservoirs, greenhouses, polytunnels and farm shops built quicker.

We are tackling barriers to private finance, bringing together farmers, agrifood businesses and major financial institutions to attract investment into farm transformation and productivity and nature.

We are stepping up action on supply chain fairness, including continued scrutiny of unfair practices and consideration of changes to Groceries Code Adjudicator oversight.

The Government can and must create opportunities for farmers beyond our own shores. We are creating opportunities overseas through our trade deals for our world-class food and drink, from British beef in the US to a whole range of produce in India.



But we can go further. Our global network of agriculture attachés has unlocked an estimated £100 million in export deals this year alone, and there is more potential out there. I am going further and setting up dedicated trade missions for British agriculture, so that farmers and growers can get their products to new markets overseas.

This is just the start. Our 25-year farming road map will give farmers clarity and confidence for the future. We are doing more than ever—cutting bureaucracy, driving investment, opening global markets—because British farming matters not just for rural communities, but for every household that values affordable, homegrown British food.

Today’s announcements form a core part of the Government’s overall food strategy, focused on backing British farming, strengthening food security and supporting profitable, resilient farm businesses for the long term.

In addition to the Government’s initial response set out here, we will carefully consider all of Baroness Batters’ recommendations as we continue to develop our 25-year farming road map which will be published in 2026.

[HCWS1204]

NHS Adult Gender Services: Independent Review

Thursday 18th December 2025 Written Statements

[The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care (Wes Streeting)]

Today, NHS England has published the independent review of NHS adult gender services, led by Dr David Levy. The review was commissioned by NHS England in June 2024 in response to a recommendation in the Cass review final report. The review has sought to pinpoint areas for improvement, drawing attention to where the quality of NHS adult gender dysphoria clinic services could be raised, and recognising the positive existing practice that can be shared across services.

To inform this review, Dr Levy visited all commissioned NHS adult GDCs from October to December 2024. The review included engagement with NHS clinicians, executive and management staff in the hosting trusts, current and former patients, and those on waiting lists.

Although the review acknowledges the positive signs of progress across GDCs, such as patients feeling heard and understood and a strong commitment by staff to patient care, it highlights the challenges faced by GDCs and recommends a co-ordinated system-wide approach for improvement. Key findings of the review are:



Poor productivity across many adult GDCs, coupled with increasing demand, has led to unacceptably long waiting times, signalling the urgent need for an expanded number of services and targeted improvement programmes to enhance efficiency and productivity.

Significant variation exists in the quality and productivity of clinics, pointing to the need for a standardised approach to care that incorporates holistic assessments and a complexity measure sensitive to individual patient circumstances.

The referral process into the GDCs would benefit from streamlining and it is recommended that the current system of self-referral is ended in favour of a single referral route via GPs.

GPs may not always have sufficient experience or confidence to fully support patients with gender dysphoria, particularly in relation to prescribing and monitoring hormone treatments. It calls for GDCs to take responsibility for initiating and managing hormone prescribing during the first year of treatment, prior to transferring care to primary services.

In response to the findings of this review, we and NHS England will take forward a set of immediate priorities:

Creating a new single, national waiting list for adult gender services to be implemented in April 2026.

Raising the referral threshold to 18 years to align with the age of discharge from the NHS children and young people’s service.

Bringing an end to self-referrals into the service and, in parallel, providing advice and guidance for those finding it difficult to secure a referral.

Establishing challenging but achievable productivity goals for every service that can then guide and inform the commissioning of additional services, underpinned by a clear understanding of the regional demand through the national waiting list.

We are making progress beyond this review. NHS England has increased the number of adult gender dysphoria clinics in England from seven to 12 since 2020, and has established a national quality improvement network for adult gender services. In order to support the wellbeing of patients awaiting their first appointment with a GDC, I previously announced the development of a “waiting well” pilot for patients on the waiting list for the GDC in the south-west.

I will place a copy of the review in the Library of both Houses. This Government have always made it clear that anyone accessing gender services deserves the highest quality of care and support, and to be treated with dignity and respect. The publication of this review marks a significant step forward in our commitment to ensuring safe, effective and evidence-based care for anyone accessing gender dysphoria services across the NHS.

[HCWS1214]

Manchester Arena Inquiry: Recommendations 7 and 8

Thursday 18th December 2025 Written Statements

[The Minister for Security (Dan Jarvis)]

Today the Government are launching a public consultation relating to the private security industry, specifically on Manchester arena inquiry monitored recommendations MR7 (in-house CCTV operatives should be licensed by the Security Industry Authority) and MR8 (security businesses should be licensed by the Security Industry Authority).

The safety and security of our citizens is the Government’s top priority, and private security operatives play a crucial role in that. They hold positions of responsibility, interact with vulnerable individuals—especially in the night-time economy—and can be first responders to terrorist incidents. It is therefore essential that high standards of regulatory oversight of private security are delivered consistently. This regulatory oversight is provided by the Security Industry Authority through its licensing regime, and the Manchester arena inquiry found that this regime could be extended to improve preparedness.

The consultation is open to the public, and is targeted at security businesses, in-house and SIA-licensed security operatives, in-house employers of security operatives, buyers of security, local and public authorities, and industry associations. It seeks views on a range of options to understand which, if any, should be implemented. These include regulatory and non-regulatory options, aimed at ensuring that any new costs and regulatory burdens are proportionate, consider the impact on business, and are highly effective in improving public safety.

The consultation will run for 12 weeks. A copy of the consultation document and consultation options assessment will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses and published on gov.uk.

[HCWS1211]

Manston Asylum Facility: Inquiry Terms of Reference

Thursday 18th December 2025 Written Statements

[The Minister for Border Security and Asylum (Alex Norris)]

On 12 February 2025 the Government announced the establishment of a non-statutory inquiry to investigate and report on the decisions, actions and circumstances that led to the conditions encountered by those detained at the Manston short-term holding facility between 1 June 2022 and 22 November 2022.

A copy of the terms of reference for the inquiry was placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Since then, at the request of the senior coroner for Kent and Medway, HM Senior Coroner Patricia Harding, and after consulting the chair of the inquiry, Sophie Cartwright KC, the Home Secretary has agreed to expand the terms of reference for the inquiry to expressly include addressing how, and in what circumstances, Hussein Haseeb Ahmed came by his death on 19 November 2022.

In order to comply with section 6(3) of the Inquiries Act 2005, I will place a copy of the amended terms of reference in the Libraries of both Houses.

[HCWS1213]

Provisional Police Funding Settlement 2026-27

Thursday 18th December 2025 Written Statements

[The Minister for Policing and Crime (Sarah Jones)]

Total funding for police forces, including Counter Terrorism Policing, will be up to £19.5 billion in 2026-27, an increase of up to £798 million compared to the 2025-26 police funding settlement. Total funding to territorial police forces will be up to £18.3 billion, an increase of up to £746 million compared to 2025-26. This equates to a 4.2% cash increase and a 2.0% real terms increase for police forces. For police and crime commissioners in England the council tax referendum threshold will be £15 for a band D property.

Funding for Counter Terrorism Policing will increase by at least £52 million to £1.2 billion in 2026- 27. Police and crime commissioners will be notified separately of force-level funding allocations for Counter Terrorism Policing, which will not be made public for security reasons.

We will publish a police reform White Paper in early 2026 which will set out a vision to bring policing into the modern age with the technology, innovation and structures they need to ensure policing can focus on the crimes that matter to the public and to drive out waste and inefficiency. As with previous years, a copy of the “Police Grant Report (England and Wales) 2026-27” will be laid before the House by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary in the new year.

An accompanying table that outlines policing bodies’ proposed total funding for 2026-27 can be viewed online: http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2025-12-18/HCWS1216/

[HCWS1216]

Freehold Estates Consultations

Thursday 18th December 2025 Written Statements

[The Minister for Housing and Planning (Matthew Pennycook)]

For too many homeowners, the experience of living on a newly developed housing estate has been tainted by the hidden and enduring consequences of unadopted infrastructure. Roads, sewers, drains, green spaces, and other amenities that historically would have been maintained by the local authority or utility companies, are instead now routinely left to be managed by private estate management companies, often with little transparency or accountability.

In many cases, the quality of the amenities on such freehold estates is inferior to those adopted by the relevant public authority and falls far short of what people have a right to expect. Residential freeholders across the country frequently report open spaces not fit for purpose, roads left unsurfaced, and drainage systems which are often little more than open ditches. These issues blight people’s lives and with few of the rights to redress found in other markets and no ability to control the management of the estates on which they live, residents feel like they are treated as second-class homeowners.

The Competition and Markets Authority’s 2024 house building market study identified significant consumer detriment arising from the private management of unadopted public amenities on housing estates. It concluded that without Government intervention, this consumer detriment was likely to increase. This Government believe that homeowners living on freehold estates deserve a fair deal. That is why we pledged in our manifesto to act to bring the injustice of “fleecehold” private housing estates and unfair maintenance costs to an end.

Our objective is clear. We are determined to reduce the prevalence of private estate management arrangements, which are the root cause of the problems experienced by many residential freeholders. We also want to provide those who currently live on privately managed estates with greater rights and protections so that the fees they pay are fair, transparent, and robustly justified.

That is why we are today launching two comprehensive consultations seeking views on how best to implement new consumer protections for homeowners on freehold estates and the ways in which we might reduce the prevalence of privately managed estates over the coming years.

Enhanced protections for homeowners on freehold estates

The Government are already taking action to protect homeowners living on privately managed estates. We are committed to strengthening regulation of managing agents and have consulted on proposals to introduce mandatory professional qualifications for managing agents and estate managers on these estates, protecting homeowners from poor practice and unscrupulous operators.

We also intend for homeowners on privately managed estates to benefit from the proposals we announced on 6 October to transform home buying and selling. These will reduce delays, strengthen upfront information for all homebuyers, and cap unreasonable fees for providing property details.

We have also asked the Law Commission to consider how homeowners on freehold estates might secure greater control over the management of their estates, including whether the existing right to manage regime could be adapted for privately managed estates. That programme of work is now live and can be found on the Law Commission website at: https://lawcom.gov.uk/project/management-of-housing-estates/.

However, we know we must do more to protect homeowners already living on freehold estates. That is why this Government intend to introduce primary legislation to ban the use of the draconian remedies in sections 121 and 122 of the Law of Property Act 1925 which are available when rentcharges are not paid.

Those remedies include rentcharge owners taking possession of the affected property until arrears are cleared and granting a lease over the property. Currently, these remedies can be used without notice for very small debts. This creates uncertainty for homeowners and lenders and increases home buying and selling costs. We also seek views on whether these remedies should be removed entirely for all types of rentcharges, ensuring that enforcement is proportionate and fair. Additionally, we plan to put in place a free advice service for homeowners on privately managed estates.

The first of the two consultations we are publishing today seeks views on how we effectively implement the consumer protection provisions for residential freeholders contained in the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024. These provisions allow for the creation of a new regulatory framework that will make estate management companies more accountable for how homeowners’ money is spent. They will provide homeowners who pay an estate management charge with better access to information they need to understand what they are paying for; the right to challenge the reasonableness at the first-tier tribunal; and the right to go to the tribunal to appoint a substitute manager.

Implementing these consumer protection provisions requires detailed secondary legislation. To help shape that legislation and ensure we are implementing these new consumer protections effectively and to the benefit of all homeowners, we want to hear from individual homeowners, estate managers and managing agents.

Reducing the prevalence of private estate management arrangements

The second of the two consultations we are publishing today seeks views on how we reduce the prevalence of private estate management arrangements. Building on the recommendations of the Competition and Markets Authority’s 2024 house building market study, it aims to better understand the root causes and incentives that have led to the rise of unadopted amenities and what credible options for reform exist.

The consultation explores and seeks views on how to remove barriers to adoption and improve processes through common standards for amenities and adoption procedures. It explores how we might remove the perverse incentives that are driving non-adoption to help reduce friction between developers and local authorities and make adoption more straightforward.

It also asks for feedback on whether certain amenities should be subject to mandatory adoption and by whom, to reduce fragmented ownership and improve service delivery. Finally, the consultation also looks at how to improve dispute resolution mechanisms for poor-quality amenities and adoption issues as well as improving transparency, alongside proposals for a new affordability assessment so that maintenance of communal amenities is sustainable for homeowners in the long-term.

We recognise that not all new freehold estates will be adopted, so we need to ensure that we are giving homeowners, or prospective homeowners, greater control. The consultation therefore seeks views on whether to prohibit “embedded” management company arrangements and make resident-controlled management the default where adoption is not feasible.

The options for reform we are exploring through this consultation are far-reaching and have implications for housing supply and local authority budgets, so it is vital that future policy decisions are informed by robust evidence and a wide range of views. Through the consultation, we aim to engage residents, local authorities, developers, and estate management companies to deliver meaningful and lasting solutions.

Together, we want to build a system that works for everyone; one in which estates are well-managed and homeowners are protected, empowered and free from the burdens of hidden and unfair charges.

[HCWS1210]

Local Government Reorganisation

Thursday 18th December 2025 Written Statements

[The Minister for Local Government and Homelessness (Alison McGovern)]

This Government are determined to streamline local government by replacing the current two-tier system with new single-tier unitary councils, ending the wasteful two-tier premium. We are progressing this landmark reform at pace, which will be vital in delivering our vision: stronger local councils equipped to drive economic growth, improve local public services and empower their communities.

I am fully committed to ensuring that councils can deliver new, sustainable structures within this Parliament.

Milestones

We have already reached a number of key milestones, not least the Secretary of State’s decision to implement two new unitary councils in Surrey. We have now received proposals from all 20 remaining invitation areas.

A consultation is currently open on 17 of those proposals from six invitation areas, and I expect to launch a consultation in early February on proposals from the remaining 14 areas that seek to meet the terms of the 5 February statutory invitation. That consultation would be for seven weeks.

I remain committed to the indicative timetable, published in July, that sees elections to new councils in May 2027 and those councils going live in April 2028. This is a complex process, and we will take decisions based on the evidence provided.

Local views

We have listened to councils telling us about the constraints they are operating within, and the work that reorganisation introduces on top of existing challenges. Now that we have received all proposals, it is only right that the Secretary of State listens to councils that are expressing concerns about their capacity to deliver a smooth and safe transition to new councils, alongside running resource-intensive elections to councils that may be shortly abolished. We have also received representations from councils concerned about the cost to taxpayers of holding elections to councils that it is proposed will shortly be abolished.

Previous Governments have postponed local elections in areas contemplating and undergoing local government reorganisation, to allow councils to focus their time and energy on the process. We have now received requests from multiple councils to postpone their local elections in May 2026. The Secretary of State recognises that capacity will vary between councils.

And that is why the Secretary of State has reached the position that, in his view, councils are in the best position to judge the impact of potential postponements on their area and, in the spirit of devolution and trusting local leaders, this Government will listen to them.

We are therefore inviting councils today to set out their views on the postponement of local elections in their area and whether they consider that postponement would release essential capacity to deliver local government reorganisation. We have asked for representations by no later than midnight on 15 January. For those that have already made their views known, he will be taking these into account.

The Secretary of State has adopted a locally-led approach. He is clear that should a council say that it has no reason for postponement, then we will listen to it. But if a council voices genuine concerns about its capacity, then we will take those concerns seriously.

To that end, the Secretary of State is minded only to make an order to postpone elections for one year for those councils that raise capacity concerns.

Next steps

The Secretary of State will consider all the material received in relation to each council.

I appreciate that preparations for elections may have started in some places, and that councils will be keen to have certainty, which we will deliver as soon as possible.

I will continue to update the House on this and other milestones as we seek to deliver this vital programme. I will deposit the letter I have sent to council leaders in the House Library, and it is also being published on gov.uk today. A full list of councils in scope follows:

Adur district council; Basildon borough council; Basingstoke and Deane borough council; Blackburn with Darwen council; Brentwood borough council; Broxbourne borough council; Burnley borough council; Cambridge city council; Cannock Chase district council; Cheltenham borough council; Cherwell district council; Chorley borough council; City of Lincoln council; Colchester city council; Crawley borough council; East Sussex county council; Eastleigh borough council; Epping Forest district council; Essex county council; Exeter city council; Fareham borough council; Gosport borough council; Hampshire county council; Harlow district council; Hart district council; Hastings borough council; Havant borough council; Huntingdonshire district council; Hyndburn borough council; Ipswich borough council; Isle of Wight council; Newcastle-under-Lyme borough council; Norfolk county council; North East Lincolnshire council, Norwich city council; Nuneaton and Bedworth borough council; Oxford city council; Pendle borough council; Peterborough city council; Plymouth city council; Portsmouth city council; Preston city council; Redditch borough council; Rochford district council; Rugby borough council; Rushmoor borough council; South Cambridgeshire district council; Southampton city council; Southend-on-Sea city council; St Albans city and district council; Stevenage borough council; Suffolk county council; Tamworth borough council; Three Rivers district council; Thurrock council; Tunbridge Wells borough council; Watford borough council; Watford borough council mayor; Welwyn Hatfield borough council; West Lancashire borough council; West Oxfordshire district council; West Sussex county council; Winchester city council; and Worthing borough council.

[HCWS1215]

Vehicle Type Approval

Thursday 18th December 2025 Written Statements

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Simon Lightwood)]

Today, the Government are confirming that they intend to legislate to mandate that vehicles placed on the market in Great Britain must hold dual GB and EU type approval and marking, enabling their sale in both Great Britain and Northern Ireland, in the absence of evidence that manufacturers are doing so voluntarily. I am also today publishing a call for evidence on this approach.

A GB type approval scheme for passenger and commercial vehicles was introduced in 2024. Type approval is an established regulatory approach for ensuring that vehicles meet mandatory safety and environmental requirements before they can be registered and used on the roads. Vehicle manufacturers have been given two years to transition all their vehicle models on to the scheme. Good progress is being made, and as the scheme approaches its final stages of implementation, we are working with the manufacturers to ensure that they are ready. I encourage any vehicle manufacturers that have yet to begin the process to contact the UK’s approval authority, the Vehicle Certification Agency, to ensure that they have the correct approvals in place.

The scheme largely applies technical requirements that are harmonised internationally, which ensures that components like braking systems, seatbelts, and lighting are the same in both Great Britain and the EU, supporting UK exports and economic growth. However, I am aware of business concerns about current and potential future divergence between EU and GB requirements, which can lead to unnecessary barriers to trade in a global market. To this end, the former Minister for the Future of Roads, my hon. Friend the Member for Nottingham South (Lilian Greenwood), sent an open letter to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders in June to reassure its members that this Government will continue to monitor regulatory activity in the EU and adopt an explicit presumption in favour of alignment in the GB scheme to remove unnecessary duplicative burdens on manufacturers while maintaining high regulatory standards.

The Government are fully committed to supporting the motor industry across the whole of the United Kingdom, recognising the vital role it plays in our economy. Our most recent update to the GB scheme illustrates this approach by removing the need for dual EU and GB approvals for eCall components, and we have recently laid legislation implementing international UN regulations for cyber-security and software updates. We intend to continue to address areas where unnecessary barriers to trade may exist or might arise for manufacturers in future amendments.

We are aware of the importance of an effective single UK market for vehicles, which is important for maintaining consumer choice as well as business flexibility on how they source and supply vehicles, and I am committed to removing barriers that may prevent or hinder this, in line with the Government’s commitment to the protection of the UK’s internal market.

To sell a vehicle throughout the UK, it must be approved to the GB approval scheme and the EU’s equivalent approval scheme, which applies in Northern Ireland. The EU has historically been the largest export market for UK-produced cars, accounting for around 54%—or over 300,000—of cars exported in 2024, and UK supply chains are highly interconnected with Europe. Large-volume manufacturers are selling across both markets and already hold EU type approvals for the majority of vehicles they supply. The GB scheme was designed to support manufacturers to mark vehicles to show that they have both EU and GB approvals—known as “dual marking”—and the Government fully expect that vehicles will be dual-marked wherever possible to ensure that they can be sold across the UK.

While the majority of vehicle models are being dual-marked, I am aware that some are not. The Government have engaged extensively with vehicle manufacturers and dealerships in Northern Ireland to address this. I recognise that failing to mark vehicles as suitable for both the GB and EU markets has the potential to cause issues for businesses and consumers in Northern Ireland. I am committed to resolving this and will take the steps necessary to ensure that businesses and consumers in Northern Ireland are not disadvantaged compared to those in Great Britain. This will also provide a more consistent regulatory landscape that will provide industry with certainty for the future, removing unnecessary duplicative trade frictions and supporting economic growth.

This Government therefore intend to legislate to mandate dual marking if there is not a clear commitment from industry to make this the default approach for vehicles sold in the UK. We will be seeking input from industry and others to better understand the factors leading to the current situation and to help us identify the most effective way of resolving this issue.

I am pleased to inform the house that today I am publishing a call for evidence on the approval and marking of road vehicles placed on the market in Great Britain, and with a view to solidifying Northern Ireland’s vehicle retail industry within the UK internal market. In the meantime, the Government continue to urge manufacturers to dual-approve vehicles to ensure a consistent regulatory landscape across the UK vehicle market.

The call for evidence will be open until 12 February 2026. I encourage industry to engage with it so that together we can find a solution that protects the UK’s internal market.

[HCWS1205]

Automatic Enrolment: Earnings Trigger and Qualifying Earnings Band Review 2026-27

Thursday 18th December 2025 Written Statements

[The Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury (Torsten Bell)]

Automatic enrolment has transformed workplace pension saving for millions of workers. However, despite this success, the Government recognise that millions are still under-saving for their retirement. That is why we have revived the landmark Pensions Commission to finish the job that we started 20 years ago. The commission will examine why tomorrow’s pensioners are on track to be poorer than today’s and make recommendations for change.

It is against the backdrop of the commission’s work that I have considered and completed this year’s annual statutory review of the automatic enrolment thresholds, which are the earnings trigger and lower and upper earnings limits of the qualifying earnings band. The main focus of this year’s annual statutory review has been to ensure the continued stability of automatic enrolment for employers and individuals, particularly during the ongoing work of the Pensions Commission, which will explore long-term questions of adequacy and how to improve retirement outcomes, especially for those on the lowest incomes and at the greatest risk of poverty or under-saving.

The thresholds review has therefore concluded that all automatic enrolment thresholds for 2026-27 will be maintained at their 2025-26 levels.

The 2026-7 annual thresholds are as follows:

The automatic enrolment earnings trigger will remain at £10,000.

The lower earnings limit of the qualifying earnings band will remain at £6,240.

The upper earnings limit of the qualifying earnings band will remain at £50,270.

The publication supporting the review will be published on the www.gov.uk website and a copy placed in the Library of the House.

[HCWS1206]