Lord Bailey of Paddington

Independent public body reviews are one of our most effective levers to drive improvement and ensure public bodies deliver value for the taxpayer.The Cabinet Office guidance on the undertaking and requirements for reviews of public bodies is published on gov.uk, and was last updated in April 2024.

Government provides an annual £50m Network Subsidy funding to support the delivery of a minimum number of branches and a geographical spread of branches in line with published access criteria. The Government uplifted the subsidy in FY 24/25 by £37.5 million to further support the Post Office network and the important services it provides. The access criteria ensure that however the network changes, Post Office delivers essential services across the UK via its network of 11,500 branches. The access criteria will ensure that, across London, 99% of the population will continue to live within 3 miles of a Post Office.

Transport for London (TfL) are currently preparing to consult on their plans to regulate London’s pedicab industry. Department for Transport officials regularly meet with their counterparts at TfL on this matter, who have indicated that this consultation process will now begin in early 2025.

The new hospital scheme for the Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust at St Mary’s Hospital is in the scope of the review into the New Hospital Programme.

We are finalising the outcome of the review so we can be honest and upfront with everyone on when we expect the new hospitals to be delivered. As is standard practice, a Public Sector Equality Duty impact assessment will also be completed as part of this process.

My Rt Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care will set out further details on the outcome of the review, which will include a new and realistic delivery schedule for the programme, at the earliest opportunity.

The Government has no plans to introduce a new tax-free shopping scheme in Great Britain. Visitors to Great Britain can continue to claim VAT relief where the items purchased are shipped directly to their home country as exports.

In March 2024, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) conducted a review of the previous Government’s 2020 costing of removing tax-free shopping. The OBR’s updated estimate is that the withdrawal of the VAT Retail Export Scheme will save the Exchequer around £540 million per year by 2025-26. Reintroducing tax-free shopping would therefore likely come at significant cost to the Exchequer.
 
The Government has also noted recent ONS data, which shows that tourism numbers and spending for the UK has recovered at a similar rate following the pandemic to other European economies that offer tax-free shopping.

The UK benefits from a competitive mortgage market, including products that are based on a tenant’s history of rental payments. Any prospective first-time buyer should speak to a mortgage broker, who will be able to assist them in finding the best possible product for their circumstances.

The pricing and availability of mortgages is a commercial decision for lenders in which the Government does not intervene. Lenders need to balance the risk of default and losses when making their decisions, which is why mortgage affordability assessments consider a range of factors.

Decisions about police resourcing are a matter for operationally independent Chief Constables and directly elected local policing bodies, such as Police and Crime Commissioners and Mayors exercising PCC functions.

The Government recognises and values the professionalism, dedication and sacrifice shown by volunteers in policing. Volunteers enhance the effectiveness of policing by bringing diverse and valuable skills that complement the roles officers and staff play in delivering the best service to the public.

Police forces are responsible for running their local volunteering programmes, including volunteer police cadet schemes.

The annual Lord Ferrers Awards ceremony, which will take place on 5 December, is organised by the Home Office to recognise the time and effort that volunteer police cadets and other volunteers contribute to their local communities.

Local authorities are responsible for assessing the impact of a selective licensing scheme on their area. This may include the impact of licence fees on local rents.

Local authorities have discretion to charge fees which cover the cost of running selective licensing schemes. They may also offer discounts on fees to reduce costs for landlords. The government expects local authorities to make details of these fees, along with the rationale behind their determination, transparent and readily accessible.

Local authorities are responsible for assessing the impact of a selective licensing scheme on their area. This may include the impact of licence fees on local rents.

Local authorities have discretion to charge fees which cover the cost of running selective licensing schemes. They may also offer discounts on fees to reduce costs for landlords. The government expects local authorities to make details of these fees, along with the rationale behind their determination, transparent and readily accessible.

The most recent English Housing Survey results, published on 28 November 2024, show that proportion of private rented sector (PRS) households in London which are part of the private rental market has increased from 27.4% in 2018-19 to 31.8% in 2023-24. Over the past 5 years data on dwelling stock shows that there has been an increase in the number of PRS properties in London. Live tables on dwelling stock (including vacants) - GOV.UK

Our Renters’ Rights Bill will deliver our manifesto commitment to transform the experience of private renting, including by ending Section 21 ‘no fault’ evictions. The most recent homelessness statistics release reported between April and June 2024, 1,100 Londoners were put at risk of homelessness because they received a Section 21 eviction notice. By implementing the long overdue abolition of Section 21 evictions, this government will give renters much greater security and stability so they can stay in their homes for longer, build lives in their communities, and avoid the risk of homelessness.

However, homelessness levels in London and across the country remain far too high. This is why the government has committed to developing a new cross government strategy, working with mayors and councils across the country to get us back on track to ending homelessness once and for all. This includes a dedicated Inter-Ministerial Group, chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister, bringing together ministers from across government.

We are committed to providing a multi-year funding settlement starting in 2026-27. This will be the first multi-year settlement since 2016 and will provide local authorities with the certainty they need to focus on their priorities.

I refer the Noble Lord to the answer to Question UIN 11851 on 8 November 2024.