Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many arm's-length bodies they have set up since the General Election in July 2024, and what estimate they have made of the annual cost of each of these bodies.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Cabinet Office maintains records and oversight of formally established Arm’s Length Bodies. There are a number of Arm’s Length Bodies currently going through the process of being established. No new ALBs have been formally established since 4 July 2024.

In a speech last week, the Prime Minister also announced that the Government is committed to cutting bureaucracy across the state, in order to focus government on the priorities of working people and shift money to the frontline. As part of this, the Prime Minister announced the abolition of the arms-length body NHS England.

The Chancellor has also announced a new approach to ensure regulators and regulation support growth, including by simplifying regulatory structures. As we approach the 2025 Spending Review, Departments will be considering where there may be benefits from merging, consolidating or rationalising the regulators they sponsor. We have already announced that we will consolidate the Payment Systems Regulator, primarily within the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), and consolidate the Gangmaster and Labour Abuse Authority, the Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate and the Director of Labour Market Enforcement into the Fair Work Agency (FWA)

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what is their timetable for returning to the target of 0.7 per cent of gross national income for overseas aid, as set out by the International Development (Official Development Assistance Target) Act 2015, following their decision to cut overseas aid to 0.3 per cent of gross national income.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Government remains committed to returning to spending 0.7 per cent of Gross National Income (GNI) on Official Development Assistance (ODA) when fiscal circumstances allow, in line with the International Development Act 2015.

We will return to 0.7 per cent when, on a sustainable basis, the government is not borrowing money for day-to-day spending and underlying debt is falling. The Office for Budget Responsibility's latest forecast shows that the ODA fiscal tests are not due to be met within the Parliament.

The Government will continue to monitor future forecasts closely, and each year will review and confirm, in accordance with the International Development (Official Development Assistance Target) Act 2015, whether a return to spending 0.7 per cent GNI on ODA is possible against the latest fiscal forecast.

Found: Members present: Baroness Ashton of Upholland (The Chair); Baroness Bonham- Carter of Yarnbury; Lord Booth-Smith

Found: Members present: Baroness Ashton of Upholland (The Chair); Baroness Bonham- Carter of Yarnbury; Lord Booth-Smith

Found: Members present: Baroness Ashton of Upholland (The Chairman); Baroness Bonham-Carter of Yarnbury; Lord Booth-Smith

Found: Members present: Baroness Ashton of Upholland (The Chair); Baroness Bonham- Carter of Yarnbury; Lord Booth-Smith