Asked by: Lord Cameron of Lochiel (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure NATO military personnel who will be stationed in the Isle of Benbecula as part Exercise Formidable Shield in 2027 will be able to access cash facilities, in light of recent reports of difficulties in accessing cash on the island.
Answered by Lord Pitt-Watson - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government recognises the importance of cash, understanding that it continues to be used by millions of people across the UK, including those in rural areas.
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) assumed regulatory responsibility for access to cash in September 2024. Under the FCA’s access to cash rules, the UK’s largest banks and building societies must ensure that the impact of a relevant closure or other material change is assessed and that an appropriate additional service is provided where the assessment identifies a significant gap in local provision.
There is a Post Office in Balivanich on the Isle of Benbecula which provides cash withdrawal and deposit services, as well as a free-to-use ATM. LINK has previously concluded that the existing withdrawal and deposit facilities met the needs of the local area and did not recommend additional services. If local needs or circumstances change, a community or interested party can submit a cash access assessment request to LINK.
Asked by: Lord Cameron of Lochiel (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to allow individuals with properties not connected to the electricity grid and who purchase (1) liquefied petroleum gas, or (2) heating oil, during the winter months to claim back VAT, in light of these individuals not being able to benefit from the temporary zero rate of VAT on electricity during the winter months.
Answered by Lord Pitt-Watson - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Domestic heating oil and Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) already benefit from a reduced VAT rate of five per cent, rather than the standard 20 per cent.
In addition, to help households manage higher energy costs, the Government is providing over £50 million of additional support for low-income households which rely on heating oil. This comes on top of wider support with energy costs, including action to remove £150 from bills in April and the extension of the Warm Home Discount to 6 million households.
The Government has taken a balanced approach, helping millions of households with their energy bills through the temporary VAT relief on domestic electricity, while providing additional targeted support.
Asked by: Lord Cameron of Lochiel (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to temporarily remove VAT on (1) liquefied petroleum gas, and (2) heating oil, for properties not connected to the electricity grid and therefore unable to benefit from the temporary zero rate of VAT on electricity during the winter months.
Answered by Lord Pitt-Watson - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Domestic heating oil and Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) already benefit from a reduced VAT rate of five per cent, rather than the standard 20 per cent.
In addition, to help households manage higher energy costs, the Government is providing over £50 million of additional support for low-income households which rely on heating oil. This comes on top of wider support with energy costs, including action to remove £150 from bills in April and the extension of the Warm Home Discount to 6 million households.
The Government has taken a balanced approach, helping millions of households with their energy bills through the temporary VAT relief on domestic electricity, while providing additional targeted support.
Asked by: Lord Cameron of Lochiel (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what additional funding they provided to the Scottish Government through the Barnett Formula when they announced the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee policy on 4 December 2024.
Answered by Lord Livermore
Funding for the Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee announced on 4 December is being met from within the Home Office settlement agreed at Spending Review 2025. At Spending Reviews, the Barnett formula is applied to the overall change in UKG departments DEL budget. Because the formula is not applied to individual programmes, the consequentials associated with these individual programmes cannot be identified.
Asked by: Lord Cameron of Lochiel (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what proportion of the total funding made available by The Crown Estate’s Supply Chain Accelerator programme was allocated to each of the successful organisations, as announced on 11 December.
Answered by Lord Livermore
The total funding made available in the second round of the Supply Chain Accelerator programme is £13,223,663. The proportion of that total allocated to each successful organisation is set out in the table below, including an aggregated figure for multi-project awards to the same organisation and an individual project breakdown.
All Supply Chain Accelerator awards are “up to” the amounts specified and are paid in arrears, subject to evidenced milestone delivery and costs incurred as projects progress.
Organisation | Amount awarded by The Crown Estate (£) |
ARC Marine | 250,000 |
Blyth Harbour Commission | 275,000 |
European Marine Energy Centre | 297,000 |
Eyemouth Harbour Trust | 1,479,000 |
First Corporate Shipping Ltd | 1,432,500 |
Ledwood Mechanical Engineering | 505,800 |
Morwind Ltd | 784,313 |
Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult Two projects: AmTech (£612,034) and String OE (£345,964) | 957,998 |
Offshore Solutions Group Limited – Celtic Sea | 411,210 |
Reflex Marine | 765,802 |
SeAH Wind Ltd Three projects: Pinpile (£1,500,000), Marshalling (£1,500,000) and Coating Booth (£1,500,000) | 4,500,000 |
Slipform Engineering Limited | 513,000 |
Sperra Seaworks | 1,052,040 |
Total (£) | 13,223,663 |
Asked by: Lord Cameron of Lochiel (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government, in regard to the Statement of Funding Policy: Funding the Scottish Government, Welsh Government and Northern Ireland Executive, published in June 2025, why they amended their funding policy for agriculture and fisheries funding.
Answered by Lord Livermore
As set out in the Statement of Funding Policy, from 2025-26 the devolved governments will no longer receive a ringfenced addition to the block grant for agriculture and fisheries. Funding for agriculture and fisheries from 2024-25 has been baselined and un-ringfenced in each devolved governments block grant. This is an above population share for the devolved governments.
It is for devolved governments to allocate this funding as they see fit and they are accountable to their devolved legislatures for those decisions. This is a key principle of devolution and this decision respects that.
The Barnett formula will apply to any future changes in UK Government funding from 2025-26 for agriculture and fisheries in the usual way. This is the normal operation of the funding arrangements for the devolved governments.