Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the reply by the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, on 14 July 2009 (HC Deb col 373W), what plans they have to investigate whether official government information regarding the sale of the student loan book was passed by Lord Mandelson to Jeffery Epstein or his associates.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The sale of student loans forms part of a loan sale programme established under the Sale of Student Loans Act 2008, which enables the government to sell certain income‑contingent student loans while preserving borrowers’ terms and conditions.

The first sales under the programme were delivered through two transactions completed in 2017 and 2018, following decisions taken under subsequent administrations and several years after Lord Mandelson had left office. Those sales were undertaken in accordance with the relevant statutory and contractual framework and were subject to established governance and assurance arrangements.

There is no evidence of any unauthorised disclosure of official government information in relation to the student loan sales.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what was the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development internal policy basis, for the decision to grant Lord Mandelson access to classified briefings at higher tiers from 6 January 2025, before his Developed Vetting was completed.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington

I refer the Noble Lord to the Government's statement (Official Report, vol. 782, cols. 359-374) and release of information on 11 March, providing an update on the response to the Humble Address. The Government is working to ensure that Parliament's instruction is met with the urgency and transparency that it deserves.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, whether, when conducting vetting for the appointment of Lord Mandelson as ambassador to the USA, due diligence was undertaken in relation to Global Counsel’s work in Russia and China.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington

I refer the Noble Lord to the Government's statement (Official Report, vol. 782, cols. 359-374) and release of information on 11 March, providing an update on the response to the Humble Address. The Government is working to ensure that Parliament's instruction is met with the urgency and transparency that it deserves.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether each of their Five Missions remain a priority, or whether they have been downgraded or superseded.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Captain of the King's Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard (HM Household) (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Lords)

Missions remain a priority across Government departments.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office gave to facilitating a diplomatic service role for Lord Doyle in the British Embassy in Washington.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington

I refer the Noble Lord to the answers given on this matter by the Foreign Secretary in the most recent session of Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office oral questions in the House of Commons on 21 April, when she said: "As for the case that the hon. Member raised, I can confirm that it would also not have been an appropriate appointment."

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office on 4 March (HC110410), whether the 10 Downing Street email address of John Pond belonged to a civil servant or was email alias for the then Prime Minister.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Captain of the King's Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard (HM Household) (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Lords)

It would not be appropriate to comment on individual staffing matters.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Chapman of Darlington on 9 March (HL14364), whether they will publish the arrangements and mitigations that were put in place in relation to Lord Mandelson's Global Counsel shareholdings when he was appointed Ambassador to the United States.

Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington

I refer the Noble Lord to the Government's statement (Official Report, vol. 782, cols. 359-374) and release of information on 11 March, providing an update on the response to the Humble Address. The Government is working to ensure that Parliament's instruction is met with the urgency and transparency that it deserves.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government which Secretary of State is responsible for any decision related to the forfeiture of a ministerial pension.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Captain of the King's Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard (HM Household) (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Lords)

The Prime Minister, as Minister for the Civil Service, is responsible for the Ministerial Pension Scheme and has delegated day to day responsibility for the scheme to the Minister for the Cabinet Office.

It should be noted that there is no provision in the scheme rules for the forfeiture of benefits.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Cabinet Office on 17 March (HC119326), whether the Cabinet Office holds a list of the public sector organisations to which the reminder electronic communication was sent; and through what process the Cabinet Office drew up the list of public sector organisations to contact.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Captain of the King's Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard (HM Household) (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Lords)

Following the repeal of the requirement to report facility time data to the Cabinet Office, as part of the Employment Rights Act (2025), the Cabinet Office does not hold a list to which the reminder electronic communication was sent. The list was manually maintained and based on the email addresses associated with the submitted public sector facility time data in the previous year.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 16 April (HL15582), whether information on the current cash equivalent transfer value of the pension scheme established under the Pensions Increase (Pension Scheme for Keir Starmer QC) Regulations 2013 is held by the Crown Prosecution Service.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Captain of the King's Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard (HM Household) (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Lords)

It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Livermore on 30 March (HL15584), whether the trailing of the Budget 2025 policy in advance of the budget statement included briefings to the media that were not accompanied by a formal ministerial statement to Parliament or an official government press release.

Answered by Lord Livermore

I refer the noble lord to the Answer on 30 March (HL15584). Consistent with the Macpherson Principles, the Civil Service Code and the Special Advisers’ Code, there are occasions where the Government will trail and/or announce policy ahead of a Budget to provide context and help the public understand major fiscal events.

Any such communications are tightly controlled, respect Parliament, and protect market‑sensitive information

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 24 March (HL15644), what assessment the Minister for the Civil Service has made of whether the Child Poverty Strategy complies with the Civil Service Code and Ministerial Code in relation to party political content.

Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Wilson of Sedgefield on 13 June 2025 (HL8431), whether there is any guidance or policy on whether Ministers attend their departments to undertake ministerial duties during periods of strike action.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Captain of the King's Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard (HM Household) (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Lords)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions the Prime Minister has had with Jonathan Caplan KC in relation to Lord Mandelson since 20 December 2024.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Captain of the King's Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard (HM Household) (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Lords)

It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what consideration the Office of the Prime Minister gave to facilitating a diplomatic service role for Lord Doyle in the British Embassy in Washington.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Captain of the King's Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard (HM Household) (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Lords)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether all decisions of the Prime Minister in relation to the appointment of Lord Mandelson and his security vetting are in scope of the Government response to the Humble Address on Lord Mandelson; and why the decision of the Prime Minister on appointing Lord Mandelson is not recorded in Volume 1 of the Government response to the Humble Address.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Captain of the King's Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard (HM Household) (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Lords)

It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 2 March (HL14051), whether the Prime Minister’s recusal from decisions relating to the Football Governance Act 2025 before it was enacted extends to recusal from appointments to the Independent Football Regulator.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Captain of the King's Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard (HM Household) (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Lords)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government on what dates since July 2024 the Cabinet Office has issued or amended the guidance to the Civil Service on speaking to the media.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Captain of the King's Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard (HM Household) (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Lords)

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary at the Minister of Housing, Communities and Local Government on 16 April (HC124632), whether local authorities are recommended to comply with the guidance advising local authorities against translating into foreign languages set out in the Written Statement on 12 March 2013 (HC Deb Col 5WS).

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent on 18 March (HL15004), whether they consulted any external groups about the rebranding of HM Government to UK Government.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Captain of the King's Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard (HM Household) (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Lords)

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Minister of State in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport on 17 April (HC123654), and with reference to paragraph 1.6 of the Ministerial Code, what is the public interest reason for disclosing the information on Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) artwork held on FCDO premises abroad in the Freedom of Information FOI2025/05106, but not publishing the equivalent information for FCDO premises in London in that Written Answer.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

I will deposit a copy of the equivalent information for FCDO premises in London in the Libraries of both Houses. This will be published in due course in the deposited papers database on Parliament’s website.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Livermore on 29 April (HL16703), what were the specific Budget policies that were trailed or announced to the media ahead of the Budget that were not accompanied by a statement to Parliament at the time.

Answered by Lord Livermore

There are occasions where the Government will trail and/or announce policy ahead of a Budget to provide context and help the public understand major fiscal events.

Consistent with the Macpherson Principles, the Civil Service Code, The Ministerial Code and the Special Advisers’ Code, any such communications are tightly controlled, respect Parliament, and protect market‑sensitive information.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Smith of Malvern on 27 April (HL16205), whether Lord Mandelson was involved in the Sale of Student Loans Act 2008 legislation and subsequent policy; and through what mechanisms Lord Mandelson’s correspondence and private office papers from that period has been reviewed.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The department does not hold records of any involvement of Lord Mandelson in this policy area. Lord Mandelson was not a government minister at the time the Act was passed.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government what is their policy on whether ministers in the Department for Business and Trade attend their department to undertake ministerial duties during periods of strike action by civil servants or contractors.

Answered by Lord Leong - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)

Decisions about ministerial attendance at departmental offices are a matter for individual ministers, taking account of their official duties, operational requirements and the effective conduct of government business.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government, in light of page 57 of the Annual Report and Accounts of HM Treasury: Year to the 31 March 2026, published on 15 July, how many copies of the book “Can't we just print more money”, are currently owned by HM Treasury.

Answered by Lord Pitt-Watson - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

HM Treasury does not hold a copy of this book.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government, in light of the press release New PM says government can bring back hope to Britain, and launches drive to end rough sleeping at the earliest opportunity, published on 20 July, whether additional funding has been allocated to the MHCLG budget over and above (1) its existing spending review settlement, and (2) planned homelessness funding; what is the profile of the announced £340 million funding in each individual year; and whether any other programmes have been reprofiled or deprioritised to finance the rough sleeping programme.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Spending Review 2025 set MHCLG’s departmental budgets until 2028-29 for resource spending and 2029-30 for capital investment. No additional funding has been allocated to MHCLG beyond that settlement for this announcement. We have already provided record levels of funding to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping. The £340 million is from within existing MHCLG budgets that had not yet been committed to specific spending plans. This means that the announcement does not require the reprofiling or reprioritisation of programmes already underway. The profile of the £340 million will be finalised in due course.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government, in light of the statement in paragraph 3.53 and footnote 54 in the report by the Office of Budget Responsibility (OBR), Fiscal risks and sustainability – July 2026, published on 7 July, on what basis the OBR stated that HM Treasury confirmed to the OBR their policy on increasing the state pension age to 68 in 2037-39; whether they intend to raise the state pension age to 68 in 2037-39 rather than as set out in current legislation; and whether they will publish the communications between HM Treasury and the OBR which informed this statement.

Answered by Lord Pitt-Watson - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The legislated timetable for the State Pension age to rise to 68 is between 2044 and 2046. The previous government publicly committed to raising the State Pension age to 68 between 2037 and 2039, and the OBR has reflected that position since 2018

In July 2025, the government announced the launch of the third review of the State Pension age, which is required by legislation. This statutory review is considering whether the rules around pensionable age are appropriate, taking into account latest life expectancy data and other relevant factors and evidence. This review is ongoing. The Government cannot pre-empt the outcome of the State Pension age Review.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government how much funding will be provided (1) from re-allocated or re-profiled budgets, and (2) as new additional funding, to deliver the new Prime Minister’s pledge to build more council housing; and whether funding will be de-allocated from (a) other types of affordable housing tenure or (b) other MHCLG budgets.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Government is committed to delivering the biggest increase in social and affordable housing in a generation, and we have already taken decisive action to support councils to play their part in achieving this ambition, including launching our £39bn Social and Affordable Homes Programme, providing long-term certainty via our ten-year social housing rent policy, and Right to Buy reform. The new Prime Minister has also pledged to deliver the biggest council housebuilding programme since the post-war period. We will set out details on how we intend to achieve this in due course.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Minister of State for Housing and planning on 20 October 2025 (HC78220), whether they remain opposed to rent controls.

Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government has no plans to introduce rent controls in the private rented sector.

Rent inflation in England has been easing since the end of 2024. Average rents in England increased by 3.4% in the 12 months to June, down from a peak of 9.2% in November 2024. In England, annual rent inflation was lowest in London, at 2.2%.

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Found: fee based) 24,764 14,512 Chris Ruane Electoral Commission (fee based) 11,349 14,345 Lord Gilbert of Panteg