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

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the description of the Start Up Loans Scheme as Government Backed in providing clarity to prospective applicants about the Government’s financial support for the scheme, including whether the Government (a) underwrites and (b) guarantees the lending provided.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Start Up Loans programme provides access to finance for individuals seeking to start or grow a business. The programme is described as government-backed because the programme and its lending are funded by government through the British Business Bank. A Start Up Loan is an unsecured personal loan, rather than a government guarantee of borrowing from another lender. The individual borrower remains personally responsible for repaying the loan, and this is made clear to prospective applicants. Lending decisions are made by Start Up Loans’ finance providers, following assessment of an applicant’s business plan, affordability and creditworthiness.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the Government is considering the potential merits of the return of Venezuelan gold reserves held by the Bank of England as part of international efforts to support Venezuela's recovery following the earthquakes in June 2026.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

His Majesty's Government (HMG) is not party to the legal case to determine who should have control of Venezuelan gold held in the Bank of England. UK Courts and the Bank of England are independent of HMG.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps HM Revenue and Customs is taking to reduce duplication in the processes required of carers and older taxpayers; and what assessment HMRC has made of the potential impact of these requirements on those taxpayers.

Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General

In July 2025, the government published HMRC’s Transformation Roadmap. The roadmap sets our vision for tax administration to happen with minimal effort thanks to simplified tax processes, the application of new technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and more digital self-serve options for customers. This will mean compliance is easy for the majority who want to get their tax and customs duties right, minimising opportunities for inadvertent errors.

HMRC assesses the impact on customers as a standard part of changes to policy and process, and routinely publishes the results as part of tax information and impact notes for tax policy changes. These also set out where impacts have been identified on customers by virtue of characteristics protected under the Equality Act 2010, including age.

Most customers are able to deal with their tax affairs on their own or with the support of their agent, though some customers have a temporary or enduring need for extra help. HMRC is committed to identifying and supporting all customers who need extra help and has published a set of commitments to support these customers in the HMRC Charter and the Principles of Support for Customers Who Need Extra Help.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that specialist powered wheelchairs and essential adaptations are recognised and funded as essential medical equipment.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for the provision and commissioning of local wheelchair services based on the needs of their local population, including specialist powered wheelchairs.

NHS England supports integrated care boards to commission effective, efficient, and personalised wheelchair services. This includes publishing a Wheelchair Quality Framework which sets out quality standards and statutory requirements for ICBs such as offering personal wheelchair budgets. The framework is available at the following link:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/wheelchair-quality-framework/

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to promote the safe and responsible use of electric bicycles, including tackling illegally modified e-bikes that do not comply with speed and power restrictions.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department has published advice for consumers on the safe use of legally compliant e-bikes. This guidance has recently been updated to refer to the industry-led "E-Bike Positive" campaign.

Where e-bikes have been modified to overcome the power and speed restrictions set out in the Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycle Regulations, they are motor vehicles and must therefore be registered, taxed and insured. The rider must also wear a safety helmet and hold a driving licence. The Department has published further advice making this clear, and ultimately the police can seize such e-bikes where they are used on the road without being properly registered as motor vehicles.

Independent Office for Police Conduct findings on Norman Bettison

Richard Pengelly

Found: Tydfil and Aberdare) Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru; Ceredigion Preseli) Llinos Medi (Plaid Cymru; Ynys Môn) Andrew Ranger

Found: Members present: Ruth Jones (Chair); Ann Davies; Simon Hoare; Gerald Jones; Ben Lake; Llinos Medi; Andrew Ranger

Found: Q7 Andrew Ranger: I will return to English, if I may. It is great to see you both again.

On 17 August 2026, the BBC aired a documentary titled 'Buried with Michael Sheen'. This two-part documentary raises concerns regarding the presence of PCBs (Polychlorinated biphenyls), otherwise known as ‘forever chemicals’ in Wales and parts of England. The documentary covered several themes which have previously been explored in the committee’s inquiry into ‘The Economic and Environmental legacy of Wales industrial past’. The Committee will take evidence on some of the issues raised in the documentary, including contaminated land, resources to remediate sites, the impact of contaminants on the environment, human health and support for affected communities.