Angus MacDonald

The Government funds the Citizens Advice Consumer Service in England and Wales, providing impartial advice on a range of consumer issues, including buying online. In Scotland, where consumer advice and advocacy are devolved, a similar service is provided by Advice Direct Scotland, funded by the Scottish Government.

Energy suppliers are obligated under their licence conditions to install smart meters throughout Great Britain, including rural and island communities. The Department is working with energy suppliers to identify and share best practice in deploying meters in harder to reach areas, including the use of "roaming" teams of installers who are normally based elsewhere visiting communities at regular intervals.

On the energy transition more widely, Great British Energy will support local and combined authorities – as well as community energy groups – to roll out small and medium-scale renewable energy projects through the Local Power Plan.

Standing charges cover the costs energy suppliers take on to provide consumers with electricity, which vary by location. Ofgem’s recently published discussion paper sets out the options for how standing charges could be reduced, including by moving supplier operational costs off standing charges onto the unit rate, increasing the variety of tariffs available for consumer in the market, and in the longer term, reviewing how system costs are allocated.

My team and I are in regular contact with Ofgem to discuss a wide range of issues.

As education is a devolved issue, the following response outlines the student finance system in England only.

Interest rates on student loans do not affect monthly repayments made by borrowers. Repayments are based on earnings above the applicable repayment threshold, not on amount borrowed or the rate of interest. As such, some borrowers will see their balance increasing at certain times despite making regular repayments to their student loan.

Student loans have very different terms and conditions to commercial loans. Unlike commercial unsecured personal loans, student loans are available to all eligible students regardless of their background or financial history. Student loans also carry significant protections for borrowers. For instance, monthly repayments are based only on earnings, and if a borrower’s income drops, so does the amount they repay. If income is below the relevant repayment threshold or a borrower is not earning, they do not have to make repayments at all. Any outstanding debt, including interest accrued, is written off after the loan term ends (or in case of death or disability) at no detriment to the borrower. The government is not aware of any commercial loans that offer such protections.

I have already had the pleasure of visiting airports upgrading airport security equipment and seeing the new security equipment in operation. I, and my department, continue to regularly engage with airports to ensure the implementation of the Next Generation Security Checkpoint remains on track. Where new equipment is installed, it will improve the passenger experience but most importantly improve the already high standards of security in the UK.

No assessment has been made.

The UK's policy on the up-rating of the UK State Pension for recipients living overseas is a longstanding one. The UK State Pension is payable worldwide and is uprated abroad where we have a legal requirement to do so, for example in countries with which we have a reciprocal agreement that provides for up-rating.

Up-rating is based on levels of earnings growth and price inflation in the UK which has no direct relevance where the pensioner is resident overseas.

Over many years, priority is given to those living in the United Kingdom when drawing up expenditure plans for additional pensioner benefits.

We are absolutely committed to supporting pensioners and giving them the dignity and security they deserve in retirement.

It is not possible to make direct, like for like comparisons between State Pension amounts received under the pre 2016 State Pension system and the new State Pension. Under both systems, the amount people are entitled to varies according to their National Insurance record. This is reflected in the average amounts that people receive.

Through our commitment to protect the Triple Lock, over 12 million pensioners will benefit, with many expected to see their State Pension increase by around a thousand pounds over the next five years.

We are absolutely committed to supporting pensioners and giving them the dignity and security they deserve in retirement.

The Government is committed to the Triple Lock, which means that in April 2025, the basic and new State pension will increase by the higher of the growth in average earnings, price increases or 2.5%.

Over 12 million pensioners will benefit through our commitment to protect the Triple Lock. Over the course of this parliament, the full yearly rate of the new State Pension is forecast to increase by around £1,700.

Whilst health is a devolved issue, we intend to work closely with our partners across the devolved administrations in providing support and sharing best practice, to reduce waiting lists and fix the National Health Service. Cutting waiting lists, including for gynaecology, is a key part of our Health Mission and a top priority for the Government. The Government is committed to putting patients first, which means making sure that they are seen on time and have the best possible experience during their care, no matter where they are treated in the United Kingdom.

The Government is also committed to prioritising women’s health, as we build an NHS fit for the future, and women’s equality will be at the heart of our missions. Department officials have met and continue to meet with counterparts across the four nations to share learning across a range of women’s health policy issues, including menstrual health. Together we aim to deliver faster, improved, and more equitable health outcomes for all patients across the UK, and to strengthen our collaboration in achieving these common goals.

The Government has committed to tackling the childhood obesity crisis, which includes taking action on the promotion and advertising of less healthy products to children.

The Food (Promotion and Placement) (England) Regulations 2021 restrict the promotion of less healthy food and drink products. The location promotions restrictions came into force in England in October 2022 and the volume price promotions are due to come into force in October 2025.

We have committed to implementing the advertising restrictions regulations set out in the Communications Act 2003 on less healthy food and drink products without further delay. The regulations introduce a 9pm watershed for the advertisement of less healthy food or drink products on television and a total restriction of paid-for advertising of these products online will come into force across the United Kingdom on 1 October 2025.

The Soft Drinks Industry Levy (SDIL) places a tax on manufacturers and importers of soft drinks with added sugar and with a total sugar content of 5 grams sugar per 100 millilitres or more. It has so far reduced the sugar content of drinks in scope of the Levy by 46% between 2015 and 2020, removing approximately 46,000 tonnes of sugar. The reductions have had equal benefit across all socio-economic groups. As well as translating to reductions in intakes in most age groups, these reductions have also been linked to the prevention of around 5000 cases of obesity in girls in the last year of primary school and reductions in children’s admissions to hospital for caries related tooth extractions.

As with all taxes, the Government keeps the SDIL under review. Decisions about the future development of taxes are made by my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in line with the Government’s tax policy-making framework.

This government is committed to putting patients first. This means making sure that patients are seen on time and have the best possible experience during their care, no matter where they are treated in the UK. Whilst health is a devolved issue, we intend to work closely with partners across the devolved governments in providing support and sharing best practice to reduce waiting lists and fix the NHS, including the configuration of appointment systems and policies relating to reducing Did Not Attends (DNAs).

Together we aim to deliver faster, improved and more equitable health outcomes for all patients across the UK, and strengthen our collaboration in achieving these common goals.

The Department makes it a priority to work collaboratively with the devolved nations to drive forward our objective of improving health and care outcomes across the whole of the United Kingdom.

The Government will make sure the National Health Service has the staff it needs to be there for all of us when we need it, and will put staff in places where patients and the NHS need them most.

We will work with all those who share our commitment to ensuring that we train the workforce that we need in all parts of the country, not least in rural areas that struggle to attract and retain staff.

The UK does not disclose voting positions on multilateral elections. However, we expect all members elected to the Human Rights Council to uphold the highest standards in the promotion and protection of human rights.

Funding for local councils is a devolved responsibility and it is for the Devolved Governments to decide on their level of funding.

I met with all Devolved Government Finance Ministers in Belfast on 3^rd October at a meeting of the Finance: Interministerial Standing committee. We discussed our approach to resetting relations, driving economic growth and delivering the vital public services on which our citizens depend.

The Chancellor has also met with the First Ministers and Finance Minsters from the Devolved Governments over the summer to hear their priorities.

The Government will abolish the Furnished Holiday Lets (FHLs) tax regime from April 2025, which will equalise the tax treatment of landlords’ property income and gains.

The government wants to support visitor accommodation alongside housing for long term-residents to rent or buy. Achieving this balance is crucial in supporting the tourism sector, and many of the people who work in the sector need access to local housing.

The Government is committed to promoting competition in the payments sector and recognises the importance of ensuring the fees charged for card payments are fair for all parties, including merchants.

Card transaction fees are made up of different components. These include interchange fees paid to card issuers, and scheme and processing fees paid to the card scheme operators. Domestic interchange fees are capped under law and the Payment Systems Regulator is responsible for enforcing these caps.

The PSR also has a broader programme of work to review aspects of card fees and assess whether the markets are working well, including for merchants. For example, earlier this year, the PSR published the interim findings of its investigation review into recent increases in scheme and processing fees, which can be found here.

Service personnel who are injured and evacuated from a medal earning operational deployment are awarded the relevant Campaign, Operational, or General Service medal regardless of whether or not they have served the required number of days for the medal.

While, at this time, the Ministry of Defence has no plans to recommend the introduction of a new medal for Service personnel who are seriously injured or medically discharged from Service for non-operational reasons, there is always the opportunity to look into this.

It is important to note that the Department cannot unilaterally introduce such a medal since this would require the agreement of the cross-Government Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals, and ultimately The Sovereign.