Asked by: Ann Davies (Plaid Cymru - Caerfyrddin)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on (a) the ‘Future of TV Distribution’ stakeholder forum and (b) the potential impact of its decision making on Wales.
Answered by Jo Stevens - Secretary of State for Wales
I have regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues on a range of matters. In July, the then Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Wales met with Broadcast 2040+ to understand their perspectives on the long-term future of terrestrial TV in Wales.
The lead department on this matter, DCMS established the Future of TV Distribution stakeholder forum which takes views from a range of broadcasters active in Wales, including S4C, the BBC and ITV. The forum also benefits from the perspectives of a number of groups representing the interests of Welsh and UK-wide audiences, such as Voice of the Listener and Viewer, Digital Poverty Alliance and Silver Voices. Before any decisions are made, including in relation to Wales, close consideration will be given to how any changes would impact audiences, and especially those who rely on digital terrestrial television as their primary means of watching television.
Asked by: Ann Davies (Plaid Cymru - Caerfyrddin)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of a statutory right to (a) paid leave and (b) job protection for parents of (i) critically and (ii) terminally ill children.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Department for Business and Trade has committed to consult on employment rights for parents of seriously ill children, including terminally ill children, and will develop this consultation in partnership with key stakeholders such as the charity It's Never You. Developing and delivering this consultation will allow the department to properly consider the merits and potential costs of any such entitlement.
Asked by: Ann Davies (Plaid Cymru - Caerfyrddin)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of households in receipt of Universal Credit that are affected by the Benefit Cap have (a) no debt deductions from their Universal Credit award, (b) a deduction of more than 0% of their standard allowance and less than or equal to 5%, (c) a deduction of more than 5% and less than or equal to 10%, (d) a deduction of more than 10% and less than or equal to 15% and (e) a deduction of more than 15% in (i) Wales, (ii) Scotland and (iii) England.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Statistics related to Universal Credit deductions are routinely published. The latest publication, published on 12 August 2025, is available here: Universal Credit statistics, 29 April 2013 to 10 July 2025 - GOV.UK
The narrative Universal Credit deductions statistics, June 2024 to May 2025 - GOV.UK and supporting supplementary data tables provide a range of breakdowns including deduction amounts as a percentage of the standard allowance, in Table 2 of the supplementary tables and breakdowns by Local Authorities and Parliamentary Constituencies.
Statistics on households that have had their benefits capped is also routinely published. The latest publication is available here: Benefit Cap statistics - GOV.UK.
Data on UC households affected by the Benefit Cap that have deductions is not published.
Asked by: Ann Davies (Plaid Cymru - Caerfyrddin)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of introducing a legal requirement for broadband and fibre providers to provide 2 month contracts.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Ofcom, the independent regulator of telecommunications, is responsible for setting the rules on contract lengths for telecom services in the UK. Under Ofcom’s General Conditions, providers must offer at least one 12-month contract for each service, e.g. landline, broadband.
Consequently, Government has not made any such assessments on the provision of a two-month contract. We would expect that any assessment would need to include the practical and financial implications of such short contracts for the operators as well as potential clients.
Asked by: Ann Davies (Plaid Cymru - Caerfyrddin)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of reducing the Housing Benefit taper rate from 65 per cent to 55 per cent.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department acknowledges there is a challenge presented by the interaction between Universal Credit and Housing Benefit for those residing in Supported and Temporary Accommodation and receiving their housing support through Housing Benefit. The department is considering the issue carefully in partnership with stakeholders.
As funding is required to allow a change, any future decisions will take account of the current fiscal context.
Asked by: Ann Davies (Plaid Cymru - Caerfyrddin)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of increasing the Housing Benefit earnings disregard from £5 to £57.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department acknowledges there is a challenge presented by the interaction between Universal Credit and Housing Benefit for those residing in Supported and Temporary Accommodation and receiving their housing support through Housing Benefit. The department is considering the issue carefully in partnership with stakeholders.
As funding is required to allow a change, any future decisions will take account of the current fiscal context.
Asked by: Ann Davies (Plaid Cymru - Caerfyrddin)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will undertake a review of the impact of changes implemented as part of the Pensions Act 2014 on the ability of widows to inherit a spouse's state pension entitlement.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
There are no current plans to carry out such a review.
The new State Pension, for people reaching State Pension age from 6 April 2016 onwards, is based on an individual's own National Insurance record. In general, it is not possible, as it was under the old State Pension system, for a person to increase their State Pension or to qualify for a State Pension based on their late spouse or civil partner's National Insurance record, although there is some protection under the transitional arrangements for the new State Pension.
The new State Pension modernised the State Pension system, moving away from an out-of-date model in the past where many women depended on their husbands for their State Pension entitlement. The new State Pension is rooted in the contemporary world, with people’s entitlement determined by their own National Insurance record.
The change on inheritance was one of a number of reforms which need to be seen in the round. These include much greater recognition for periods when women are outside the labour market, caring for children. These reforms have resulted in much improved State Pension outcomes for women. Women reaching State Pension age in the year to December 2024 on average received 99.1% of the amount received by men, with equalisation expected shortly. Under the previous system, on average, women receive 86% of the amount received by men.
Asked by: Ann Davies (Plaid Cymru - Caerfyrddin)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment has she made of the potential merits of using the certificate of sponsorship start date to start the qualifying period for care workers on skilled worker visas to apply for indefinite leave to remain.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The requirement to hold a certificate of sponsorship is part of the eligibility criteria of the skilled worker route and does not confer any permission to enter or stay in the UK. An applicant for settlement must show a period of lawful continuous residence.
The new Immigration Rules will end overseas recruitment for Care Workers and take effect on 22 July. Transitional arrangements will allow in country switching until 2028 and individuals will continue to be able to extend their permission. The qualification period for Indefinite Leave to Remain begins when the individuals first entered the UK in the Skilled Worker route.
The Immigration White Paper sets out proposed changes to settlement rules. We will consult on the details of the policy later this year. These are important changes, we recognise how important this is to people, and will listen to what people tell us in that consultation. We will provide further details of how the scheme will work after that.
Asked by: Ann Davies (Plaid Cymru - Caerfyrddin)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of introducing a concession for care workers in the qualifying time for indefinite leave to remain due to delays in UK visa and immigration processing times for skilled worker visas.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
There are no delays in processing straightforward Health and Care Worker visa applications.
Section 3C leave, as defined in Section 3C of the Immigration Act 1971, automatically extends a person’s immigration permission if they have submitted an application to extend or vary their permission before the person’s existing permission expires. Time spent on the skilled worker route under section 3C can be counted towards settlement.
We will be consulting on the earned settlement scheme later this year and further details on the proposed scheme will be provided at that time.
Asked by: Ann Davies (Plaid Cymru - Caerfyrddin)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to increase the level of exports from Welsh businesses to the EU before the Sanitary and Phytosanitary Agreemen is implemented.
Answered by Gareth Thomas
DBT hosts a wide range of events across all sectors to promote exports, including bringing over 100 businesses to Cardiff as part of the Made in the UK, Sold to the World tech roadshow in Cardiff.
We are also piloting Digital Trade Corridors to ease border processes and modernising export services to improve accessibility. These measures aim to reduce trade friction and help Welsh businesses grow their EU exports ahead of the SPS Agreement’s implementation.
My department hosted events for all UK food and drink businesses in July, attended by Welsh exporters Wrexham Lager, Village Bakery and the Lobster Pot.