Antonia Bance

A consultation will be launched in the Spring on the amendments to legislation that will be required to deliver the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme. This will include details on how the scheme will be funded.

Motability has stated that its aim is for 50% of all scheme vehicles leased from 2035 to be manufactured in the UK. We are committed to the growth of the automotive sector in the UK through investment in innovation, research & development and skills. Our flagship DRIVE35 (Driving Research and Investment in Vehicle Electrification) initiative will support the latest R&D in strategic vehicle technologies, accelerate their commercial scale-up, and unlock investment in their industrialisation. As part of this ambitious programme, we are committing £4 billion of capital and R&D funding to the British automotive industry through to 2035.

Ministers meet regularly with business organisations and trade associations. Details of ministerial meetings with external organisations and individuals are published quarterly on GOV.UK.

This Government has introduced the Employment Rights Bill, representing the biggest upgrade to workers’ rights in a generation. This includes day one protections from unfair dismissal, banning exploitative zero hours contracts and ending fire and rehire.

We are committed to delivering the Plan to Make Work Pay in full. Ministers are identifying the most appropriate delivery mechanisms for the commitments in the Plan, including an Employment Rights Bill. The Bill will be introduced to Parliament within 100 days of taking office.

Spend data for academies is reported at academy trust level. Allocating trust expenditure by phase remains challenging due to both the continuing increase in the number of academies combined with a decreasing number of academy trusts and the ability of academy trusts to incur spend on their schools’ behalf. Many academy trusts with multiple academies amalgamate funding for its academies to form one central fund. This practice can enhance a trust’s ability to allocate resources in line with improvement priorities and running costs across the trust’s constituent academies but makes apportionment of that spending by phase more challenging.

The department is exploring whether a spending apportionment using pupil numbers would provide more reliable and relevant information. If this methodology meets the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value required of accredited official statistics, we will seek to implement this for the Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses 2027.

The details of the chair of trustees and the accounting officer (CEO) of a multi-academy trust must be recorded on the Get Information About Schools service at: https://get-information-schools.service.gov.uk. The department does not hold comparative data on the numbers of accounting officers who also serve as chair of trustees for another trust.

There are no restrictions preventing the CEO of an academy trust from serving as the chair on another multi-academy trust board.

The government is delivering on its manifesto commitment by legislating to introduce Ofsted inspection of academy trusts to help drive better outcomes for children and provide greater confidence for parents. Robust financial oversight is crucial to achieving a strong school system and trust inspections will look at whether trusts are using their resources efficiently and strategically to support high quality education. This will provide families clear and independent assurance about the strength of the trust responsible for their child’s academy.

We know there is excellent practice across the sector, with schools and trusts proactively finding ways to secure better value from their resources. The department’s Maximising Value for Pupils programme helps schools seize opportunities to maximise value in four key areas: commercial spend, assets, including reserves, workforce deployment, and developing capabilities, including digital and technology.

Where an academy trust is facing financial difficulties, the department offers practical advice and guidance covering financial management, educational performance, and governance. Where failings in financial management or governance are identified, the department can take robust action to drive the required improvement, for example through issuing a Financial Notice to Improve. We may also commission a School Resource Management Adviser to provide additional specialist advice where required.

The department’s model articles for academy trusts set out that a trustee who is employed by the academy trust shall not be eligible for election as chair or vice chair. The board holds the chief executive to account for the day to day running of the trust. To support transparency, the chair’s details must be recorded on Get Information About Schools (GIAS). As of 16 February 2026, there were no trusts recorded on GIAS showing the same person as chair and chief executive.

The department’s ’Academy trust governance guide’ and ‘Academy trust handbook’ set out the role and responsibilities of the chair of trustees. The guidance also outlines the skills, expertise, and behaviours that any trustee needs for the board to carry out its functions effectively.

The board, led by the chair, holds the senior executive leader to account for the day to day running of the trust. The chair also ensures the board operates effectively and plays a central role in establishing the highest expectations for professional standards, governance, and accountability.

The department’s model articles specify that any trustee employed by the academy trust is not eligible to serve as chair or vice-chair.

To support transparency, the chair’s details must be recorded on Get Information About Schools. Their details, along with any relevant business interests, must also be published on the trust’s website.

The Department does not hold information on the cost of these annual season tickets directly. Transport for West Midlands should be able to provide this.

While the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency administers and collects vehicle excise duty (VED) on behalf of HM Treasury, decisions on VED, whether structure, rates or alternatives are a matter for the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Paying VED by direct debit allows motorists to spread the cost, helping families and businesses in managing their finances. Those who choose to use direct debit pay a low surcharge of five per cent against the annual rate of duty for the vehicle. Typically, a motorist is better off paying by direct debit instead of buying two six-month vehicle licences which if not purchased by direct debit, carry a surcharge of 10 per cent.

The monthly average of vehicle keepers that choose to pay their VED by direct debit is just over 39 per cent.

The Department regularly monitors the HGV driver workforce and engages with the road haulage sector through the Freight Workforce Group and other regular stakeholder meetings. Industry need for HGV drivers can fluctuate depending on a number of economic factors.

The Government continues to support the sector with the skills training it needs through the Urban Driver and Large Goods Vehicle driver apprenticeships. Skills Bootcamps also remain an important part of government-funded skills provision. Their delivery has evolved with DfE funding Bootcamps through Mayor's Skills Academies and local areas directly. This supports the government’s commitment to empower local leaders with greater control over skills development.

The Department for Transport published The National Survey of Lorry Parking on 29 September 2022, which highlighted what improvements to lorry parking facilities were most needed. The survey showed an average shortage of around 4,500 HGV parking spaces for the month of March 2022 and identified driver concerns with the quality of welfare facilities and security of lorry parks.

The Department and industry are significantly investing to upgrade truckstops across England – including helping to create up to 1500 additional parking spaces. This is on top of up to £26 million joint investment by National Highways and industry in lorry parking facilities along the strategic roads network.

A decision on future funding for HGV parking is subject to further departmental business planning.

The Department for Transport will legislate to address the important issues raised in Baroness Casey’s report, tackling the inconsistent standards of taxi and private hire vehicle driver licensing. We will work as quickly as possible and consider all options – including out of area working, national standards and enforcement – seeking the best overall outcomes for passenger safety.

In the interim we will act urgently to make improvements, including consulting on making local transport authorities, including combined authorities, responsible for taxi and private hire vehicle licensing, and determining how existing statutory guidance can be strengthened to further protect the public. We are also reviewing authorities’ compliance with existing guidance and will hold those who do not follow it to account.

Some important protections have already been put in place since earlier inquiries into Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation. All licensing authorities in England now undertake extensive driver background checks, and since 2023

they are required to use a single database to prevent a driver refused a licence in one area on safety grounds going elsewhere. Careful consideration of the options is needed as we do not want any change to decrease the availability of highly vetted licensed drivers and vehicles and inadvertently increase the use of those offering illegal services that evade these licensing checks.

The government provides a range of financial support to help employers take on apprentices, these payments are made in instalments at set apprenticeship milestones to support retention.

Foundation apprenticeships were introduced in August 2025, to give young people a route into critical sectors. Employers that take on foundation apprentices, including in building service engineering, will receive additional payments of up to £2,000. This is designed to offset the additional costs employers face whilst supporting the recruitment, retention and progression of young people, e.g. increased mentoring and pastoral care.

The payment is made in three instalments, with the first two spread across the foundation apprenticeship, and the final payment made when an apprentice progresses onto their next apprenticeship, supporting sustained employment for young people at the start of their career.

We also know that SMEs employ large numbers of young apprentices and will be critical in reversing the 40% decline in apprenticeship starts by young people that has occurred over the last decade. That is why we are introducing a new incentive of £2,000 for non-levy paying employers (essentially SMEs) that take on 16–24-year-old apprentices as new employees, to contribute to the additional costs associated with employing young people.

On top of this the government already pays £1,000 to both employers and providers for apprentices aged 16-18, and for apprentices aged 19-24 who have an Education Health Care Plan or have been, or are, in local authority care.

Both payments will be made in two equal instalments, the first at day 90 and the second at day 365 after apprenticeship started (or day 242 if apprenticeship under 12 months).

The government provides a range of financial support to help employers in all sectors to take on apprentices, including within the electrical and plumbing trades.

We are introducing a new incentive of up to £2,000 for non-levy paying employers (essentially SMEs) that take on 16–24-year-old apprentices as new employees. It will apply to apprenticeship starts from October, as long as they have joined their employer within the past 3 months. Employers hiring apprentices aged 18-24 who have been on Universal Credit for over six months will also be eligible for the new £3,000 Youth Jobs Grant from June 2026.

Additionally, from August 2026, we will fully fund apprenticeship training for non-levy paying employers (essentially SMEs) for eligible people aged 16-24. At the moment, this only happens for apprentices aged 16-21 and apprentices aged 22-24 who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) or have been, or are, in local authority care.

The government also pays £1,000 to both employers and providers for apprentices aged 16-18, and for apprentices aged 19-24 who have an EHCP or have been, or are, in local authority care. On top of this, employers are not required to pay anything towards employees’ National Insurance for all apprentices aged up to age 25 (when the employee’s wage is below £50,270 a year).

The government provides a range of financial support to help employers in all sectors to take on apprentices, including within the electrical and plumbing trades.

We are introducing a new incentive of up to £2,000 for non-levy paying employers (essentially SMEs) that take on 16–24-year-old apprentices as new employees. It will apply to apprenticeship starts from October, as long as they have joined their employer within the past 3 months. Employers hiring apprentices aged 18-24 who have been on Universal Credit for over six months will also be eligible for the new £3,000 Youth Jobs Grant from June 2026.

Additionally, from August 2026, we will fully fund apprenticeship training for non-levy paying employers (essentially SMEs) for eligible people aged 16-24. At the moment, this only happens for apprentices aged 16-21 and apprentices aged 22-24 who have an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) or have been, or are, in local authority care.

The government also pays £1,000 to both employers and providers for apprentices aged 16-18, and for apprentices aged 19-24 who have an EHCP or have been, or are, in local authority care. On top of this, employers are not required to pay anything towards employees’ National Insurance for all apprentices aged up to age 25 (when the employee’s wage is below £50,270 a year).

The Department recognises the challenge arising from the interaction between Universal Credit and Housing Benefit for residents in supported and temporary accommodation.

A wide range of customers currently receive rent support through Housing Benefit, including pensioners, residents in supported or temporary accommodation, and those who have not yet migrated to Universal Credit. Any amendment to the Housing Benefit taper would therefore apply across these groups.

The Department is considering options to improve work incentives for residents of supported and temporary accommodation, taking account of stakeholder views. Any future decisions on housing support will be made in the round, prioritising measures that best meet Government objectives within the current fiscal environment.

It remains our priority to ensure that those who can work are supported to enter and sustain employment.

Data on two-earner couple households in which both earners are in full-time work is not held.

The National Disease Registration Service in NHS England is the cancer registry for England and collects data on the diagnosis and treatment of cancer patients. The service is available at the following link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/ndrs

The following table shows the number of people who died within three months of their cancer diagnosis:

Source: NHS England Digital

Notes: Using the methodology from the Accredited Official Statistics on Cancer Registrations, the number of people who died within three months of their cancer diagnosis were counted. People who died on the same day as they were diagnosed were not included in the counts, as the vast majority of these are cases where the only indication of their cancer is their death certificate and their true date of diagnosis is not known. Many of the others are incidental findings at death. The statistics are available at the following link: https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/cancer-registration-statistics/england-2022

My rt. Hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has announced that a National Cancer Plan for England will be published in 2026. The Prime Minister’s health mission sets the objective of building a National Health Service fit for the future, and an essential part of this is achieving our goal to reduce the number of lives lost to cancer. The National Cancer Plan will have patients at its heart and will cover the entirety of the cancer pathway, from referral and diagnosis to treatment and ongoing care- as well as prevention and research and innovation. It will seek to improve every aspect of cancer care to better the experience and outcomes for people with cancer. Our goal is to reduce the number of lives lost to cancer over the next ten years. This will benefit all cancer patients, including pancreatic cancer patients.

The Government looks to the independent pay review bodies for a pay recommendation for National Health Service staff, including both contractor and salaried general practitioners (GPs). They consider a range of evidence from organisations including the Government, the NHS, and trade unions to reach their recommendations.

The independent review body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration (DDRB) has recommended an uplift of 4% to the pay ranges for salaried GPs, and to GP contractor pay. As with last year, we are accepting the DDRB’s pay recommendation and we will provide a 4% uplift to the pay elements of the GP Contract. As self-employed contractors to the NHS, it is up to GP practices how they distribute pay and benefits to their staff. We expect this funding to be passed on to salaried practice staff, including nursing staff.

This award is above forecast inflation over the 2025/26 pay year, meaning that the Government is delivering a real-terms pay rise, on top of the one provided last year, underlining the extent to which we value our GPs, practice nurses, and other GP staff.

Earlier in the year we announced that we are investing an additional £889 million in GPs through the GP Contract for 2025/26 to reinforce the front door of the NHS, bringing total spend on the GP Contract to £13.2 billion. This is the biggest increase in over a decade.

Following the DDRB’s recommendation, we will provide a further uplift to the pay elements of the contract on a consolidated basis, on top of the provisional 2.8% uplift already provided, to bring it up to 4%.

The Government has committed to a new substantive GP Contract within this Parliamentary cycle, and we will continue to engage constructively with the General Practitioners Committee England on issues such as staffing.

The Government looks to the independent pay review bodies for a pay recommendation for National Health Service staff, including both contractor and salaried general practitioners (GPs). They consider a range of evidence from organisations including the Government, the NHS, and trade unions to reach their recommendations.

The independent review body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration (DDRB) has recommended an uplift of 4% to the pay ranges for salaried GPs, and to GP contractor pay. As with last year, we are accepting the DDRB’s pay recommendation and we will provide a 4% uplift to the pay elements of the GP Contract. As self-employed contractors to the NHS, it is up to GP practices how they distribute pay and benefits to their staff. We expect this funding to be passed on to salaried practice staff, including nursing staff.

This award is above forecast inflation over the 2025/26 pay year, meaning that the Government is delivering a real-terms pay rise, on top of the one provided last year, underlining the extent to which we value our GPs, practice nurses, and other GP staff.

Earlier in the year we announced that we are investing an additional £889 million in GPs through the GP Contract for 2025/26 to reinforce the front door of the NHS, bringing total spend on the GP Contract to £13.2 billion. This is the biggest increase in over a decade.

Following the DDRB’s recommendation, we will provide a further uplift to the pay elements of the contract on a consolidated basis, on top of the provisional 2.8% uplift already provided, to bring it up to 4%.

The Government has committed to a new substantive GP Contract within this Parliamentary cycle, and we will continue to engage constructively with the General Practitioners Committee England on issues such as staffing.

The Government looks to the independent pay review bodies for a pay recommendation for National Health Service staff, including both contractor and salaried general practitioners (GPs). They consider a range of evidence from organisations including the Government, the NHS, and trade unions to reach their recommendations.

The independent review body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration (DDRB) has recommended an uplift of 4% to the pay ranges for salaried GPs, and to GP contractor pay. As with last year, we are accepting the DDRB’s pay recommendation and we will provide a 4% uplift to the pay elements of the GP Contract. As self-employed contractors to the NHS, it is up to GP practices how they distribute pay and benefits to their staff. We expect this funding to be passed on to salaried practice staff, including nursing staff.

This award is above forecast inflation over the 2025/26 pay year, meaning that the Government is delivering a real-terms pay rise, on top of the one provided last year, underlining the extent to which we value our GPs, practice nurses, and other GP staff.

Earlier in the year we announced that we are investing an additional £889 million in GPs through the GP Contract for 2025/26 to reinforce the front door of the NHS, bringing total spend on the GP Contract to £13.2 billion. This is the biggest increase in over a decade.

Following the DDRB’s recommendation, we will provide a further uplift to the pay elements of the contract on a consolidated basis, on top of the provisional 2.8% uplift already provided, to bring it up to 4%.

The Government has committed to a new substantive GP Contract within this Parliamentary cycle, and we will continue to engage constructively with the General Practitioners Committee England on issues such as staffing.

The Government looks to the independent pay review bodies for a pay recommendation for National Health Service staff, including both contractor and salaried general practitioners (GPs). They consider a range of evidence from organisations including the Government, the NHS, and trade unions to reach their recommendations.

The independent review body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration (DDRB) has recommended an uplift of 4% to the pay ranges for salaried GPs, and to GP contractor pay. As with last year, we are accepting the DDRB’s pay recommendation and we will provide a 4% uplift to the pay elements of the GP Contract. As self-employed contractors to the NHS, it is up to GP practices how they distribute pay and benefits to their staff. We expect this funding to be passed on to salaried practice staff, including nursing staff.

This award is above forecast inflation over the 2025/26 pay year, meaning that the Government is delivering a real-terms pay rise, on top of the one provided last year, underlining the extent to which we value our GPs, practice nurses, and other GP staff.

Earlier in the year we announced that we are investing an additional £889 million in GPs through the GP Contract for 2025/26 to reinforce the front door of the NHS, bringing total spend on the GP Contract to £13.2 billion. This is the biggest increase in over a decade.

Following the DDRB’s recommendation, we will provide a further uplift to the pay elements of the contract on a consolidated basis, on top of the provisional 2.8% uplift already provided, to bring it up to 4%.

The Government has committed to a new substantive GP Contract within this Parliamentary cycle, and we will continue to engage constructively with the General Practitioners Committee England on issues such as staffing.