Asked by: Antonia Bance (Labour - Tipton and Wednesbury)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of abolishing the two-child limit policy for (a) two-earner couple households and (b) two-earner couple households in which both earners are in full-time work.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
No such estimate has been made. This government is committed to tackling child poverty and the Child Poverty Taskforce is developing an ambitious Child Poverty Strategy which we will publish in the autumn.
Asked by: Antonia Bance (Labour - Tipton and Wednesbury)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many households affected by the two-child limit policy are (a) two-earner couple households and (b) two-earner couple households in which both earners are in full-time work.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Statistics about the policy that provides support for a maximum of 2 children in Universal Credit are published annually by a range of breakdowns and demographics. The latest figures, for April 2025, can be found here: Universal Credit claimants statistics on the two child limit policy, April 2025 - GOV.UK
Data on two-earner couple households in which both earners are in full-time work is not held.
Asked by: Antonia Bance (Labour - Tipton and Wednesbury)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate her Department has made of the number of new HGV drivers that would need to be trained annually to maintain workforce levels; and what steps her Department is taking to help support the industry to train HGV drivers.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
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.
Asked by: Antonia Bance (Labour - Tipton and Wednesbury)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department plans to introduce a strategy to help improve the (a) quality and (b) quantity of truck parking.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
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.