Asked by: Antonia Bance (Labour - Tipton and Wednesbury)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what proportion of vehicle tax is paid in instalments using direct debit; and what assessment she has made of the potential impact of charging a 5% surcharge when paying vehicle tax by direct debit on lower income motorists.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
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.
Asked by: Antonia Bance (Labour - Tipton and Wednesbury)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what funding is available to support interfaith projects aimed at promoting community cohesion.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Interfaith relations are vital for strong, cohesive communities.
The government has provided funding for this year’s Inter Faith Week in November, which will provide a national platform for fostering positive interfaith relations across our communities and schools. Alongside this, the government supports grassroots interfaith relations via our funding to Near Neighbours and Schools Linking, which promote dialogue, youth engagement, and neighbourhood cohesion across different backgrounds and faiths.
The government has launched the new Common Ground Award to provide direct capital investment to voluntary, community, and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations across England. This funding will support those committed to building meaningful connection across communities, including between faith groups.
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.