Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if his Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of seeking views on the potential impact of different VAT rates for private hire vehicle operators on market competition as part of its planned consultation on the impacts of the July 2023 High Court ruling in Uber Britannia Ltd v Sefton MBC.

Answered by Nigel Huddleston

The Government has published a consultation on the potential impacts of this court judgment on the PHV sector and its passengers. This consultation explores range of potential options to help mitigate any potential adverse effects that the court judgment could have on PHVOs, drivers, and passengers.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of a 20% rate of VAT on private hire vehicle journeys on revenue generated for HM Treasury.

Answered by Nigel Huddleston

The Government has published a consultation on the potential impacts of this court judgment on the PHV sector and its passengers. This consultation explores range of potential options to help mitigate any potential adverse effects that the court judgment could have on PHVOs, drivers, and passengers.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 16 February 2024 to Question 14272 on Defence: Space Technology, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that the Skynet secure satellite communications programme continues to provide a significant boost to the UK space sector.

Answered by James Cartlidge - Shadow Secretary of State for Defence

The SKYNET secure satellite communications programme, which is investing £5 billion over the next decade, provides a significant boost to the industry through direct investment into the sector and use of social value provisions in contracts.

SKYNET provides long-term investment in the UK space sector. This includes promoting the development of new technology and use of Small and Medium Enterprises.

Under SKYNET contracts, the Prime contractor is required to demonstrate social value. This includes measures such as investment into graduate or apprenticeship schemes. This will increasingly be part of our approach to major contracts for the space sector in support of our national policy ambitions under the recently-published Space Industrial Plan.

As we move towards the next generation of SKYNET, the investment in this programme will continue to help develop the thriving UK space sector.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to help support people who have trained as youth workers to enter the youth workforce.

Answered by Stuart Andrew - Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport

DCMS funds a number of programmes that are stimulating demand for youth workers, including through our National Youth Guarantee, which is backed by over £500 million of investment into youth services.

In addition, the updated statutory guidance for local authorities’ youth provision puts an emphasis on the importance of youth work practice and on employing or encouraging the employment of individuals with youth work skills and qualifications.

To support the youth workforce, DCMS funds the National Youth Agency to set professional standards, qualifications and a curriculum for youth work, including a youth work apprenticeship and free-to-access training. DCMS also funds youth worker bursaries which allows youth workers and volunteers to gain qualifications in youth work. To date, DCMS has funded over 2,000 bursaries and we are providing £1,075,000 for over 700 adults who would otherwise be unable to undertake youth work qualifications due to cost.

Found: Ben Bradley, Member of Parliament for Mansfield and leader of Nottinghamshire County Council described