Ben Lake

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Questions of 13th January is attached.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Questions of 13th January is attached.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Questions of 13th January is attached.

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Questions of 13th January is attached.

Details of Ministers’ meetings with external individuals and organisations are published quarterly in arrears on GOV.UK

The AI Opportunities Action Plan will ensure the UK builds a strong and diverse talent pipeline, realising AI benefits across all UK nations.

Skills England will build highly trained workforces to meet national, regional and local skills needs of the next decade. Skills England will collaborate with devolved administrations, regional partners, the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government, and the Department for Education, aligning with devolution agreements and the Government’s commitment to simplify and devolve adult skills funding to Combined Authorities. Cross-UK collaboration will spread best practices and equip the four nations in boosting growth and spreading opportunity.

The AI Opportunities Action Plan government response commits to working with Skills England, as well as devolved and local governments, to assess the country’s AI and digital skills. This will expand education pathways into AI, ensure lifelong skills programmes are prepared for AI, and identify AI adoption opportunities to drive growth.

The Secretary of State engaged with all devolved administrations and key departments on the Action Plan. Skills England will collaborate with devolved administrations to boost growth and spread opportunities across the UK, addressing challenges within the UK skills system and establishing cross-border linkages to facilitate investment in skills.

We are committed to building an AI sector that can scale and win globally, ensuring global AI companies want to call the UK home, and boosting the responsible adoption of AI across all parts of the economy.

The plan sets out our intention to deliver growth across the entire UK via collaboration with devolved and local governments, regional businesses and trade bodies to devise strategies best suited to the context of these regions. I have spoken with ministers from all the Devolved Administrations about the Action Plan, emphasising how important it is for the whole of the UK to benefit.

The department is in the process of setting up the new Visitor Economy Council and will share details of the membership as soon as possible when it is confirmed.

Defra does not collect its own data on the cost of dog attacks on farm animals to farmers. However, the National Farmers’ Union approximates that UK farm animals worth an estimated £2.4million were severely injured or killed by dogs in 2023.

The Government recognises the distress livestock worrying can cause animals and their keepers. We are considering the most effective ways to deliver our commitments in this area to ensure that livestock are suitably protected.

The Government recognises the distress livestock worrying can cause animals and their keepers.

We are considering the most effective ways to deliver our commitments in this area to ensure that livestock are suitably protected. We will set out next steps in due course.

The Government recognises the distress livestock worrying can cause animals and their keepers.

We are considering the most effective ways to deliver our commitments in this area to ensure that livestock are suitably protected. We will set out next steps in due course.

The Secretary of State has spoken to his Welsh counterpart on a range of issues.

The Government recognises the distress livestock worrying can cause animals and their keepers. We are considering the most effective ways to deliver our commitments in this area to ensure that livestock are suitably protected. We will set out next steps in due course.

The Department has been conducting a review of the child maintenance calculation to make sure it is fit for purpose and reflects today’s social trends. The review will also consider the treatment of unearned income and assets within the automatic calculation.

Unearned income and assets can still be captured through the current variation process up until changes are introduced.

The Government is monitoring the impact of the death certification reforms, including the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death Regulations 2024, which came into legal effect on 9 September 2024. The median time taken to register a death since the introduction of the reforms in England and Wales has typically been eight days. This figure is for all deaths, as it includes those certified by a doctor and those investigated by a coroner. The median time taken to register a death varies depending on the type of certification. Deaths certified by a doctor, that comprise approximately 80% of deaths registered each week, have typically had a median time to registration of seven days. It’s important to note that the medical examiner system was active on a non-statutory basis before the introduction of the statutory system on 9 September 2024, and this makes direct before and after comparisons challenging to draw conclusions from.

The core purposes of the death certification reforms are to introduce scrutiny of the cause of death to detect and deter malpractice, to improve reporting, and crucially to put the bereaved at the centre of the process by offering a conversation with the medical examiner about the cause of death. The expectation on doctors and medical examiners is clear, that they should complete certification as quickly and efficiently as possible, and the Department is working with all stakeholders to make sure this is the case.

The adequacy of medicine margin that pharmacies are allowed to retain, with medicine margin being the difference between how much pharmacies are reimbursed and how much pharmacies were charged by suppliers, is currently being considered as part of the wider funding for the Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework.

The Department undertakes a quarterly assessment of the adequacy of drug prices paid to community pharmacies through the medicine margin survey. The survey samples independent pharmacy contractors’ sales invoices for the medicines they dispense, and compares the amount paid with the amount reimbursed by the National Health Service. This has found that more than the amount agreed as part of the Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework has been delivered in total across the previous four financial years. Suppliers of appliances can optionally apply for an annual price increase on the NHS Drug Tariff. Fees in the tariff are routinely reviewed and updated when appropriate.

Medicine costs are considered as part of ongoing broader assessments of the financial health of the sector. However, if the selling price of a product goes above the reimbursement price in a given month, pharmacy contractors can request an increase to the reimbursement price from the Department via Community Pharmacy England. Where an increase is granted, this new price is known as a concessionary price. This ensures that that the reimbursement prices set are reflective of real time market selling prices, and means that pharmacy contractors are paid fairly for the medicines they dispense.

The Department undertakes a quarterly assessment of the adequacy of drug prices paid to community pharmacies through the medicine margin survey. The survey samples independent pharmacy contractors’ sales invoices for the medicines they dispense, and compares the amount paid with the amount reimbursed by the National Health Service. This has found that more than the amount agreed as part of the Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework has been delivered in total across the previous four financial years. Suppliers of appliances can optionally apply for an annual price increase on the NHS Drug Tariff. Fees in the tariff are routinely reviewed and updated when appropriate.

Medicine costs are considered as part of ongoing broader assessments of the financial health of the sector. However, if the selling price of a product goes above the reimbursement price in a given month, pharmacy contractors can request an increase to the reimbursement price from the Department via Community Pharmacy England. Where an increase is granted, this new price is known as a concessionary price. This ensures that that the reimbursement prices set are reflective of real time market selling prices, and means that pharmacy contractors are paid fairly for the medicines they dispense.

The Department undertakes a quarterly assessment of the adequacy of drug prices paid to community pharmacies through the medicine margin survey. The survey samples independent pharmacy contractors’ sales invoices for the medicines they dispense, and compares the amount paid with the amount reimbursed by the National Health Service. This has found that more than the amount agreed as part of the Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework has been delivered in total across the previous four financial years. Suppliers of appliances can optionally apply for an annual price increase on the NHS Drug Tariff. Fees in the tariff are routinely reviewed and updated when appropriate.

Medicine costs are considered as part of ongoing broader assessments of the financial health of the sector. However, if the selling price of a product goes above the reimbursement price in a given month, pharmacy contractors can request an increase to the reimbursement price from the Department via Community Pharmacy England. Where an increase is granted, this new price is known as a concessionary price. This ensures that that the reimbursement prices set are reflective of real time market selling prices, and means that pharmacy contractors are paid fairly for the medicines they dispense.

We fully recognise how seriously the Turkish Government takes the Gülen movement which they proscribe as a terrorist organisation. We consistently encourage Turkey to uphold the rule of law. The UK Government believes that all legal cases should be treated in accordance with international human rights standards, including the right to a fair trial and access to lawyers. Our Embassy in Ankara regularly engages with political parties, civil society organisations and diplomatic counterparts on this issue.

It is unacceptable that over 1000 health workers have reportedly been killed since 7 October 2023. Israel must do more to protect civilians and those working to support those in such desperate need. The UK has raised protection of civilians and the destruction of health infrastructure repeatedly with the Israeli government, including on 5 November when I underlined our grave concern to Israel's Ambassador about repeated strikes on Kamal Adwan hospital. This government is clear that International Humanitarian Law must be upheld, and civilians protected. The UK is fully committed to international law and fully respects the independence of the International Court of Justice and of the International Criminal Court. We have suspended relevant export licences to Israel following a review that concluded there is a clear risk that UK export items might be used to commit or facilitate serious violations of International Humanitarian Law.

We are concerned by the reports that Dr. Mohammed Hamouda was detained by the Israeli authorities on 6 November. I raised his case with the Israeli Ambassador on 18 November and FCDO officials have been following up the case since then. Whilst we do not comment on specific non-UK national cases, the government does raise International Humanitarian Law compliance regularly with Israel. Medical staff must be allowed to carry out their work unimpeded, and to travel around Gaza as needed.

Medical workers and facilities, including ambulances and rescue personnel, must be protected in accordance with International Humanitarian Law and allowed to provide life-saving services. It is unacceptable that northern Gaza now has no functioning hospitals, after strikes on Kamal Adwan hospital. On 5 November, when I spoke to the Israeli Ambassador, I raised the UK's grave concerns that Kamal Adwan continues to come under fire. This government has been clear that Israel must do much more to protect civilians, civilian infrastructure and humanitarian workers, and Israel must allow medical staff to carry out their work unimpeded, and to travel around Gaza as needed.

The UK's position on settlements is clear. They are illegal under international law, present an obstacle to peace and threaten the physical viability of a two-state solution.  To date, we have sanctioned eight individuals responsible for inciting and perpetrating human rights abuses against Palestinian communities in the West Bank.  We have also designated two groups known to have supported, incited and promoted violence against these communities.  We do not comment on future sanctions.

Since 1 January 2021 overseas sellers, or online marketplaces where they facilitate the sale, are required to be registered and account for VAT for supplies of low value imports of £135 or less. Where an overseas seller sells goods located in the UK at the point of sale via an online marketplace, the online marketplace is liable for the VAT for goods of any value. 
 
The changes ensure a level playing field for UK high street and online retailers, ensure the continued flow of goods at the border and improve compliance. Certified analysis by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) estimates the changes will raise £1.8 billion per annum by 2026-27. 
 
The Government keeps all taxes under review as part of the policy making process.

Since 1 January 2021 overseas sellers, or online marketplaces where they facilitate the sale, are required to be registered and account for VAT for supplies of low value imports of £135 or less. Where an overseas seller sells goods located in the UK at the point of sale via an online marketplace, the online marketplace is liable for the VAT for goods of any value. 
 
The changes ensure a level playing field for UK high street and online retailers, ensure the continued flow of goods at the border and improve compliance. Certified analysis by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) estimates the changes will raise £1.8 billion per annum by 2026-27. 
 
The Government keeps all taxes under review as part of the policy making process.

Since 1 January 2021 overseas sellers, or online marketplaces where they facilitate the sale, are required to be registered and account for VAT for supplies of low value imports of £135 or less. Where an overseas seller sells goods located in the UK at the point of sale via an online marketplace, the online marketplace is liable for the VAT for goods of any value.

The changes ensure a level playing field for UK high street and online retailers, ensure the continued flow of goods at the border and improve compliance. Certified analysis by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) estimates the changes will raise £1.8 billion per annum by 2026-27.

There are currently no plans to modify the operation of the Barnett formula. The Barnett formula has stood the test of time because it is simple, efficient and provides a clear and certain outcome.

The Welsh Government currently receives at least 20% more funding per person than equivalent UK Government spending in the rest of the UK. That translates into over £4 billion more in 2025-26.

The latest forecasts for tax revenues were published alongside the Office for Budget Responsibility’s (OBR) October Economic and Fiscal Outlook. These forecasts are based on economic determinants, including wage growth and employment levels. Detailed tax receipts forecasts can be found here: Economic and fiscal outlook – October 2024 - Office for Budget Responsibility.

A Tax Information and Impact Note that covers the employer NICs changes was published by HMRC on 13 November.