Asked by: Beth Winter (Labour - Cynon Valley)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of reverting Support for Mortgage Interest from an interest-bearing loan to (a) an interest free loan and (b) a grant.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Support in the form of loans meets the policy objective of averting the threat of repossession but in a way that provides a fairer balance between the needs of the individual and the burden on taxpayers, many of whom are unable to afford a mortgage of their own. Interest is charged at the gilt rate as this represents the cost to Government of providing the loans.
Asked by: Beth Winter (Labour - Cynon Valley)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the maximum amount of any mortgage on which Support for Mortgage Interest can be claimed.
Answered by Mims Davies - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
There are no current plans to increase the maximum amount of mortgage on which SMI can be claimed.
Asked by: Beth Winter (Labour - Cynon Valley)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 3 April 2024 to Question 20109 on Rivers: Repairs and Maintenance, whether he has held recent discussions with his counterpart in the Welsh Government on riparian landowners responsibilities for watercourse management.
Answered by Robbie Moore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Ministers regularly meet with stakeholders to discuss the department’s policies, including flood and water management.
The government’s independent review of statutory powers and responsibilities associated with Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management assets included riparian landowners’ responsibilities. Whilst the review covered England only, since responsibility for flood risk management is a devolved matter, officials from the Welsh Government and National Resources Wales, and a member from the Wales Flood and Coastal Erosion Committee were members of the Project Board and Project Steering Group. The review has recently concluded, and we expect to publish its findings by the summer.
Asked by: Beth Winter (Labour - Cynon Valley)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing (a) periods of amnesty and (b) lower repayment plans to help tackle fraud in the welfare system.
Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Fraud and error is £8.3bn and the Department has a duty to the taxpayer to protect public funds and recover overpayments when they occur.
The Department’s priority is to negotiate affordable and sustainable repayment plans that do not cause undue financial hardship. We remain committed to working with anyone who is struggling with their repayment terms and encourage customers to contact DWP Debt Management. Debt Management will work with individuals to review their financial circumstances and, in most instances, a temporary reduction in their rate of repayment can also be agreed.
No assessment has been carried out on the potential merits of introducing amnesties.
Asked by: Beth Winter (Labour - Cynon Valley)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of undertaking post-legislative scrutiny of the Fraud Act 2006 and its potential impact on female welfare claimants.
Answered by Paul Maynard - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
No assessment has been made as this is not a matter for the Department for Work and Pensions.
The Ministry of Justice carried out a post-implementation review on the Fraud Act 2006: Post-legislative Assessment of the Fraud Act 2006 (publishing.service.gov.uk) and the Home Office have confirmed that on 12 October 2023 the Government launched the Independent Review of Disclosure and Fraud Offences. Part two of the Review will evaluate the operation of the Fraud Act: Independent Review of Disclosure and Fraud Offences - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).’
Asked by: Beth Winter (Labour - Cynon Valley)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 3 April 2024 to Question 20109 on Rivers: Repairs and Maintenance, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of climate change on future insurance costs for riparian landowners.
Answered by Robbie Moore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government has not made an assessment of the potential impacts of climate change on future insurance costs for riparian landowners. It is the responsibility of all riparian landowners to ensure that they have the appropriate insurance, to protect their property and any work they undertake as a riparian landowner.
Asked by: Beth Winter (Labour - Cynon Valley)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 2 April 2024 to Question 20109 on Rivers: Repairs and Maintenance, whether he has made a recent assessment of the potential merits of reviewing the role of conveyancers in advising on the responsibilities of riparian ownership.
Answered by Robbie Moore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government commissioned Review of Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Assets has just concluded, and we expect to publish its findings by the summer.
The role of conveyancers (used when purchasing property) was considered as part of the review. The Law Society has published a practice note for solicitors and professional conveyancers on flood risk, which includes mention of riparian ownership and further information they can use.
Whilst the review covered England only, since responsibility for flood risk management is a devolved matter, officials from the Welsh Government and National Resources Wales, and a member from the Wales Flood and Coastal Erosion Committee were members of the Project Board and Project Steering Group.
Asked by: Beth Winter (Labour - Cynon Valley)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 3 April 2024 to Question 20109 on Rivers: Repairs and Maintenance, whether his Department has had discussions with the Welsh Government on the independent review of statutory powers and responsibilities associated with Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management.
Answered by Robbie Moore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government commissioned Review of Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Assets has just concluded, and we expect to publish its findings by the summer.
The role of conveyancers (used when purchasing property) was considered as part of the review. The Law Society has published a practice note for solicitors and professional conveyancers on flood risk, which includes mention of riparian ownership and further information they can use.
Whilst the review covered England only, since responsibility for flood risk management is a devolved matter, officials from the Welsh Government and National Resources Wales, and a member from the Wales Flood and Coastal Erosion Committee were members of the Project Board and Project Steering Group.
Asked by: Beth Winter (Labour - Cynon Valley)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 3 April 2024 to Question 20109 on Rivers: Repairs and Maintenance, when he expects the independent review of statutory powers and responsibilities associated with Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management assets across all flood risks and coastal erosion to be published.
Answered by Robbie Moore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government commissioned Review of Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Assets has just concluded, and we expect to publish its findings by the summer.
The role of conveyancers (used when purchasing property) was considered as part of the review. The Law Society has published a practice note for solicitors and professional conveyancers on flood risk, which includes mention of riparian ownership and further information they can use.
Whilst the review covered England only, since responsibility for flood risk management is a devolved matter, officials from the Welsh Government and National Resources Wales, and a member from the Wales Flood and Coastal Erosion Committee were members of the Project Board and Project Steering Group.
Asked by: Beth Winter (Labour - Cynon Valley)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 28 March 2024 to Question 20114 on Mortgages, whether he has made an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the Financial Conduct Authority's report entitled, Mortgage Charter uptake data, published on 22 March 2024.
Answered by Bim Afolami - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The path to lower interest rates is through low inflation, and the Government is fully committed to supporting the Bank of England get inflation back down to the 2% target, including by keeping borrowing under control.
While the pricing of mortgages is ultimately a commercial decision for lenders in which the Government does not intervene, our plan is working, and the average offered mortgage rates on 2-year and 5-year fixed rates are lower compared to their peak in Summer 2023.
The Government’s Mortgage Charter - in addition to the significant safeguards already in place - is providing support to vulnerable households; and mortgage arrears and repossessions remain low.