Asked by: Bobby Dean (Liberal Democrat - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether staff transferring from NHS England to his Department will have their existing terms and conditions, including pay protections, preserved; and whether the transfer will be conducted in line with TUPE principles.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
We can confirm that we will follow Transfer of Undertakings Protection of Employment (TUPE) like principles, whether TUPE or another statutory transfer mechanism, in line with the Cabinet Office Statement of Practice. This means that recognised trade unions will be formally consulted and engaged on measures related to the transfer with no changes to contractual terms and conditions made without proper consultation and engagement.
Asked by: Bobby Dean (Liberal Democrat - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether additional guidance or support is being provided to police forces to strengthen national public order preparedness.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
Following the disorder in the summer of 2024, the then Home Secretary commissioned His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services to undertake an inspection into the police response. The outcome of their inspection was published in May 2025 and said that the National Police Coordination Centre and the National Police Chiefs’ Council should have a clear, live, resourcing and mobilisation picture so that the policing response to public disorder is timely, coordinated, and proportionate.
The summer of 2025 also featured significant nationwide protest activity focused on a variety of issues, including the Israel Palestine conflict but also anti-migrant and counter anti-migrant protests. During this disorder, policing stood up a national coordination model, with the National Police Chiefs’ Council and National Police Coordination Centre fulfilling a national command and mobilisation function, despite the absence of a formal statutory role. This is the role that the Home Office intends to build on by establishing a Senior National Coordinator role for public order policing and by enhancing the National Police Coordination Centre.
The Government’s White Paper From Local to National: a new model for policing sets out our plans to ensure policing is more effective in responding to instances of widespread disorder and better coordinated across forces.
The use of police resources and the provision of training within police forces is a matter for Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners, who are operationally independent of government.
The College of Policing is responsible for providing guidance and operational advice for frontline policing. The College of Policing produces the Public Order Public Safety authorised Professional Practice. Alongside this, the Protest Operational Advice Document is published jointly by the College of Policing and the National Police Chiefs’ Council.
Asked by: Bobby Dean (Liberal Democrat - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of public order training and capability across police forces in England and Wales.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
Following the disorder in the summer of 2024, the then Home Secretary commissioned His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services to undertake an inspection into the police response. The outcome of their inspection was published in May 2025 and said that the National Police Coordination Centre and the National Police Chiefs’ Council should have a clear, live, resourcing and mobilisation picture so that the policing response to public disorder is timely, coordinated, and proportionate.
The summer of 2025 also featured significant nationwide protest activity focused on a variety of issues, including the Israel Palestine conflict but also anti-migrant and counter anti-migrant protests. During this disorder, policing stood up a national coordination model, with the National Police Chiefs’ Council and National Police Coordination Centre fulfilling a national command and mobilisation function, despite the absence of a formal statutory role. This is the role that the Home Office intends to build on by establishing a Senior National Coordinator role for public order policing and by enhancing the National Police Coordination Centre.
The Government’s White Paper From Local to National: a new model for policing sets out our plans to ensure policing is more effective in responding to instances of widespread disorder and better coordinated across forces.
The use of police resources and the provision of training within police forces is a matter for Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners, who are operationally independent of government.
The College of Policing is responsible for providing guidance and operational advice for frontline policing. The College of Policing produces the Public Order Public Safety authorised Professional Practice. Alongside this, the Protest Operational Advice Document is published jointly by the College of Policing and the National Police Chiefs’ Council.
Asked by: Bobby Dean (Liberal Democrat - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that police forces are adequately prepared to respond to major public order incidents.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
Following the disorder in the summer of 2024, the then Home Secretary commissioned His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services to undertake an inspection into the police response. The outcome of their inspection was published in May 2025 and said that the National Police Coordination Centre and the National Police Chiefs’ Council should have a clear, live, resourcing and mobilisation picture so that the policing response to public disorder is timely, coordinated, and proportionate.
The summer of 2025 also featured significant nationwide protest activity focused on a variety of issues, including the Israel Palestine conflict but also anti-migrant and counter anti-migrant protests. During this disorder, policing stood up a national coordination model, with the National Police Chiefs’ Council and National Police Coordination Centre fulfilling a national command and mobilisation function, despite the absence of a formal statutory role. This is the role that the Home Office intends to build on by establishing a Senior National Coordinator role for public order policing and by enhancing the National Police Coordination Centre.
The Government’s White Paper From Local to National: a new model for policing sets out our plans to ensure policing is more effective in responding to instances of widespread disorder and better coordinated across forces.
The use of police resources and the provision of training within police forces is a matter for Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners, who are operationally independent of government.
The College of Policing is responsible for providing guidance and operational advice for frontline policing. The College of Policing produces the Public Order Public Safety authorised Professional Practice. Alongside this, the Protest Operational Advice Document is published jointly by the College of Policing and the National Police Chiefs’ Council.
Asked by: Bobby Dean (Liberal Democrat - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of reducing the workforce of integrated care boards by 50 per cent on the level of patient care and NHS system performance.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England has asked integrated care boards (ICBs) to act primarily as strategic commissioners of health and care services and reduce duplication of responsibilities within their structure with the expectation of achieving a reduction in their running cost allowance.
As such, NHS England has asked ICBs to reduce their running cost allowance to a cap of £19 per head of weighted population and enable savings to be reinvested in frontline services. ICBs have been supported in developing local plans for their future structures and remain accountable for delivering their statutory functions.
As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, ICBs’ role as strategic commissioners will be to improve their population’s health, reduce health inequalities, and improve access to consistently high-quality services.
Asked by: Bobby Dean (Liberal Democrat - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact on of the Loan Charge on individuals subject to it; and whether governance mechanisms are in place for people in serious financial and personal distress.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
At Budget 2024, the Government commissioned an independent review of the loan charge to bring the matter to a close for those affected, ensure fairness for all taxpayers and ensure that appropriate support is in place for those subject to the loan charge. The review was led by Ray McCann, a former President of the Chartered Institute of Taxation.
The Government accepted the review’s conclusion that the loan charge was an extraordinary piece of Government policy which necessitated an exceptional response, and is now legislating a new settlement opportunity that will assist those who have not yet settled to do so.
As a result, most individuals could see reductions of at least 50% in their outstanding loan charge liabilities, and an estimated 30% of individuals could have these liabilities written off entirely. To encourage more people to settle, the Government will write off the first £5,000 of liabilities in addition to the proposals put forward by Ray McCann.
HMRC are committed to supporting people through this process and are working hard to give them certainty on their tax positions as quickly as possible. This includes a dedicated service to guide people through the settlement process and provide extra support for those who need it. HMRC can also provide reasonable adjustments to meet an individual’s needs.
Asked by: Bobby Dean (Liberal Democrat - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of the Loan Charge in meeting its intended objectives; and whether she plans to review that policy.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
At Budget 2024, the Government commissioned an independent review of the loan charge to bring the matter to a close for those affected, ensure fairness for all taxpayers and ensure that appropriate support is in place for those subject to the loan charge. The review was led by Ray McCann, a former President of the Chartered Institute of Taxation.
The Government accepted the review’s conclusion that the loan charge was an extraordinary piece of Government policy which necessitated an exceptional response, and is now legislating a new settlement opportunity that will assist those who have not yet settled to do so.
As a result, most individuals could see reductions of at least 50% in their outstanding loan charge liabilities, and an estimated 30% of individuals could have these liabilities written off entirely. To encourage more people to settle, the Government will write off the first £5,000 of liabilities in addition to the proposals put forward by Ray McCann.
HMRC are committed to supporting people through this process and are working hard to give them certainty on their tax positions as quickly as possible. This includes a dedicated service to guide people through the settlement process and provide extra support for those who need it. HMRC can also provide reasonable adjustments to meet an individual’s needs.
Asked by: Bobby Dean (Liberal Democrat - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an estimate of the (a) cost to HMRC of administering the Loan Charge since 2019 and (b) total amount recovered in that period; and what assessment she has made of the value for money of that policy.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
At Budget 2024, the Government commissioned an independent review of the loan charge to bring the matter to a close for those affected, ensure fairness for all taxpayers and ensure that appropriate support is in place for those subject to the loan charge. The review was led by Ray McCann, a former President of the Chartered Institute of Taxation.
The Government accepted the review’s conclusion that the loan charge was an extraordinary piece of Government policy which necessitated an exceptional response, and is now legislating a new settlement opportunity that will assist those who have not yet settled to do so.
As a result, most individuals could see reductions of at least 50% in their outstanding loan charge liabilities, and an estimated 30% of individuals could have these liabilities written off entirely. To encourage more people to settle, the Government will write off the first £5,000 of liabilities in addition to the proposals put forward by Ray McCann.
HMRC are committed to supporting people through this process and are working hard to give them certainty on their tax positions as quickly as possible. This includes a dedicated service to guide people through the settlement process and provide extra support for those who need it. HMRC can also provide reasonable adjustments to meet an individual’s needs.
Asked by: Bobby Dean (Liberal Democrat - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when funding for Start for Life services will be confirmed for Sutton Council; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the absence of such funding on support for babies and new parents in Carshalton and Wallington constituency in 2025–26.
Answered by Ashley Dalton
The 10-Year Health Plan sets out an ambitious agenda on how we will improve the nation’s health by creating a new model of care that is fit for the future.
We recognise that local authorities such as Sutton Council are ambitious, seeking to deliver universal support to babies, children, and their families, and prevent escalating need. We are committed to delivering the 10-Year Health Plan’s ambition to match Healthy Babies, formerly Start for Life, to Best Start Family Hubs over the next decade.
Healthy Babies funding is helping families during the critical 1,001 days, and parents have said they are more confident in feeding their babies and have better perinatal mental health because of this support. We continue to assess how we can best support early-years service integration across the country and remain committed to working with delivery partners locally to achieve this.
Healthy Babies is one element of our broader commitment to supporting babies, children and families. From April 2026, Best Start Family Hubs will expand to every single local authority, including Sutton Council, backed by over £500 million to reach up to half a million more children and families. This funding will help all local authorities to integrate a range of statutory and non-statutory health and family services.
Asked by: Bobby Dean (Liberal Democrat - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of extending online marketplace VAT liability rules to domestic sellers as a way to reduce fraud and close the tax gap.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government has and will continue to engage with stakeholders to understand the impact of any changes to online marketplace liability rules on both platforms and sellers. Certified analysis by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) estimates the current online marketplace liability rules, together with the abolishment of Low Value Consignment relief, will raise £1.8 billion per annum by 2026-27.
HMRC has an overall compliance strategy which focuses on addressing all forms of non-compliance. The most recent published VAT gap shows a continued downward trend, falling from 13.7% to 5.4% between tax years 2005/06 and 2023/24.