Asked by: Catherine Fookes (Labour - Monmouthshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the recent Report on the Call for Evidence about the Financial Conduct Authority, published by the APPG on Investment Fraud & Fairer Financial Services, whether she plans to introduce the recommended legislative changes.
Answered by Emma Reynolds - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
I noted the report with interest, and I recognise the difficulties faced by those who have lost out. Many of the issues explored in the report have already been extensively reviewed, and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has made significant changes in response. The government has no plans to make the legislative changes recommended in this report.
I regularly engage with the FCA to ensure that it continues to learn from these experiences and is effectively delivering on its objectives.
Asked by: Catherine Fookes (Labour - Monmouthshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to her Pathways to work: Reforming Benefits and Support to Get Britain Working Green Paper, published in March 2025, what steps she is taking to (a) reduce levels of time taken to access Access to Work applications and (b) ensure that those levels of time do not prohibit people from taking up offers of employment.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
We are committed to reducing waiting times for Access to Work and are considering the best way to deliver that for customers. We have (a) increased the number of staff processing Access to Work claims and (b) prioritised applications from customers who are about to start a job or who are renewing.
Asked by: Catherine Fookes (Labour - Monmouthshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an estimate of the number of disabled people unable to claim an exemption on vehicle tax due to being over the age limit to access a benefit with a mobility component; and whether she has plans to reduce this gap.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government does not hold statistics on the number of disabled people who are not eligible for the Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) exemption due to being above the state pension age.
The aim of the VED exemption is to provide additional help for people who become disabled early, or relatively early, in life and as a result experience economic disadvantage. These allowances are therefore only available to people who become disabled before the age of 65 and who claim before their 65th birthday.
For individuals who develop a disability after the State Pension age, Attendance Allowance (AA) is a non means-tested benefit which provides targeted help with the extra costs of disability and helps them maintain their independence. The AA does not have a mobility component, and therefore does not include an exemption from or reduction in VED. While the intention is for AA to cover the need for care or supervision an individual requires as a result of their disability, individuals may choose to use their AA to fund mobility aids. The Government also provides Pension Credit for pensioners with low incomes and who, for whatever reason, have been unable to save for their retirement.
Asked by: Catherine Fookes (Labour - Monmouthshire)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she will make an assessment of the potential merits of including housing associations under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The government is committed to increasing transparency in the social rented sector. We intend to direct the Regulator of Social Housing to introduce new Social Tenant Access to Information Requirements (STAIRs) for private providers of social housing, including housing associations, to enable residents to request information about their housing management.
Asked by: Catherine Fookes (Labour - Monmouthshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress she has made following her Department's closed consultation on improving moped and motorcycle training.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government is considering plans to review existing requirements for motorcycle training, testing and licensing, and wants to take account of the long-standing plans in the Department for Transport and the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, alongside recent information and proposals from the motorcycle sector. These include a desire to make things simpler for riders whilst recognising the importance of maintaining our safety record.
Asked by: Catherine Fookes (Labour - Monmouthshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of motorcycle compulsory basic training.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government is considering plans to review existing requirements for motorcycle training, testing and licensing, and wants to take account of the long-standing plans in the Department for Transport and the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, alongside recent information and proposals from the motorcycle sector. These include a desire to make things simpler for riders whilst recognising the importance of maintaining our safety record.
Asked by: Catherine Fookes (Labour - Monmouthshire)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if her Department will take steps to improve the training required for motorcycle drivers.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government is considering plans to review existing requirements for motorcycle training, testing and licensing, and wants to take account of the long-standing plans in the Department for Transport and the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, alongside recent information and proposals from the motorcycle sector. These include a desire to make things simpler for riders whilst recognising the importance of maintaining our safety record.
Asked by: Catherine Fookes (Labour - Monmouthshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of altering the income change threshold on child maintenance allowance reviews.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Where a paying parent's income is at least 25 per cent different than the figure obtained from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) for the last available full tax year, or no figure is available, the Child Maintenance Service will consider whether the liability should be based on the parent's current income. A change will not be considered unless it breaches the 25 per cent tolerance.
The 25 per cent threshold ensures that both parents can continue to budget with certainty and therefore provide ongoing stability for the child. Most people's income does not change to this degree over the course of one year. This approach ensures that minor changes to income do not interfere with the efficiency of the system, increasing costs for the taxpayer.
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 income change thresholds including their potential impact on both the paying and receiving parents.
Asked by: Catherine Fookes (Labour - Monmouthshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the income change threshold on child maintenance allowance on both the (a) paying and (b) receiving parents.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Where a paying parent's income is at least 25 per cent different than the figure obtained from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) for the last available full tax year, or no figure is available, the Child Maintenance Service will consider whether the liability should be based on the parent's current income. A change will not be considered unless it breaches the 25 per cent tolerance.
The 25 per cent threshold ensures that both parents can continue to budget with certainty and therefore provide ongoing stability for the child. Most people's income does not change to this degree over the course of one year. This approach ensures that minor changes to income do not interfere with the efficiency of the system, increasing costs for the taxpayer.
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 income change thresholds including their potential impact on both the paying and receiving parents.
Asked by: Catherine Fookes (Labour - Monmouthshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what support is available to people waiting for a Personal Independence Payment tribunal.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 4 November 2024 to Question 11735.