Charlie Maynard

The Government is committed to supporting LGBT personnel in the Armed Forces, including through engagement with our LGBT networks, same-sex marriages in military chapels and involvement with major Pride events.

We are also implementing all 49 of Lord Etherton’s recommendations to right the historic wrong of LGBT people being banned from service in the armed forces.

The Cabinet Office awarded Capita the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme in November 2023 under the previous government. The current delays facing scheme members are entirely unacceptable, and this Government has taken firm action to resolve them through a clear recovery plan with strict delivery milestones. We have deployed additional resources to expedite priority cases, ensuring that serving and former staff receive the high standard of service they deserve. Regular progress updates remain available to members via the pension portal and GOV.UK.

While Capita committed to a complete return to standard contractual service levels by the end of June 2026, they have failed to meet this critical milestone. The Government is taking robust action to hold Capita to account. This includes withholding £9.9 million in contract payments for undelivered milestones, alongside confirmation that the Government surge team costs will be recovered directly from Capita. To enforce strict compliance, independent auditors are being deployed to conduct a technical systems review, and an on-the-ground Remedial Adviser has been appointed at Capita’s expense. Further commercial, legal, and operational options remain on the table during the consideration of long-term structural delivery options.

The conditions for releasing the withheld payments require the completion of specific deliverables. Each deliverable within the applicable milestone must be achieved and formally signed off by the authority.

The specific financial values of commercial transactions remain commercially confidential in relation to Capita and I am unable to disclose the figures, but I can confirm that the Cabinet Office has withheld significant transition milestone payments due to missed deliverables. Although contractual performance data is generally considered commercially sensitive, in this instance, information regarding MyCSP and recovered amounts is already in the public domain via submissions to the Committee of Public Accounts. In these submissions, it is noted that over the last five financial years, the Department has recovered a total of £247,893. Wider financial adjustments, such as routine overpayment corrections or contribution reconciliations, form part of the broader operational accounting of the scheme and are not categorised as direct departmental recoveries from the administrator.

The Cabinet Office awarded Capita the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme in November 2023 under the previous government. The current delays facing scheme members are entirely unacceptable, and this Government has taken firm action to resolve them through a clear recovery plan with strict delivery milestones. We have deployed additional resources to expedite priority cases, ensuring that serving and former staff receive the high standard of service they deserve. Regular progress updates remain available to members via the pension portal and GOV.UK.

While Capita committed to a complete return to standard contractual service levels by the end of June 2026, they have failed to meet this critical milestone. The Government is taking robust action to hold Capita to account. This includes withholding £9.9 million in contract payments for undelivered milestones, alongside confirmation that the Government surge team costs will be recovered directly from Capita. To enforce strict compliance, independent auditors are being deployed to conduct a technical systems review, and an on-the-ground Remedial Adviser has been appointed at Capita’s expense. Further commercial, legal, and operational options remain on the table during the consideration of long-term structural delivery options.

The conditions for releasing the withheld payments require the completion of specific deliverables. Each deliverable within the applicable milestone must be achieved and formally signed off by the authority.

The specific financial values of commercial transactions remain commercially confidential in relation to Capita and I am unable to disclose the figures, but I can confirm that the Cabinet Office has withheld significant transition milestone payments due to missed deliverables. Although contractual performance data is generally considered commercially sensitive, in this instance, information regarding MyCSP and recovered amounts is already in the public domain via submissions to the Committee of Public Accounts. In these submissions, it is noted that over the last five financial years, the Department has recovered a total of £247,893. Wider financial adjustments, such as routine overpayment corrections or contribution reconciliations, form part of the broader operational accounting of the scheme and are not categorised as direct departmental recoveries from the administrator.

The Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme to Capita in November 2023 under the previous government. The current delays facing scheme members are entirely unacceptable, and this Government has taken firm action to resolve them through a clear recovery plan with strict delivery milestones. We have deployed additional resources to expedite priority cases, ensuring that serving and former staff receive the high standard of service they deserve. Regular progress updates remain available to members via the pension portal and GOV.UK.

While Capita committed to a complete return to standard contractual service levels by the end of June 2026, they have failed to meet this critical milestone. The Government is taking robust action to hold Capita to account. This includes withholding £9.9 million in contract payments for undelivered milestones, alongside confirmation that the Government surge team costs will be recovered directly from Capita. To enforce strict compliance, independent auditors are being deployed to conduct a technical systems review, and an on-the-ground Remedial Adviser has been appointed at Capita’s expense. Further commercial, legal, and operational options remain on the table during the consideration of long-term structural delivery options.

During the procurement and approval process, the then Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office, Jeremy Quin MP, had overall responsibility for Civil Service workforce matters at the time and confirmed that the Cabinet Office should proceed to award the contract to Capita. This was further subject to the Cabinet Office’s controls process for which the then Parliamentary Secretary to the Cabinet Office, Alex Burghart MP, had oversight.

The contract awarded in November 2023 followed a standardised procurement process with an evaluation process, centred on the core criteria of quality, cost, and social value.

Quality compromised 65% of the assessment, cost 25% and Social Value 10%. The Quality assessment evaluated Capita's response, which included previous experience of transitioning and administering pension schemes.

There is currently no planned review of the effectiveness of the voluntary register established under the Hairdressers Registration Act 1964. The Hairdressers Registration Act 1964 provides for a UK register of qualified hairdressers and barbers, although registration remains voluntary. Hairdressing salons and barbers are subject to a range of existing requirements, including health and safety and consumer protection legislation.

The Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade has not made a specific assessment of the impact of entry requirements in the barbering industry on apprenticeship uptake or professional training. The Department for Work and Pensions is responsible for adult skills and apprenticeship policy, while the Department for Education retains responsibility for under-19 skills and further education provider accountability. The Government continues to support professional training through the Level 2 Barbering Professional apprenticeship.

The Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade does not hold data on the total number of barbers or the qualifications they hold and therefore cannot determine the proportion holding recognised vocational qualifications, including NVQ Levels 2 and 3. However, published data by the Department for Education for England shows that there were 406 starts on the Barbering Professional apprenticeship in academic year 2023/24, 326 in 2024/25 and 196 so far in 2025/26 (from August 2025 to April 2026).

The Government is ensuring that the UK is ready for both the challenges and opportunities that AI will bring. We have taken important steps to ensure that most AI systems are already regulated at the point of use by our existing expert regulators. This is complemented by the work of the AI Security Institute, which deepens our understanding of the critical security risks posed by frontier AI.

The Government keeps the adequacy of existing arrangements under review, including in relation to specific new risks related to cybersecurity and critical national infrastructure.

The UK is committed to a context-based regulatory approach where most AI systems are regulated at the point of use by our existing regulators. Government departments are working with regulators to provide strategic direction and support them with their AI capability needs. This is complemented by the work of the AI Security Institute, which deepens our understanding of the critical security risks posed by frontier AI.

The Government keeps the adequacy of existing arrangements under review, including in relation to specific new risks related to cybersecurity and critical national infrastructure.

The Warm Home Discount provides eligible low-income households with a £150 rebate on their electricity bill. In England and Wales, eligible households must receive Pension Credit, Universal Credit, Housing Benefit or income-related Employment and Support Allowance and they (or their partner) must be named on the electricity account. The financial resources of an unrelated co-tenant are not taken into account. Eligibility rules for other Government support schemes may differ from those for the Warm Home Discount, and entitlement is determined in accordance with the specific criteria established for each scheme.

The Government is very aware of the cost-of-living pressures faced by households. The Government has removed VAT from electricity bills to give households immediate breathing space. This is in addition to removing £150 of costs off energy bills since April, and the extension of the Warm Home Discount, which benefits around 6 million households each winter, through to 2030/2031. The Government is also investing £15 billion through the Warm Homes Plan, the largest home-upgrade programme in British history, to improve homes, reduce energy costs and help lift one million families out of fuel poverty by 2030

The Government recognises some households face additional specific challenges, such as medical needs.

As part of the Warm Homes Plan, the Government is exploring how to enable referrals from the health sector to prescribe a warmer home for those who need it.

One of the biggest practical barriers to providing more targeted support is the availability of the right data. The National Data Library Kickstarter is a valuable addition to this work.

This government is determined to ensure consumers reliant on heating oil are treated fairly and better protected, including during times of international volatility.

The CMA found that recent increases in heating oil prices were largely driven by higher wholesale costs rather than a lack of competition or excessive profits.

The government published its formal response to the CMA heating oil report on 13 October, confirming it will take forward proposals to introduce stronger regulations for the first time, and agreeing with the CMA that we will not be replicating the gas and electricity price cap. Instead, we will focus on a programme of reform to strengthening consumer protections.

However, this government does recognise the impact that heating oil price increases has had on households, which is why we took action to introduce over £50m of support to help with costs. Households can access immediate support from their local authority through the Crisis and Resilience Fund.

A Written Ministerial Statement can be found here: Written statements - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament

The full response can be found here: Government response to the CMA heating oil market study - GOV.UK

For those considering alternatives to oil heating, the Government is supporting the installation of low-carbon heating through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme. A time-limited higher grant of £9,000 is available to the end of March 2027 for eligible off-gas-grid properties replacing oil or LPG heating systems, helping households and small businesses most exposed to volatile fossil fuel prices to switch to low-carbon heating.

The Government is keeping a range of options for targeted energy cost support under review as part of its contingency planning, including for households in vulnerable circumstances who rely on heating oil as their primary source of heat.

The Government has provided £27 million of targeted support for low-income households in England who heat their homes with oil, through the Crisis and Resilience Fund and delivered via local authorities. Vulnerable households facing immediate financial difficulty should contact their local authority to see what support may be available.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) also found clear gaps in protections for heating oil users, including support for vulnerable consumers. The Government is considering the CMA’s recommendations carefully and will continue to engage with industry, consumer bodies and devolved administrations to ensure heating oil customers are treated fairly.

The Government published its formal response to the CMA heating oil report on 13^th October’ and add the relevant links A Written Ministerial Statement can be found here: Written statements - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament

The full response can be found here: Government response to the CMA heating oil market study - GOV.UK.

The government published its formal response to the CMA heating oil report on 13 October, and plans to strengthen regulations in the market for the first time, making sure households who use heating oil are treated fairly.

This will include developing options for a proportionate regulatory regime for the heating oil market, which will take time to get right, to ensure the best outcomes for all consumers, including the most vulnerable households. In the meantime, we will work with industry to strengthen consumer protection measures in existing Codes of Conduct, which set rules for the sector.

This is a clear indication of government’s commitment to create a fairer, more resilient and trusted heating oil market, which delivers stronger protections including those for vulnerable consumer, while preserving competition and security of supply.

A Written Ministerial Statement can be found here: Written statements - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament

The full response can be found here: Government response to the CMA heating oil market study - GOV.UK

Phasing out animal testing where possible is a clear goal of this government and innovative technologies, such as organ-on-a-chip, are essential to delivering this ambition.

The Government invests £10m annually in The National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs). NC3Rs provides major funding for one of Europe’s largest organ-on-a-chip facilities at Queen Mary University. Studies we have funded have assessed the use of such technologies, such as a 2021 NC3R report . We will consider these studies in a strategy published later this year to support the development, validation and uptake of alternative methods.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology has regular discussions with the Home Office, and with other government departments, to ensure that the UK’s world-class science, research, technology and innovation sectors are supported by a competitive visa system and immigration offer.

Since 2023, UKRI allows Immigration Health Surcharge costs as well as other visa costs to be covered by their grants. Many other organisations also allow these costs on their grants, and the Immigration Health Surcharge are allowable costs on Horizon Europe grants.

Immigration fees ensure that those benefiting from the borders system and the NHS contribute to its costs, reducing taxpayer funding. The Home Office keeps fees for immigration and nationality applications under review.

The department works closely with a range of charities, who support parents, carers, children and young people with education, health and care (EHC) plans currently in place.

We have extended our current participation and family support contract to guarantee continuity of vital support services for parent carers and children and young people throughout 2026/27. These services include a national helpline which gives independent advice, support and resources to parent carers, and also the training of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Information Advice and Support Services (SENDIASS) staff to ensure they are up to date with legal advice and information, and that they can support families locally. SENDIASS offer independent impartial information, advice and support on the full range of education, health and social care for parents, carers, children and young people with SEND. They also provide advocacy support for individual children, young people, and parents, which includes representation during a tribunal hearing if the parent or young person is unable to do so.

These services are designed to help families understand the impact of changes to the SEND system particularly in relation to EHC plans.

I refer the hon. Member for Witney to the answer of 30 October 2025 to Question 81701.

Independent special schools are private enterprises. Local authorities have the discretion to make support, training and resources available to them. As private enterprises, the proprietor of the school is responsible for its financial viability.

The department recognises that independent special schools can play an important role in the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system, particularly in meeting highly complex needs and building capacity in the system. Independent special schools should be part of local authorities’ strategic planning of SEND provision, and the department works to support local authorities to ensure that every local area has sufficient school places for children that need them.

Where a pupil’s place in a private school is funded by the local authority because the private school is named in the pupil’s education, health and care plan, the local authority is able to reclaim the VAT they are charged on the fees of these pupils via the Section 33 VAT Act 1994 Refund Scheme.

​​The department works to support local authorities to ensure that every local area has sufficient school places for children that need them. School funding in England is increasing by £3.7 billion in the 2025/26 financial year, taking total core school funding to £65.3 billion. ​

​​Independent special schools can play an important role in the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system, particularly in meeting the needs of children and young people with highly complex needs. We recognise the expertise and value that many offer. However, independent special schools have higher costs than their maintained equivalents and we need to ensure that placements are used appropriately and deliver value for money.

​The department is committed to improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, as well as ensuring special and alternative provision schools cater to those with the most complex needs. We want to encourage stronger partnerships and sharing of best practice across specialist and mainstream schools. We are considering how best to achieve this as part of our wider SEND reform plans.

The Government is considering a range of options to improve how the water sector serves customers and the environment. We will set out plans for stronger public control and wider sector reform in our 10-year plan later this year.

The Rural Payments Agency aims to make payments to farmers and land managers as promptly as possible. In the current financial year, 2.56% of Sustainable Farming Incentive payments and 0.87% of Capital Grant payments have been paid later than expected.

The water white paper published on the 20 January sets out the Government’s plans to reform the water sector and the wider water system. It will create a new regulator with powers to prevent companies from accumulating unmanageable debts and to ensure the sector as a whole is financially resilient.

The enforcement of licence conditions is a matter for Ofwat as the independent economic regulator. To remedy its licence breach in losing its investment grade credit ratings in 2024, Ofwat has confirmed it accepted an enforcement undertaking from Thames Water in August 2024 (Ofwat confirms actions for Thames Water following investment credit rating downgrade - Ofwat). These commitments will remain in place until the company regains two investment grade credit ratings.

Flood Re is a joint Government-industry scheme enabling high flood risk households to access affordable insurance. Since launch, Flood Re has supported more than 650,000 households, with 346,000 policies ceded to them in 2024/25.

Prior to Flood Re’s inception, the average home insurance quote for a householder with a flood claim was about £4,400. As of December 2024, the average was c. £1,100, with 99% of householders at high risk of flooding now able to obtain quotes from 10 or more insurers.

The decision to insure a property, and/or to cede a policy to Flood Re is a decision made by each insurance company, but all households eligible under the Flood Re Scheme should be able to access to flood insurance cover. It remains important that policy holders shop around for an insurer to find the most suitable policy for their needs as individual insurers will consider a range of factors in setting their premiums.

Defra continues working with Flood Re and insurers to monitor affordability, and have not been made aware of any Flood Re eligible properties being refused flood cover on an industry wide basis.