Chris Hinchliff Portrait

Chris Hinchliff

Labour - North East Hertfordshire

1,923 (3.7%) majority - 2024 General Election

First elected: 4th July 2024


Chris Hinchliff is not a member of any APPGs
Chris Hinchliff has no previous appointments


Division Voting information

During the current Parliament, Chris Hinchliff has voted in 156 divisions, and never against the majority of their Party.
View All Chris Hinchliff Division Votes

Debates during the 2024 Parliament

Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.

Sparring Partners
Matthew Pennycook (Labour)
Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
(4 debate interactions)
Daniel Zeichner (Labour)
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
(4 debate interactions)
Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour)
(3 debate interactions)
View All Sparring Partners
Legislation Debates
Water Bill 2024-26
(1,752 words contributed)
Great British Energy Bill 2024-26
(993 words contributed)
View All Legislation Debates
View all Chris Hinchliff's debates

North East Hertfordshire Petitions

e-Petitions are administered by Parliament and allow members of the public to express support for a particular issue.

If an e-petition reaches 10,000 signatures the Government will issue a written response.

If an e-petition reaches 100,000 signatures the petition becomes eligible for a Parliamentary debate (usually Monday 4.30pm in Westminster Hall).

Petition Debates Contributed

We think that changing inheritance tax relief for agricultural land will devastate farms nationwide, forcing families to sell land and assets just to stay on their property. We urge the government to keep the current exemptions for working farms.


Latest EDMs signed by Chris Hinchliff

4th October 2024
Chris Hinchliff signed this EDM on Friday 14th March 2025

Scientific hearing on animal experiments

Tabled by: John McDonnell (Independent - Hayes and Harlington)
That this House applauds the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act 2022, enshrining in law the ability of animals to experience joy and feel suffering and pain; notes the science-based campaign For Life On Earth, with its Beagle Ambassador, rescued laboratory dog Betsy; is shocked to see the continuing harrowing exposés that …
40 signatures
(Most recent: 31 Mar 2025)
Signatures by party:
Labour: 18
Independent: 4
Green Party: 4
Scottish National Party: 4
Plaid Cymru: 4
Liberal Democrat: 3
Democratic Unionist Party: 2
Social Democratic & Labour Party: 1
Conservative: 1
12th March 2025
Chris Hinchliff signed this EDM on Friday 14th March 2025

Keeping transport workers safe

Tabled by: Steve Witherden (Labour - Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr)
That this House notes with concern the findings of the TSSA union’s latest report entitled Keep transport workers safe – no to abuse and harassment on the transport network; further notes that the report suggests violence and abuse directed at transport workers is endemic and that these workers regularly face …
42 signatures
(Most recent: 25 Mar 2025)
Signatures by party:
Labour: 26
Independent: 6
Plaid Cymru: 4
Green Party: 3
Democratic Unionist Party: 1
Scottish National Party: 1
Conservative: 1
View All Chris Hinchliff's signed Early Day Motions

Commons initiatives

These initiatives were driven by Chris Hinchliff, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.

MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.


Chris Hinchliff has not been granted any Urgent Questions

Chris Hinchliff has not been granted any Adjournment Debates

Chris Hinchliff has not introduced any legislation before Parliament

Chris Hinchliff has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting


Latest 50 Written Questions

(View all written questions)
Written Questions can be tabled by MPs and Lords to request specific information information on the work, policy and activities of a Government Department
29th Jan 2025
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will hold discussions with (a) Cabinet colleagues and (b) civil servants on the potential merits of introducing a scheme to enable (i) cultural exchange by and (ii) increased mobility of young people between the UK and EU.

The Government set out clear priorities for the reset with the EU in the manifesto. There are no plans for a Youth Mobility Scheme.

Nick Thomas-Symonds
Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
4th Oct 2024
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will conduct a review on insourcing public sector language services.

The Government will always aim to secure value for money and social value. As part of this, contracting authorities are required to take an analytical evidenced based approach on each contract and undertake a Delivery Model Assessment when making decisions about the right model for delivering public services.

This assessment is the responsibility of the relevant individual contracting authority.

Georgia Gould
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
4th Oct 2024
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will ensure that Departments only use (a) regulated, (b) registered and (c) qualified interpreters.

Government departments can access interpreters through the Crown Commercial Service’s RM6141 Language Services agreement, which offers innovative language solutions tailored to meet the core needs of the public sector.

To secure a place on the RM6141 Language Services framework, all suppliers must be prepared to provide proof of their interpreters’ qualifications upon request. The specific level of qualification required will depend on the services being procured. Additionally, when purchasing through this agreement, buyers may request the following information:

  • list of qualifications including supporting evidence

  • list of security clearances held including supporting evidence

  • list of previous experience and supporting evidence

  • evidence of Continuous Professional Development (CPD)

Georgia Gould
Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
5th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has had recent discussions with Stellantis on the closure of their Luton plant.

Ministers have engaged closely with Stellantis on the future of its operations in the UK, with the Secretary of State for Business and Trade most recently meeting the Chair of the Stellantis board on 1 February to discuss how the Luton plant could be kept open as well as ensuring appropriate support for affected workers should a closure proceed.

Sarah Jones
Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
3rd Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he plans to take steps to recover the costs of compensation from Fujitsu relating to failures of the Horizon Post Office IT system.

The Government welcomes Fujitsu’s acknowledgement of their moral obligation to make a contribution to the cost of the Horizon scandal. Fujitsu’s contribution will be decided once the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry has reviewed all the evidence and the Chair has delivered his report.

Gareth Thomas
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
27th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department has had discussions with trade unions on Vauxhall's planned closure of its plant in Luton.

Stellantis announced on 26 November that it was starting a consultation with staff on its plans to consolidate its two UK manufacturing sites into one plant at Ellesmere Port.

The Department is actively engaging with the company and has asked them to share the full details of its plans, including its consultation with workers and trade unions.

We will continue to work closely with Stellantis, as well as trade unions and Luton Borough Council, on the next steps of their proposals.

Sarah Jones
Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
27th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of Vauxhall's planned closure of its plant in Luton on North East Hertfordshire constituency; and if he will take steps to support (a) people and (b) businesses in that constituency affected by that planned closure.

Stellantis announced on 26 November that it was starting a consultation with staff at its Luton plant on its plans for the future of its manufacturing there.

The Department is actively engaging with the company and has asked them to share the full details of its plans, including the site.

We will continue to work closely with Stellantis, trade unions and Hertfordshire County Council to understand the impact of their proposals on the economy of Hertfordshire.

Sarah Jones
Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
27th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department is holding discussions with Stellantis on the announced closure of its Vauxhall plant in Luton.

The Secretary of State has been in contact with Stellantis since July to discuss the pressures in their UK and global business and the future of the Luton plant. He met them again on 26 November where they regrettably shared their proposals to consult on the closure Luton and consolidation at Ellesmere Port.

We know this will be a concerning time for the families of employees at Luton who may be affected, and we will continue to work closely with Stellantis, as well as trade unions and Luton Borough Council on the next steps of their proposals and how to mitigate the impact on employees affected and the local area.

Sarah Jones
Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
12th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of renewable energy projects on local communities.

This government has a very simple principle: if you live near new clean energy infrastructure, you should benefit from it. That's why the Planning and Infrastructure Bill proposes much-needed reforms, including direct bill discounts for communities, easier access to community funds, and a streamlined, less burdensome planning process. We know that to deliver on our mission we must bring communities with us.

Michael Shanks
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
16th Dec 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of improving the longevity of gas storage capacity.

The Government recognises the value in having natural gas storage facilities in place as a source of balancing system flexibility when demand for gas is high and allowing for the future storage of hydrogen. Energy security remains a key priority for this government. The Government will continue to work with storage operators, as well as the regulatory community, to explore options around the role storage can play in supporting future gas system resilience in a changing gas landscape.

Michael Shanks
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
4th Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing a social tariff in the energy market.

The Government has no plans to introduce an energy social tariff this winter. However, we are committed to ensuring vulnerable households are supported with their energy bills and we are looking at all options on how to support these households.

The Government is continuing to deliver the Warm Home Discount which provides a £150 rebate off energy bills to over 3 million eligible low-income households. We are also working with energy suppliers to ensure they are providing additional support to vulnerable customers.

The Government has also extended the Household Support Fund for an additional 6 months until 31 March 2025 with an extra £500 million in funding, and I encourage any individual who is struggling to pay their bills contacts their local authority to see if they are eligible for this support.

Miatta Fahnbulleh
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
27th Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to ensure a minimum level of provision for youth services across (a) North East Hertfordshire constituency and (b) the UK.

Local authorities have a statutory duty to secure, so far as is reasonably practicable, sufficient provision of educational and recreational leisure-time activities for young people. In September 2023 DCMS published updated statutory guidance to support local authorities’ understanding of the existing duty and how to deliver it. Alongside this, DCMS funds a Peer Review programme for local authorities to learn from each other about the best approaches to youth service provision.

This government has also committed to co-producing a new National Youth Strategy, which is an opportunity to move away from one-size-fits all approaches from central government, bringing power back to young people and their communities and rebuilding a thriving and sustainable sector. We plan to publish the strategy in the summer.

Stephanie Peacock
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
17th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether the permanent cost of pay rises for primary school teachers implemented in September 2024 has been factored into school budgets beyond April 2025.

The overall core schools budget is increasing by £3.2 billion in the 2025/26 financial year, meaning the core schools budget will total over £64.8 billion compared to almost £61.6 billion in the 2024/25 financial year. This includes the £2.3 billion announced at the Autumn Budget 2024 and over £930 million being provided to support schools and high needs settings with the increases to employer National Insurance contributions from April 2025.

The funding announced at the Autumn Budget 2024 includes funding to cover the remaining costs of the 2024 teachers’ pay award in the 2025/26 financial year.

For mainstream schools, all of this funding has been rolled into the schools national funding formula in 2025/26, ensuring that it forms an ongoing part of schools’ core budgets.

Catherine McKinnell
Minister of State (Education)
17th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of the timing of the start of the school budget year in April and the academic year in September on schools' ability to budget effectively for staffing needs when pupil numbers increase in September.

Schools are generally funded on the basis of their pupil numbers in the previous October census, therefore meaning the funding that schools receive for the 2025/26 funding year will be based on pupil numbers as of October 2024. This practice means that the department can publish allocations with enough time to give schools certainty over funding levels and to aid in their planning. It also gives schools time to adjust to any declines in pupil numbers, before these have an impact on their funding.

However, the department understands that this can cause problems where schools are experiencing significant growth in pupil numbers. The department also allocates ‘growth funding’ to local authorities. This can be used by local authorities to support both maintained schools and academies in managing a significant growth in pupil numbers, in advance of this increase being reflected in schools’ core funding allocations.

Catherine McKinnell
Minister of State (Education)
4th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of special educational provision in North East Hertfordshire constituency.

This government’s ambition is that all children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) or in alternative provision receive the right support to succeed in their education and as they move into adult life.

The department wants to drive a consistent and inclusive approach to supporting children and young people with SEND through early identification, effective support, high-quality teaching and effective allocation of resources. The department is also working closely with experts on reforms who will play a key role in convening and engaging with the sector, including leaders, practitioners, children and families as we consider the next steps for the future of SEND reform.

The department is providing support and challenge to the Hertfordshire local area partnership. In July 2023, Ofsted’s inspection of local arrangements in Hertfordshire for children with SEND concluded that there were widespread and/or systemic failings, leading to significant concerns about the experiences and outcomes of children and young people with SEND, which the local area partnership must address urgently.

Since then, the department has been using a SEND expert adviser to monitor progress against Hertfordshire’s priority action plan and improvement plan. In January 2025, the department sent the local area partnership a letter following a stocktake into their progress. This letter outlines that improvements are being made at pace, including on governance arrangements and quality assurance. However, there are still areas for the local area to address, for example on the impact and sustainability of improvements. The letter can be accessed here: https://sendnews.hertfordshire.gov.uk/31-january-2025#stocktake.

The partnership has also established a SEND Improvement Board, which is independently chaired by Dame Christine Lenehan, to oversee progress and provide appropriate challenge.

Catherine McKinnell
Minister of State (Education)
13th Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what hat assessment she has made of potential steps to improve and the (a) pay and (b) working conditions of supply teachers in North East Hertfordshire constituency.

Supply teachers make an important contribution to the smooth running of schools by filling posts on a temporary basis and covering teacher absences.

A supply teacher’s pay and working conditions will depend on who employs the supply teacher. Supply teachers employed directly by a state maintained school or local authority must be paid in accordance with the statutory arrangements for teachers as set out in the School Teachers’ Pay and Conditions Document (STPCD). If a supply teacher is employed by an agency or non-maintained school, the employer can set the rate of pay and conditions of employment.

Schools and local authorities are responsible for the recruitment of their supply teachers.

Catherine McKinnell
Minister of State (Education)
13th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of expanding free school transport access to include students between 16 and 19 years old.

The department recognises that the cost and availability of public transport can be an issue for some 16 to 19 year olds when travelling to their college or sixth form, particularly for those with special educational needs (SEN) or those living in rural areas.

It is the responsibility of local authorities to put in place transport arrangements to help young people aged 16 to 19 to access education or training, as well as those aged 19 to 24 with SEN, using funds they have available locally. All local authorities have to prioritise their spending carefully.

Many local authorities do offer some form of subsidised transport. For example, in North East Hertfordshire, Hertfordshire County Council offer discounted fares to all young people, and free transport for eligible young people from low-income backgrounds, or those with education, health and care plans, to access relevant learning.

The 16 to 19 Bursary Fund can also be used for transport costs to support young people to access education and training. Schools and colleges are responsible for deciding how to distribute their bursary allocations to students and for establishing what criteria to use.

Catherine McKinnell
Minister of State (Education)
23rd Jul 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of the process to secure a SEND diagnosis for children living in North East Hertfordshire.

Ofsted inspected local arrangements for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in Hertfordshire in July 2023. Its report, published on 10 November 2023, concluded that there are widespread and/or systemic failings, leading to significant concerns about the experiences and outcomes of children and young people with SEND, which the local area partnership must address urgently.

The report found that many children and young people with SEND face long delays in having their needs assessed and receiving appropriate support. Parents and carers often encounter poor communication regarding education, health and care (EHC) assessments, as well as review processes, with many needing to take formal steps to secure the right support for their child, leading to frustration and added stress for families.

To ensure children are supported in receiving the necessary support and provision to match their needs in a timely manner, the department continues to monitor and challenge Hertfordshire County Council’s progress against their priority action plan, which includes the monitoring of EHC plan 20-week timeliness rates.

Judgements regarding sufficient progress will be made by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission following the monitoring visit that is expected to take place 18 months after the initial inspection. Following this, the department will continue to monitor and provide appropriate challenge and support to the local authority to make the necessary improvements, with the guidance of an expert SEND advisor and NHS England advisor.

This government is committed to improving the experiences for children and young people with SEND and their families. The department will take a community-wide approach, improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools and alternative provision settings, as well as ensuring special schools cater to those with the most complex needs.

Catherine McKinnell
Minister of State (Education)
23rd Jul 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to support (a) children with SEND and (b) their parents, families and carers in North East Hertfordshire constituency.

This government is committed to providing the necessary support to improve the experiences for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and their families. The department is committed to taking a community-wide approach, improving inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools and alternative provision settings, as well as ensuring special schools cater to those with the most complex needs.

Ofsted inspected local arrangements for children with SEND in Hertfordshire in July 2023. Their report, published on 10 November 2023, concluded that there are widespread and/or systemic failings, leading to significant concerns about the experiences and outcomes of children and young people with SEND, which the local area partnership must address urgently.

The department provides support and challenge to the Hertfordshire local area partnership by monitoring progress against its priority action plan and improvement plan, and by providing advice and guidance via a SEND expert advisor. The partnership has also established a SEND Improvement Board, independently chaired by Dame Christine Lenehan to oversee progress and provide appropriate challenge.

Catherine McKinnell
Minister of State (Education)
23rd Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to review the provisions for dairy free options for children with dairy (a) allergies and (b) intolerances in the school milk subsidy scheme.

This is a devolved matter, and I am answering with responsibility for the school milk scheme in England.

Only milk and relevant dairy products are currently eligible for subsidy in the school milk scheme and there are no plans to subsidise dairy-free beverages.

The Government recognises that some children with clinical and dietary needs are unable to consume milk and expects schools to make reasonable adjustments for those with particular needs. The School Food Standards require milk to be available, but also enable schools in England to provide a variety of other products to meet pupils’ particular dietary needs. Further information is available on gov.uk at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-food-standards-resources-for-schools

A joint working group of the Committee on Toxicity and the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition was established in Autumn 2021 to conduct a risk-benefit- analysis considering both nutritional and toxicological aspects associated with the consumption of plant-based drinks by the UK population. This work is ongoing, and the Government will continue to monitor developments. These committees separately provide advice on food safety and nutrition issues to the UK Governments.

Daniel Zeichner
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
21st Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of extending regulations on blue badges to include a provision for people who run (a) taxis and (b) other transport vehicles that are designed to provide facilities for people with disabilities.

The Blue Badge scheme provides a range of parking concessions for people with a long-term disability, who travel either as passengers or drivers, that affects their capacity to access the goods and services they need to use.

The regulations governing the Blue Badge scheme define a disabled person's badge as: “a badge issued by a local authority for display on any motor vehicle driven by a disabled person or used for the carriage of a disabled person or of several disabled persons.”

The concessions can be used by taxis and any other vehicles with the badge on display, to drop off and collect a Blue Badge holder. The Department has no plans to amend the current eligibility criteria.

Lilian Greenwood
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
16th Dec 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has prepared improvement action plans for rail franchises due to be brought back into public ownership.

There will be no immediate changes to the specifications of services at the point of transfer. All operators will continue to go through an annual planning process with the Department to agree plans for changes to service specifications, performance improvements and other deliverables.

Once transferred, publicly owned operators will be managed by DfT Operator. DfT Operator works closely with its train companies to drive forward improvements for passengers and rail employees through its reform initiatives and it will ensure that its operators continually find better ways to make rail accessible for all.

The Government will not tolerate poor performance and will continue to hold all operators to account, regardless of ownership.

Simon Lightwood
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
22nd Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of disabled access at Baldock station; and whether her Department plans to upgrade access to that station.

This government is committed to improving the accessibility of Britain’s railway and recognise the social and economic benefits this brings to communities.

Ministers are carefully considering the best approach to the Access for All programme. We are unable to comment on next steps regarding specific stations, including at Baldock station. Once we can confirm our approach to Access for All programme, we will ensure MPs and stakeholders are informed.

Simon Lightwood
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
13th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential economic impact of differences in the cost per mile of domestic (a) plane and (b) train travel; and if her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of taking steps to equalise costs to ensure it is never cheaper to travel by plane than train for domestic purposes.

The UK aviation market operates predominantly in the private sector. Airlines’ business models can at times accommodate more flexible pricing than the railway.

The Government sets the percentage that regulated rail fares can be increased each year. Regulated fares make up around 45 per cent of rail fares and include commuter fares, such as season ticket and shorter-distance peak return, alongside longer-distance off-peak returns. The increase in regulated fares for 2025 will be the lowest absolute increase in three years and delivers a fair balance between passengers and taxpayers.

Mike Kane
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
3rd Feb 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the time taken for Pension Credit applications to be approved and what steps her Department is taking to reduce the time taken for Pension Credit applications to be processed.

DWP works to a planned timescale of 50 working days to clear Pension Credit claims. The most recent information on processing times for Pension Credit was published in the DWP annual report and accounts 2023 to 2024 - GOV.UK (ARA) on 22nd July 2024. This shows that in 2023/24 DWP cleared 192,000 Pension Credit claims within the planned 50 working day timescale, equating to 77.7%. The next publication of the ARA will include claims processed in the Financial Year 2024 to 2025, which is due for publication in the summer.

As a result of the increase in Pension Credit claims, the Department has deployed over 500 additional people to ensure it has the capacity to assess all claims in reasonable timescales. The latest available information for week commencing 20 January 2025 shows that the Average Actual Clearance Time for Pension Credit is 45 working days. However, Pension Credit is a complex benefit, and some claims require additional investigation or information from the customer, which can result in longer processing times.

Please note, the Average Actual Clearance Time figure shown is unpublished management information, collected and intended for internal departmental use and has not been quality assured to National Statistics or Official Statistics publication standard. It is rounded to the nearest working day and based on the week the claim was cleared, rather than the week the claim was made.

Torsten Bell
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
31st Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the number of qualifying benefits for the Winter Fuel Payment.

The Government has had to make hard choices to bring the public finances back under control. Linking Winter Fuel eligibility to Pension Credit and other means tested benefits for pensioners ensures the least well-off pensioners still receive the help they need. There are no plans to change the eligibility criteria.

Winter Fuel Payments will continue to be paid to pensioner households with someone receiving Pension Credit or certain other income-related benefits. They will continue to be worth £200 for eligible households, or £300 for eligible households with someone aged over 80.

We know there are low-income pensioners who aren’t claiming Pension Credit. We want to ensure as many people as possible have access to this support and urge pensioners to check their eligibility. Pension Credit will passport them to receive Winter Fuel Payments in future, alongside other benefits – including help with rent, council tax, fuel bills and a free TV licence for those over 75. That’s why Government is taking significant steps to raise awareness and maximise take-up.

The Government also offers direct financial help to low-income pensioners through Cold Weather Payments (in England & Wales) – and the Warm Home Discount scheme which provides eligible low-income households across Great Britain with a £150 rebate on their winter energy bill. We expect over three million households, including over one million pensioners, to benefit under the scheme this winter.

Low-income pensioners and others struggling with the cost of living should contact their local council to see what further support may be available to them, whether through energy support programmes or through the Household Support Fund (in England).

Torsten Bell
Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
21st Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of Wild Justice's report entitled Collateral Damage: The Rodenticide Stewardship Scheme - is it working?, published in November 2024.

The Rodenticides Stewardship Scheme was developed by The Campaign for Responsible Rodenticide Use UK to promote responsible use and is overseen by the Government Oversight Group for Rodenticide Stewardship (GOG), chaired by the Health and Safety Executive. The GOG is conducting a review of rodenticide stewardship, under which it will consider all appropriate evidence. The detailed work of this review is expected to be completed in 2025.

Stephen Timms
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
4th Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether she has made an assessment of the (a) potential merits and (b) viability of auto enrolment for pension credit.

It is not currently possible to accurately identify people who may be entitled to Pension Credit nor to determine how much they may be entitled to on the basis of the data which DWP holds. Like all means-tested benefits, a person’s eligibility for Pension Credit depends on their financial and personal household circumstances - information which, in most cases, DWP does not hold. Entitlement to Pension Credit is only established once a claim is made and award decisions often require the judgment of a decision maker weighing up evidence which cannot be done automatically.

It is however possible to identify certain households as highly likely to be entitled to Pension Credit on the basis of Housing Benefit data which DWP holds. This means we can scale-up last year’s ‘Invitation to Claim’ trial by targeting approximately 120,000 pensioner households who are in receipt of Housing Benefit and who may also be eligible for, but not currently claiming, Pension Credit. We will be inviting these households to apply for Pension Credit by 21 December, which is the latest date for making a successful backdated claim and still qualify for a Winter Fuel Payment.

Emma Reynolds
Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
4th Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of moving the qualifying week for Pension Credit to (a) 30 September, (b) 31 October and (c) 30 November 2024 on the number of eligible claimants.

There is no qualifying week for Pension Credit. A claim for Pension Credit may be made at any time and may be backdated for up to three months as long as the entitlement conditions are met during that period. This means that a pensioner who was eligible for, but had not claimed, Pension Credit during the qualifying week for the Winter Fuel Payment for winter 2024-25 (16 to 22 September 2024) can still qualify for the payment if they make a successful backdated application for Pension Credit by 21 December 2024.

Emma Reynolds
Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
23rd Jul 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential (a) financial cost and (b) impact on levels of child poverty of introducing a child element of Universal Credit of (i) £287.92, (ii) £191.95 and (iii) £143.96 for (A) third and (B) further children.

We are committed to tackling child poverty and are introducing free breakfast clubs in every primary school to ensure children are fed a nutritious breakfast and are ready to learn. The new Ministerial Taskforce will drive cross-government action on child poverty, starting with overseeing the development of our ambitious new strategy in line with the Opportunity Mission.

After initial engagement, the formal work to develop the new child poverty strategy will begin and we will publish a Full Terms of Reference in the coming weeks. We will explore how we can use all the available levers we have across government and wider society to drive forward the change our children need.

Alison McGovern
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
23rd Jul 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she plans to take to help support women affected by the rise in the State Pension age in North East Hertfordshire constituency.

DWP offers employment support for eligible customers of all ages, including those below State Pension age, through the network of Jobcentres across the UK, and through contracted employment programmes.

A dedicated offer for older workers seeks to provide tailored support for those affected by low confidence, menopause, health and disability or caring pressures, and out of date skills or qualifications. This includes an online midlife review tool that supports people to assess their health, wealth and skills.

The government has set out ambitious plans to improve employment support by bringing together jobcentres and the national careers service.

Emma Reynolds
Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
28th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many children were admitted into NHS care for more than seven days in the latest period for which data is available.

NHS England collects data on patient discharge episodes, including for children. Discharge data does not represent the number of individual children with a hospital stay, as a child may have more than one discharge from hospital within the reporting period.

Between April 2023 and March 2024, 67,421 discharge episodes were recorded where the patient was in hospital for more than seven days and was aged between zero and 17 years old when admitted into National Health Service care.

The following table shows a count of finished discharge episodes where the patient was aged between zero and 17 years old, including both total discharges and episodes where the patient was in hospital for more than seven days, each discharge month for 2023/24, for activity in English NHS hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector:

Discharge year

Discharge month

Total discharges

Discharges over seven days

2023

April

150,925

5,203

2023

May

167,886

5,731

2023

June

164,206

5,489

2023

July

160,981

5,393

2023

August

153,118

5,163

2023

September

162,577

5,203

2023

October

178,583

5,686

2023

November

186,682

6,144

2023

December

169,807

5,997

2024

January

174,492

5,698

2024

February

170,258

5,667

2024

March

180,789

6,047

Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), NHS England.

Notes:

  1. a discharge episode is the last episode during a hospital stay, or spell, where the patient is discharged from the hospital or transferred to another hospital. Discharges do not represent the number of patients, as a person may have more than one discharge from hospital within the period;
  2. the patient age is recorded at the point of admission, and this is used to determine the most appropriate setting for the patient. For the purposes of this data, we have only included discharges where the patient was aged zero to 17 years old at the point of admission;
  3. total discharges are a count of the total number of finished discharge episodes;
  4. discharge month episodes have been counted against the month in which the discharge occurred. It is possible that a patient may have been admitted in a month prior to their discharge; and
  5. for the financial year 2023/24, the data in the HES is held by the financial year in which the episode ends. This is to ensure that all clinical and administrative data relevant to the episode is available at the time of collection.
Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
19th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress he has made on creating a National Care Service.

The Government is launching an independent commission into adult social care as part of our critical first steps towards delivering a National Care Service.

Chaired by Baroness Casey of Blackstock, the Commission will start a national conversation about what people expect from adult social care, setting us on the road to fundamental reform that will build a social care system fit for the future.

Stephen Kinnock
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
4th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the policy paper entitled Better Care Fund policy framework 2025 to 2026, published on 30 January 2025, what plans he has to consult on changes to the maximum Disabled Facilities Grant limit.

In England, we continue to fund the locally administered Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG), which helps eligible older and disabled people on low incomes to adapt their homes. We are providing an immediate in-year uplift of £86 million in 2024/25. This is on top of the £625 million paid to local authorities in May 2024. The Government also announced an £86 million additional investment in the DFG for the 2025/26 financial year at the Budget, bringing the total funding for 2025/26 to £711 million.

To ensure the DFG is as effective as possible, we will continue to keep different aspects of the grant under consideration. As part of this, we are reviewing the suitability of the current upper limit and will set out further detail in due course.

Stephen Kinnock
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
29th Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that private parking companies do not overcharge for facilities at hospitals.

National Health Service trusts are expected to comply with the NHS car parking guidance 2022 for NHS trusts and NHS foundation trusts. This guidance states that charges, where they exist, should be reasonable for the area. This applies to all NHS trusts, including those that use private parking companies to operate their hospital car parks.

NHS organisations are responsible for the actions of the private contractors who run car parks on their behalf, and NHS organisations should act against rogue contractors in line with the relevant codes of practice where applicable.

Contracts should not be let on any basis that incentivises additional charges, for example income from parking charge notices only.

All NHS trusts that charge for car parking provide free hospital car parking in England for those most in need. This includes Blue Badge holders, frequent outpatient attenders, parents of sick children staying overnight in hospital, and NHS staff working night shifts. The Department has issued guidance to NHS trusts on the implementation of this commitment.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
26th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the report entitled Pharmacy Pressures Survey 2024: Funding and Profitability Report, published on 19 October 2024.

As noted in the review by Lord Darzi, primary care is under pressure and in crisis. The Government recognises that pharmacies are an integral part of the fabric of our communities, as an easily accessible front door to the National Health Service, staffed by highly trained and skilled healthcare professionals. Unfortunately, we inherited a system that has been neglected for too long and is no longer supporting the pharmacists we need to deliver for patients at a local level. I am committed to working with the sector, and would encourage all pharmacists to work with us to achieve what we all want, a service fit for the future.

Now that the Budget for the Government has been set, we will shortly be resuming our consultation with Community Pharmacy England regarding funding arrangements. I am unable to say more until these have been concluded.

Stephen Kinnock
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
4th Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of awarding teaching status to Lister Hospital; and when his Department plans to respond to the application on this matter.

Lister Hospital is part of the East and North Hertfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust. Officials are in correspondence with the trust about amending their establishment order to reflect teaching status.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
24th Jan 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of renewed operations by Israel around the refugee camp in Jenin; and what diplomatic representations he (a) has made and (b) plans to make to (i) his Israeli counterpart and (ii) other international partners.

Stability in the West Bank is crucial to ensure that the fragile ceasefire in Gaza can last. All sides should work to ensure a lowering of tension in the West Bank at this time. The Israeli authorities must exercise restraint. We are urging both sides to accept and honour the terms of the ceasefire deal and move to implement it in full - including an end to the fighting, the release of hostages and more aid getting into Gaza. The UK is ready to play a leading role in this process with international and regional partners. It should be predicated on tangible progress towards a Palestinian state, with Gaza and the West Bank united under one government. The Foreign Secretary has also met Palestinian community members in the West Bank where he heard how communities are affected.

Hamish Falconer
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
17th Dec 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his counterpart in Israel on hostages in Gaza.

Securing an immediate ceasefire and the safe release of all hostages, including Emily Damari and three other hostages with strong UK links, remains the UK's top priority. We have continuously supported hostage talks, and continue to work alongside our allies and partners in the region, exercising every possible diplomatic lever to see the hostages immediately released. On 8 December, the Foreign Secretary spoke with his Israeli counterpart, Gideon Sa'ar, and stressed the importance of securing a ceasefire to enable the safe return of Emily Damari and the three other UK-linked hostages and see an end to the war in Gaza.

Hamish Falconer
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
4th Oct 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to appoint a Special Envoy on Freedom of Religion and Belief.

This Government will champion freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all. No one should live in fear because of what they do, or do not believe in. Envoy roles are under Ministerial consideration and will be decided upon in due course. In the meantime, we will continue to use the strength of our global diplomatic network, including dedicated staff within the FCDO, to promote and protect FoRB around the world.

Anneliese Dodds
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
4th Sep 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he is taking steps to encourage (a) the USA and (b) Europe to review the risk of their arms exports to Israel being used to commit serious violations of international law.

The UK has some of the most robust export licencing criteria in the world, which states that the Government will not issue export licences if there is a clear risk that the items might be used in violations of International Humanitarian Law. We have deemed that there is such a risk and have taken the necessary decision under our domestic legislation. The Foreign Secretary made an Oral Statement to update the House on this decision on 2 September. Other countries have their own processes. We will continue to work closely with our allies, including the USA and European countries, on Middle East issues, including the crucial priority of a ceasefire.

Hamish Falconer
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
23rd Jul 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will take steps with Cabinet colleagues to negotiate improved mobility rights for UK citizens travelling to EU countries.

We want to strengthen ties with the UK's immediate neighbours and allies and explore areas where we can boost our prosperity and security through mutually beneficial agreements.

We will continue to support opportunities to build our people-to-people links with our partners, but we have been clear that there will be no return to free movement with the EU.

Stephen Doughty
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
26th Mar 2025
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if her Department will publish the modelling used to set changes to (a) Agricultural Property Relief and (b) Business Property Relief.

The Government believes its reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief from 6 April 2026 get the balance right between supporting farms and businesses, and fixing the public finances. The reforms reduce the inheritance tax advantages available to owners of agricultural and business assets, but still mean those assets will be taxed at a much lower effective rate than most other assets. Despite a tough fiscal context, the Government will maintain very significant levels of relief from inheritance tax beyond what is available to others and compared to the position before 1992.

The reforms are expected to result in up to 520 estates claiming agricultural property relief, including those also claiming business property relief, in 2026-27 paying more inheritance tax. Almost three-quarters of estates claiming agricultural property relief, including those that also claim for business property relief, will not pay any more tax as a result of the changes in 2026-27, based on the latest available data.

The Government has also set out that around 1,500 estates across the UK only claiming business property relief are expected to be affected in 2026-27, with around 1,000 of these expected to only hold shares designated as “not listed” on the markets of recognised stock exchanges, such as the Alternative Investment Market. The remaining 500 estates will include business assets from sectors across the economy that are eligible for business property relief. These reforms mean that around three-quarters of estates claiming business property relief in 2026-27 (excluding those only relating to holding shares designated as “not listed”) will not pay any more inheritance tax in 2026-27.

The tax base consists of all estates subject to inheritance tax that are projected to claim agricultural property relief or business property relief across the scorecard period. The tax base is estimated using HMRC administrative data, and is grown over the forecast in line with the Office for Budget Responsibility’s (OBR) forecast for inheritance tax receipts. More detail on the Government’s estimates, including why these projections should be viewed as a maximum, are also available in a letter from the Chancellor of the Exchequer to the Chair of the Treasury Select Committee in November 2024, which is available at committees.parliament.uk/publications/45691/documents/226235/default/.

The reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief are forecast to raise a combined £520 million in 2029-30. The independent OBR certified this costing at Autumn Budget 2024 and it does not expect the reforms to have a significant macroeconomic impact. The OBR published information in the Economic and Fiscal Outlook on 30 October 2024 and this is available at https://obr.uk/efo/economic-and-fiscal-outlook-october-2024/. The OBR recently published more detail in January 2025 on the costings at https://obr.uk/docs/dlm_uploads/IHT-APR-and-BPR-supplementary-release-Jan-2025.pdf.

In accordance with standard practice, a tax information and impact note will be published alongside the draft legislation before the relevant Finance Bill.

James Murray
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
26th Mar 2025
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will publish her Department's impact assessments of changes to (a) Agricultural Property Relief and (b) Business Property Relief.

The Government believes its reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief from 6 April 2026 get the balance right between supporting farms and businesses, and fixing the public finances. The reforms reduce the inheritance tax advantages available to owners of agricultural and business assets, but still mean those assets will be taxed at a much lower effective rate than most other assets. Despite a tough fiscal context, the Government will maintain very significant levels of relief from inheritance tax beyond what is available to others and compared to the position before 1992.

The reforms are expected to result in up to 520 estates claiming agricultural property relief, including those also claiming business property relief, in 2026-27 paying more inheritance tax. Almost three-quarters of estates claiming agricultural property relief, including those that also claim for business property relief, will not pay any more tax as a result of the changes in 2026-27, based on the latest available data.

The Government has also set out that around 1,500 estates across the UK only claiming business property relief are expected to be affected in 2026-27, with around 1,000 of these expected to only hold shares designated as “not listed” on the markets of recognised stock exchanges, such as the Alternative Investment Market. The remaining 500 estates will include business assets from sectors across the economy that are eligible for business property relief. These reforms mean that around three-quarters of estates claiming business property relief in 2026-27 (excluding those only relating to holding shares designated as “not listed”) will not pay any more inheritance tax in 2026-27.

The tax base consists of all estates subject to inheritance tax that are projected to claim agricultural property relief or business property relief across the scorecard period. The tax base is estimated using HMRC administrative data, and is grown over the forecast in line with the Office for Budget Responsibility’s (OBR) forecast for inheritance tax receipts. More detail on the Government’s estimates, including why these projections should be viewed as a maximum, are also available in a letter from the Chancellor of the Exchequer to the Chair of the Treasury Select Committee in November 2024, which is available at committees.parliament.uk/publications/45691/documents/226235/default/.

The reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief are forecast to raise a combined £520 million in 2029-30. The independent OBR certified this costing at Autumn Budget 2024 and it does not expect the reforms to have a significant macroeconomic impact. The OBR published information in the Economic and Fiscal Outlook on 30 October 2024 and this is available at https://obr.uk/efo/economic-and-fiscal-outlook-october-2024/. The OBR recently published more detail in January 2025 on the costings at https://obr.uk/docs/dlm_uploads/IHT-APR-and-BPR-supplementary-release-Jan-2025.pdf.

In accordance with standard practice, a tax information and impact note will be published alongside the draft legislation before the relevant Finance Bill.

James Murray
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
26th Mar 2025
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of the findings of the report by the National Farmers Union entitled APR and BPR reform alternative, published on 19 February 2025, on changes to agricultural property relief and business property relief.

I refer the Honourable Member to the answer given to UIN 32918.

James Murray
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
26th Mar 2025
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will publish a response to the report by the National Farmers Union entitled An impact analysis of APR reforms on commercial family farms, published on 25 November 2024.

The Government believes its reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief from 6 April 2026 get the balance right between supporting farms and businesses, and fixing the public finances. The reforms reduce the inheritance tax advantages available to owners of agricultural and business assets, but still mean those assets will be taxed at a much lower effective rate than most other assets. Despite a tough fiscal context, the Government will maintain very significant levels of relief from inheritance tax beyond what is available to others and compared to the position before 1992.

The reforms are expected to result in up to 520 estates claiming agricultural property relief, including those also claiming business property relief, in 2026-27 paying more inheritance tax. Almost three-quarters of estates claiming agricultural property relief, including those that also claim for business property relief, will not pay any more tax as a result of the changes in 2026-27, based on the latest available data.

The Government has also set out that around 1,500 estates across the UK only claiming business property relief are expected to be affected in 2026-27, with around 1,000 of these expected to only hold shares designated as “not listed” on the markets of recognised stock exchanges, such as the Alternative Investment Market. The remaining 500 estates will include business assets from sectors across the economy that are eligible for business property relief. These reforms mean that around three-quarters of estates claiming business property relief in 2026-27 (excluding those only relating to holding shares designated as “not listed”) will not pay any more inheritance tax in 2026-27.

The tax base consists of all estates subject to inheritance tax that are projected to claim agricultural property relief or business property relief across the scorecard period. The tax base is estimated using HMRC administrative data, and is grown over the forecast in line with the Office for Budget Responsibility’s (OBR) forecast for inheritance tax receipts. More detail on the Government’s estimates, including why these projections should be viewed as a maximum, are also available in a letter from the Chancellor of the Exchequer to the Chair of the Treasury Select Committee in November 2024, which is available at committees.parliament.uk/publications/45691/documents/226235/default/.

The reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief are forecast to raise a combined £520 million in 2029-30. The independent OBR certified this costing at Autumn Budget 2024 and it does not expect the reforms to have a significant macroeconomic impact. The OBR published information in the Economic and Fiscal Outlook on 30 October 2024 and this is available at https://obr.uk/efo/economic-and-fiscal-outlook-october-2024/. The OBR recently published more detail in January 2025 on the costings at https://obr.uk/docs/dlm_uploads/IHT-APR-and-BPR-supplementary-release-Jan-2025.pdf.

In accordance with standard practice, a tax information and impact note will be published alongside the draft legislation before the relevant Finance Bill.

James Murray
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)