Asked by: Claire Hazelgrove (Labour - Filton and Bradley Stoke)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure adequate levels of financial education in schools.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
Financial education currently forms a compulsory part of the National Curriculum for mathematics (at key stages 1 to 4) and citizenship (at key stages 3 and 4). The primary mathematics curriculum includes arithmetic knowledge that supports pupils’ ability to manage budgets and money, including, for example, calculations with money and percentages. In secondary mathematics, pupils are taught topics such as how to calculate compound interest, which is relevant for personal finance. In citizenship, pupils are taught the function and uses of money, how to budget and manage credit and debt, as well as concepts like insurance, savings and pensions.
High and rising school standards are at the heart of the government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and give every child the best start in life. The government‘s ambition is for a broad, rich and cutting-edge curriculum that equips children and young people with the essential knowledge and skills required to thrive as citizens, in work and throughout life. This is why the government announced a Curriculum and Assessment Review on 19 July 2024, chaired by Professor Becky Francis CBE.
The Curriculum and Assessment Review group has launched a call for evidence. The review group has set out a number of key questions and themes where it would particularly welcome evidence and input from the sector and stakeholders to help direct the focus of the review and engagement with the sector over the autumn term.
The views of young people, parents, teachers, lecturers, leaders and other education staff and experts are pivotal to the recommendations, so that the panel can draw on the wealth of expertise and experience across the sector. Anyone can access and respond to the call for evidence.
Asked by: Claire Hazelgrove (Labour - Filton and Bradley Stoke)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to help ensure (a) fair access to tickets for music artists and (b) that tickets are not sold for higher prices on secondary sites.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government is clear that fans should be kept at the heart of live events, and we are concerned to see vastly inflated prices excluding many fans from having the opportunity to enjoy their favourite musicians.
We have committed to introducing new protections for consumers on ticket resales, and we will launch a consultation in the autumn to seek views on potential options. Alongside the consultation we will publish a call for evidence on price transparency for live events tickets which will include dynamic pricing.
We recognise that this is a complex area, and will work with artists, industry and fans to create a fairer system that ends the scourge of touts, rip-off resales and ensures tickets are available at fair prices.
Asked by: Claire Hazelgrove (Labour - Filton and Bradley Stoke)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of (a) tax and (b) pay slip processes for individuals with dyscalculia.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
As tax and pay slip processes cover a significant range of HMRC activity, HMRC have not been able to provide a specific impact assessment for individuals with dyscalculia.
The HMRC Charter and Principles of support set out HMRC’s commitments to identifying and supporting all customers who need extra help. The need for extra help can cover a range of circumstances which could include individuals with dyscalculia.
Asked by: Claire Hazelgrove (Labour - Filton and Bradley Stoke)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of removing VAT on spectacles for people with a disability.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The government offers support for individuals to help with the cost of glasses through NHS optical vouchers. Those eligible for help include children and those on certain income-related benefits. The value of optical vouchers varies from £42.40 to £233.56, depending on the level of a patient’s glasses prescription.
While spectacles attract the standard rate of VAT, health and welfare services, including opticians and eye tests, are exempt from VAT made by qualifying opticians.
One of the key considerations for any potential new VAT relief is whether the cost saving is likely to be passed on to consumers. Evidence suggests that businesses only partially pass on any savings from lower VAT rates.
VAT is a broad-based tax that applies to most goods and services. Any new VAT relief must be considered in the context of the current fiscal position. As set out at the end of July, the Chancellor of the Exchequer has pledged to restore economic stability after revealing £22 billion of unfunded pressures in 2024-25 inherited from the previous Government.
Restoring fiscal responsibility and economic stability are critical to getting our economy growing and keeping taxes, inflation, and mortgages as low as possible.
As with all taxes, the Government welcomes representations on how the tax system can be improved.
Asked by: Claire Hazelgrove (Labour - Filton and Bradley Stoke)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of Universal Credit entitlement for people with children not in full-time education due to (a) special educational needs and disabilities or (b) other health issues.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
No assessment has been made.
Asked by: Claire Hazelgrove (Labour - Filton and Bradley Stoke)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he had made of the impact of prescription costs on people with chronic health conditions.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
No assessment has been made of the impact of prescription costs on people with chronic health conditions. Approximately 89% of prescription items are dispensed free of charge in the community in England and there is a wide range of exemptions from prescription charges already in place. Eligibility depends on the patient’s age, whether they are in qualifying full-time education, whether they are pregnant or have recently given birth, or whether they are in receipt of certain benefits or a war pension.
People on low incomes can apply for help with their health costs through the NHS Low Income Scheme. The scheme provides income related help to people who are not automatically exempt from charges but who may be entitled to full or partial help if they have a low income and savings below a defined limit.
To support those with greatest need who do not qualify for an exemption or the NHS Low Income Scheme, prescription prepayment certificates (PPCs) are available. PPCs allow people to claim as many prescriptions as they need for a set cost, with three month and 12-month certificates available.
Asked by: Claire Hazelgrove (Labour - Filton and Bradley Stoke)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will take steps to ensure that people entering into financial commitments are provided with adequate information on the (a) contract and (b) impact of borrowing.
Answered by Tulip Siddiq - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is responsible for regulating the consumer credit market. It is part of a robust regulatory system which is driving the Government’s vision for a well-functioning and sustainable consumer credit market that meets consumers’ needs.
Prior to entering into an agreement, a firm must provide a consumer with a range of information, allowing them to compare the features of different credit products, and to ensure they understand the key terms of the agreement they are entering into. This includes Adequate Explanations required by FCA rules, as well as Pre-Contractual Credit Information set out in the Consumer Credit Act 1974.
Lenders are also required to adhere to rules and guidelines set out in the FCA’s Consumer Credit Sourcebook (CONC) on responsible lending. These rules are based on the principle that money should only be lent in circumstances where it is affordable and appropriate for the consumers’ needs. Such rules mandate firms to undertake affordability and creditworthiness assessments against consumers to assess their ability to repay the credit without causing financial difficulty.
You may also be interested to know that the Government is committed to reforming the Consumer Credit Act 1974 to make it fit for purpose and bolster consumer protection. As part of this, the Government will consider how to ensure consumers are better informed about the costs and conditions of credit products and can make informed decisions. The government will be publishing proposals in due course.
Asked by: Claire Hazelgrove (Labour - Filton and Bradley Stoke)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has had recent discussions with HMRC on recent technical issues affecting the online self assessment process; and whether HMRC has made an assessment of the cause of those issues.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
HMRC had two unrelated incidents during August impacting the online Self-Assessment service, one for 21 hours and one for 8 hours. As part of HMRC’s standard process, both incidents were resolved as quickly as possible and analysed in post incident reviews where we took learnings and put in place actions to avoid future incidents.
Asked by: Claire Hazelgrove (Labour - Filton and Bradley Stoke)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she has made a recent assessment of the level of availability of pet-friendly accommodation in the private rental sector; and whether her Department is taking steps to increase the availability of pet-friendly accommodation.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
In 2021, the English Private Landlord Survey showed that almost half of landlords were unwilling to let to tenants with pets. The Government wants to ensure more tenants can experience the benefits of pet ownership – including the benefits to mental and physical health. The Renters’ Rights Bill will give tenants the right to request a pet and ensure landlords cannot unreasonably withhold consent. Landlords will be required to respond to any requests by a tenant to keep a pet within 28 days, instead of the 42 that had been proposed by the previous Government. Tenants will be able to challenge unfair decisions.
Asked by: Claire Hazelgrove (Labour - Filton and Bradley Stoke)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she has made an assessment of the implications for her policies of levels of house (a) buyers and (b) sellers withdrawing from a sale at the last minute.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government recognises that the current home buying and selling process in England is slow, costly and stressful, and that transactions falling through can contribute to this.
On average, around one in three transactions fall through before completion, costing consumers around £400 million in direct costs alone.
We continue to consider how to drive improvements most effectively across home buying and selling for both consumers and the sector.