Asked by: Claire Young (Liberal Democrat - Thornbury and Yate)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he plans to implement the recommendation of the Work and Pensions Committee’s report on Benefit levels in the UK, published in 2024, to use independent advice, including from the Social Security Advisory Committee, when setting the Universal Credit standard allowance.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)
The Government values the contributions of both the Work and Pensions Committee and the Social Security Advisory Committee in scrutinising and advising on social security policy. The existing statutory framework remains the most appropriate mechanism for setting benefit rates, including Universal Credit. Through the Universal Credit Act, we have already delivered the first sustained above-inflation increase to the Universal Credit standard allowance since its introduction, with increases continuing through to 2029/30.
We will continue to consider evidence and insights from a wide range of organisations and people with lived experience, to help ensure the social security system provides the support people need.
Asked by: Claire Young (Liberal Democrat - Thornbury and Yate)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many households in South Gloucestershire had deductions taken from their Universal Credit award in the latest month for which data is available.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)
The requested information is published in Universal Credit quarterly statistics, 29 April 2013 to 14 May 2026 - GOV.UK and available in Universal Credit deductions statistics June 2025 to May 2026, supplementary data tables, specifically in table 7, row 280.
Asked by: Claire Young (Liberal Democrat - Thornbury and Yate)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department holds an estimate of the weekly cost of essentials for a single adult aged 25 or over; and what target level for the Universal Credit standard allowance above inflation increases in the Universal Credit Act 2025 are intended to reach by 2029/30.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)
Each Universal Credit award includes a standard allowance which is paid according to age and household unit. The purpose of the standard allowance is to provide towards basic living costs. Additional amounts are added to provide for individual needs such as housing, children, disability, and childcare costs.
Whilst a range of organisations have published estimated costs that provides a useful benchmark, each household will always have different circumstances and requirements they must meet.
The Universal Credit Act 2025 requires the standard allowance to increase by the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) each year plus a minimum additional uplift through to 2029/30. From April 2027, the standard allowance will increase by 3.5 per cent followed by a further 3.1 percent uplift, meaning a single person aged 25 or over will receive around £219 more next year - over £45 more than if up-rated by inflation alone.
Asked by: Claire Young (Liberal Democrat - Thornbury and Yate)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he plans to introduce country specific default emissions values for cement under the UK Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism before 2029.
Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General
On 16 October, the Government published default values for 2027 and 2028. These are single product-level default values, based on a trade weighted approach with data from the EU excluded.
Alongside this, the Government published a Written Ministerial Statement in committing to introducing country-specific default values for the UK Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism from 2029. This includes for cement. It is not feasible to introduce country-specific default emissions values before 2029.
That Written Ministerial Statement can be found here:
Written statements - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament
Asked by: Claire Young (Liberal Democrat - Thornbury and Yate)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, when he plans to publish the consultation on eligibility for the Energy Intensive Industries Compensation Scheme; and whether that consultation will include cement manufacturing.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade is aware of the competitiveness challenges facing the cement sector and regularly engages with the sector to understand its needs. The Government encourages the cement manufacturing industry to engage with the Energy-Intensive Industries Compensation Scheme review when the opportunity arises.
Asked by: Claire Young (Liberal Democrat - Thornbury and Yate)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment HM Treasury has made of the adequacy of the access to cash framework established under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2023 in securing the long term future of banking hubs; and whether the Government plans to review its policy statement on access to cash.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government is committed to maintaining the viability of cash as a payment method for those who choose to use it. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has responsibility and powers to seek to ensure reasonable provision of access to cash withdrawal and deposit facilities.
The cash access policy statement, to which the FCA must have regard to when setting its rules, notes that the FCA should seek to ensure that at least 95% of people are within 1 mile of a cash access facility in urban areas and within 3 miles for rural areas. The latest data from the FCA shows it is meeting those distances. The FCA has committed to carry out a formal evaluation of its access to cash regime in due course.
The Government also understands the importance of banking services to communities and high streets and is committed to supporting the financial services industry’s roll-out of 350 banking hubs by the end of this Parliament. The Government has also commissioned an independent Review into Access to Banking Services, to assess whether changes in access to in-person banking services are causing consumer detriment and the scale of any detriment. The Government intends to use the Financial Services and Markets Bill to introduce a power to allow action to be taken in future to protect access to banking services, should the evidence support intervention.
Asked by: Claire Young (Liberal Democrat - Thornbury and Yate)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the Government plans to issue updated guidance to the Financial Conduct Authority on the criteria used in cash access assessments, including the weight given to rural communities and residents without adequate access to digital banking.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government is committed to maintaining the viability of cash as a payment method for those who choose to use it. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has responsibility and powers to seek to ensure reasonable provision of access to cash withdrawal and deposit facilities.
The cash access policy statement, to which the FCA must have regard to when setting its rules, notes that the FCA should seek to ensure that at least 95% of people are within 1 mile of a cash access facility in urban areas and within 3 miles for rural areas. The latest data from the FCA shows it is meeting those distances. The FCA has committed to carry out a formal evaluation of its access to cash regime in due course.
The Government also understands the importance of banking services to communities and high streets and is committed to supporting the financial services industry’s roll-out of 350 banking hubs by the end of this Parliament. The Government has also commissioned an independent Review into Access to Banking Services, to assess whether changes in access to in-person banking services are causing consumer detriment and the scale of any detriment. The Government intends to use the Financial Services and Markets Bill to introduce a power to allow action to be taken in future to protect access to banking services, should the evidence support intervention.
Asked by: Claire Young (Liberal Democrat - Thornbury and Yate)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the terms of reference for the review of brain cancer led by Professor Anthony Chalmers will include an assessment of the use and outcomes of the £40 million committed for brain cancer research in 2018.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 25 June in response to Question 9944. The review will assess progress since the Government’s 2018 review of brain tumour research, and what is still holding progress back. Terms of reference for the review are in development. A national action plan will follow.
Asked by: Claire Young (Liberal Democrat - Thornbury and Yate)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how much of the £40 million committed in 2018 for brain cancer research following the death of Baroness Jowell has been spent to date; and how much remains unallocated.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 25 June in response to Question 9944. The review will assess progress since the Government’s 2018 review of brain tumour research, and what is still holding progress back. Terms of reference for the review are in development. A national action plan will follow.
Asked by: Claire Young (Liberal Democrat - Thornbury and Yate)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the outcomes of research funded through the £40 million brain cancer research commitment announced in 2018.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 25 June in response to Question 9944. The review will assess progress since the Government’s 2018 review of brain tumour research, and what is still holding progress back. Terms of reference for the review are in development. A national action plan will follow.