Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, in what way defined contribution pension pots held in drawdown are taken into account when determining entitlement to means-tested benefits; and what guidance his Department provides to pensioners on the relationship between pension drawdown decisions and benefit eligibility.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)

For Universal Credit, a defined contribution pension pot that has not yet been accessed is generally disregarded. Once pension savings are accessed, regular drawdown payments are treated as income for Universal Credit purposes, while any lump sum withdrawals are treated as capital and assessed under the normal Universal Credit capital rules.

The Department's guidance, Pension freedoms and DWP benefits, explains how accessing pension savings, including through drawdown, can affect Universal Credit entitlement.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department has assessed the extent to which higher voluntary workplace pension contributions increase Universal Credit awards; and whether he has considered the potential merits of introducing limits on the level of pension contributions that may be deducted from earnings for the purposes of Universal Credit assessment.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)

No such assessment has been made.

Universal Credit is assessed using a claimant's net earnings. Employee contributions to an occupational or personal pension are deducted when calculating earnings for Universal Credit purposes, in line with the legislative framework for determining entitlement.

The Department has not considered introducing limits on the level of pension contributions that may be deducted from earnings for Universal Credit purposes.

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to improve levels of participation in grassroots sport.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government believes in the power of grassroots sport. Everyone should have access to quality sport and physical activity opportunities.

The majority of support through our Arm’s Length Body, Sport England, which annually invests over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding to support grassroots participation.

Directly investing £400 million into grassroots facilities across the country.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of providing additional funding to local authorities to support the use of High Street Rental Auctions in areas with persistent commercial vacancy.

Answered by Jim McMahon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Local authorities are not required to notify the Department if they adopt High Street Rental Auction (HSRA) powers and therefore the Department does not hold comprehensive data on take-up. However, through regular engagement with local authorities, we are aware of more than 40 councils that have either implemented or are actively preparing to use HSRAs.

The Government recognises that there are costs associated with implementing the powers and is currently gathering evidence from local authorities to review the HSRA new burdens payments. Through this engagement, councils have highlighted additional costs associated with identifying suitable vacant premises and refurbishment of long-term vacant premises. To that end, the Government has announced a £10 million funding package to support HSRA implementation. Further details will be made available in due course.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the level of resource requirements on local authorities wishing to utilise High Street Rental Auction powers.

Answered by Jim McMahon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Local authorities are not required to notify the Department if they adopt High Street Rental Auction (HSRA) powers and therefore the Department does not hold comprehensive data on take-up. However, through regular engagement with local authorities, we are aware of more than 40 councils that have either implemented or are actively preparing to use HSRAs.

The Government recognises that there are costs associated with implementing the powers and is currently gathering evidence from local authorities to review the HSRA new burdens payments. Through this engagement, councils have highlighted additional costs associated with identifying suitable vacant premises and refurbishment of long-term vacant premises. To that end, the Government has announced a £10 million funding package to support HSRA implementation. Further details will be made available in due course.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many local authorities have commenced High Street Rental Auction procedures since the powers came into force.

Answered by Jim McMahon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Local authorities are not required to notify the Department if they adopt High Street Rental Auction (HSRA) powers and therefore the Department does not hold comprehensive data on take-up. However, through regular engagement with local authorities, we are aware of more than 40 councils that have either implemented or are actively preparing to use HSRAs.

The Government recognises that there are costs associated with implementing the powers and is currently gathering evidence from local authorities to review the HSRA new burdens payments. Through this engagement, councils have highlighted additional costs associated with identifying suitable vacant premises and refurbishment of long-term vacant premises. To that end, the Government has announced a £10 million funding package to support HSRA implementation. Further details will be made available in due course.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of existing programmes supporting the diversification of high streets into leisure, cultural and community uses.

Answered by Jim McMahon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Diversification into leisure, cultural, community and public service uses can play an important role in supporting high street vitality. Evidence from evaluations of the Towns Fund and UK Shared Prosperity Fund indicates that the strongest outcomes are achieved where these uses form part of an integrated, place-based approach, helping to increase footfall, strengthen pride in place and support local economic activity.

Successful examples include North East Lincolnshire, where Freshney Place is being transformed from a traditional shopping centre into a mixed-use destination incorporating leisure, food, health and community facilities, helping to generate footfall throughout the day and evening. In Barnsley, the Health on the High Street programme integrated health services into the town centre, with the Community Diagnostic Centre delivering over 220,000 appointments and generating more than 50,000 additional town centre visits annually. In Prescot, the £38 million Shakespeare North Playhouse attracts around 100,000 visitors each year and generates £12.4 million of local spending, helping to strengthen the town centre’s cultural identity.

More broadly, evaluation evidence shows that events, markets and cultural activities can increase footfall, dwell time and pride in place, particularly when delivered alongside wider regeneration activity. This evidence will continue to inform the Government’s High Streets Strategy, which will be published later this year.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the Government plans to review national guidance on CAMHS referrals and prioritisation to ensure that children and young people with autism, OCD, ADHD and related neurodevelopmental conditions can access specialist mental health support before their condition reaches the point of requiring hospitalisation.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Last December, we asked clinical psychologist Professor Peter Fonagy to lead an independent review, examining the prevalence of, and support for, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism, and mental health conditions. Professor Fonagy's final report will be published later this year, and will inform our new national approach in this area.

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 whether CAMHS triage and prioritisation systems are effectively identifying and prioritising children and young people whose mental health is rapidly deteriorating, but who have not yet reached crisis thresholds.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Last December, we asked clinical psychologist Professor Peter Fonagy to lead an independent review, examining the prevalence of, and support for, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism, and mental health conditions. Professor Fonagy's final report will be published later this year, and will inform our new national approach in this area.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when she plans to publish the updated statutory guidance on social housing allocations referred to in the National Plan to End Homelessness.

Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Department is reviewing the statutory guidance on social housing allocations. To inform this review, the Department has invited evidence from local authorities, housing associations, charities, academics, tenant groups and others with experience of allocations. Evidence gathered will inform policy development and updated guidance. The Department aims to consult on updated guidance in early 2027.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she plans to introduce further funding streams specifically aimed at supporting mixed-use town centre regeneration in post-industrial towns.

Answered by Jim McMahon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Government is committed to revitalising high streets, including by supporting mixed use regeneration. A High Streets Strategy will be published this year, and we will set out more details on funding plans in due course, and we are keen to learn from the challenges and good practice across the country.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential animal welfare implications of importing seafood products from the Faroe Islands; and whether animal welfare considerations will form part of future reviews of the UK's trade arrangements with the Faroe Islands.

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 Government is committed to upholding high animal welfare standards in all of our trading relationships, with Faroese imports subject to the UK’s strict quality and standards regime.

There are currently no plans to formally review the terms of the UK-Faroe Islands Free Trade Agreement (FTA). However, the Government will continue to raise animal welfare with the Faroe Islands at every appropriate opportunity, including via the UK-Faroe Islands FTA Joint Committee, which last met in June 2026.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the extent to which proposed SEND reforms will improve coordination between schools, local authorities, and mental health services in identifying and supporting children with complex educational and mental health needs at an earlier stage.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Effective early identification and intervention is critical in improving the outcomes of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). As part of the SEND consultation, the government committed to strengthening local SEND partnerships and planning across the country. The response to the consultation will set out how the department will strengthen partnership and multi-agency working across the country, including early years settings, Best Start Family Hubs, and wider partners, to ensure need is identified at the earliest possible point. The Information Sharing Duty of the Children Wellbeing and Schools Act, which commences on 30 September, will further support multi agency information sharing to improve earlier identification of need in relation to promoting the welfare of children.