Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many full time equivalent staff have been re-employed on HMRC’s customer telephone service in each year since 2015.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

Data on the number of complaints relating to telephony services is held in line with HMRC’s retention policy.

In March 2023, HMRC changed from only recording the primary cause of a complaint to recording all contributing causes and factors of a complaint.

HMRC has previously faced challenges in delivering good customer service.

In 2024-25 HMRC has increased its telephony ‘adviser attempts handled’ and decreased wait times. HMRC’s latest performance information is published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmrc-monthly-performance-reports#reporting-year-2024-to-2025

HMRC is encouraging more of its customers to use its online services to complete tasks quickly and easily online. Satisfaction with HMRC’s online services is consistently above 80%.

HMRC operates a flexible resourcing model where staff are deployed across various types of customer service work throughout the year. This allows HMRC to allocate resources to support customers where and when they need it most across different channels, including helplines, post correspondence and webchat. Given the dynamic nature of HMRC’s workforce, their staffing records do not segregate helpline resources separately. Telephony services are funded from HMRC’s overall funding settlement.

HMRC started reporting on disconnections after 70 minutes when they introduced a new telephony system. Information on the number of disconnections from March 2023 and for April 2023 to March 2024 is published in the HMRC Annual report and accounts 2023 to 2024: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hmrc-annual-report-and-accounts-2023-to-2024

The average time to answer a customer telephone call for each year since 2015 is published as part of HMRC’s annual reports and accounts: 2023 to 2024 – historical data series (see above link).

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many and what proportion of customers have made a complaint about the customer telephone service in each year since 2015.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

Data on the number of complaints relating to telephony services is held in line with HMRC’s retention policy.

In March 2023, HMRC changed from only recording the primary cause of a complaint to recording all contributing causes and factors of a complaint.

HMRC has previously faced challenges in delivering good customer service.

In 2024-25 HMRC has increased its telephony ‘adviser attempts handled’ and decreased wait times. HMRC’s latest performance information is published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmrc-monthly-performance-reports#reporting-year-2024-to-2025

HMRC is encouraging more of its customers to use its online services to complete tasks quickly and easily online. Satisfaction with HMRC’s online services is consistently above 80%.

HMRC operates a flexible resourcing model where staff are deployed across various types of customer service work throughout the year. This allows HMRC to allocate resources to support customers where and when they need it most across different channels, including helplines, post correspondence and webchat. Given the dynamic nature of HMRC’s workforce, their staffing records do not segregate helpline resources separately. Telephony services are funded from HMRC’s overall funding settlement.

HMRC started reporting on disconnections after 70 minutes when they introduced a new telephony system. Information on the number of disconnections from March 2023 and for April 2023 to March 2024 is published in the HMRC Annual report and accounts 2023 to 2024: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hmrc-annual-report-and-accounts-2023-to-2024

The average time to answer a customer telephone call for each year since 2015 is published as part of HMRC’s annual reports and accounts: 2023 to 2024 – historical data series (see above link).

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many times has HMRC disconnected a customer who has waited for longer than 70 minutes to speak to an advisor on their customer telephone service in each year since 2015.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

Data on the number of complaints relating to telephony services is held in line with HMRC’s retention policy.

In March 2023, HMRC changed from only recording the primary cause of a complaint to recording all contributing causes and factors of a complaint.

HMRC has previously faced challenges in delivering good customer service.

In 2024-25 HMRC has increased its telephony ‘adviser attempts handled’ and decreased wait times. HMRC’s latest performance information is published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmrc-monthly-performance-reports#reporting-year-2024-to-2025

HMRC is encouraging more of its customers to use its online services to complete tasks quickly and easily online. Satisfaction with HMRC’s online services is consistently above 80%.

HMRC operates a flexible resourcing model where staff are deployed across various types of customer service work throughout the year. This allows HMRC to allocate resources to support customers where and when they need it most across different channels, including helplines, post correspondence and webchat. Given the dynamic nature of HMRC’s workforce, their staffing records do not segregate helpline resources separately. Telephony services are funded from HMRC’s overall funding settlement.

HMRC started reporting on disconnections after 70 minutes when they introduced a new telephony system. Information on the number of disconnections from March 2023 and for April 2023 to March 2024 is published in the HMRC Annual report and accounts 2023 to 2024: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hmrc-annual-report-and-accounts-2023-to-2024

The average time to answer a customer telephone call for each year since 2015 is published as part of HMRC’s annual reports and accounts: 2023 to 2024 – historical data series (see above link).

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what HMRC's budget has been for a customer telephone service in each year since 2015.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

Data on the number of complaints relating to telephony services is held in line with HMRC’s retention policy.

In March 2023, HMRC changed from only recording the primary cause of a complaint to recording all contributing causes and factors of a complaint.

HMRC has previously faced challenges in delivering good customer service.

In 2024-25 HMRC has increased its telephony ‘adviser attempts handled’ and decreased wait times. HMRC’s latest performance information is published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmrc-monthly-performance-reports#reporting-year-2024-to-2025

HMRC is encouraging more of its customers to use its online services to complete tasks quickly and easily online. Satisfaction with HMRC’s online services is consistently above 80%.

HMRC operates a flexible resourcing model where staff are deployed across various types of customer service work throughout the year. This allows HMRC to allocate resources to support customers where and when they need it most across different channels, including helplines, post correspondence and webchat. Given the dynamic nature of HMRC’s workforce, their staffing records do not segregate helpline resources separately. Telephony services are funded from HMRC’s overall funding settlement.

HMRC started reporting on disconnections after 70 minutes when they introduced a new telephony system. Information on the number of disconnections from March 2023 and for April 2023 to March 2024 is published in the HMRC Annual report and accounts 2023 to 2024: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hmrc-annual-report-and-accounts-2023-to-2024

The average time to answer a customer telephone call for each year since 2015 is published as part of HMRC’s annual reports and accounts: 2023 to 2024 – historical data series (see above link).

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the average time to answer a customer telephone call was in each year since 2015.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

Data on the number of complaints relating to telephony services is held in line with HMRC’s retention policy.

In March 2023, HMRC changed from only recording the primary cause of a complaint to recording all contributing causes and factors of a complaint.

HMRC has previously faced challenges in delivering good customer service.

In 2024-25 HMRC has increased its telephony ‘adviser attempts handled’ and decreased wait times. HMRC’s latest performance information is published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmrc-monthly-performance-reports#reporting-year-2024-to-2025

HMRC is encouraging more of its customers to use its online services to complete tasks quickly and easily online. Satisfaction with HMRC’s online services is consistently above 80%.

HMRC operates a flexible resourcing model where staff are deployed across various types of customer service work throughout the year. This allows HMRC to allocate resources to support customers where and when they need it most across different channels, including helplines, post correspondence and webchat. Given the dynamic nature of HMRC’s workforce, their staffing records do not segregate helpline resources separately. Telephony services are funded from HMRC’s overall funding settlement.

HMRC started reporting on disconnections after 70 minutes when they introduced a new telephony system. Information on the number of disconnections from March 2023 and for April 2023 to March 2024 is published in the HMRC Annual report and accounts 2023 to 2024: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/hmrc-annual-report-and-accounts-2023-to-2024

The average time to answer a customer telephone call for each year since 2015 is published as part of HMRC’s annual reports and accounts: 2023 to 2024 – historical data series (see above link).

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department plans to re-open water testing Laboratories that are Regulation 31 certified.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The water industry must comply with Regulation 31 and they cannot purchase and install a product from a supplier without first assuring themselves that the product has been approved or meets the requirements of Regulation 31. The Government recognises that it is critically important that there are effective procedures and regulatory oversight and the Drinking Water Inspectorate has been pro-actively supporting the industry towards accessing additional laboratory facilities and services with respect to Regulation 31 testing.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, pursuant to the Answer of 21 January 2025 to Question 23431 on Local Government: Employers' Contributions, whether she made a comparative assessment of the potential impact of this approach to calculating National Insurance Contribution funding on compensation for increased payroll costs for (a) district councils and (b) county councils and unitary authorities.

Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government has announced an additional £515 million of support for local government in England specifically to manage the impact of changes to employer NICs announced at the Autumn Budget.

Final allocations to local authorities will be published alongside final positions on methodology as part of the final Local Government Finance Settlement in early February 2025.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the letter on UIN 11295 from the Minister for Veterans and People to the hon. Member for Harborough, Oadby and Wigston, dated 19 November 2024, and pursuant to the Answer of 31 October 2024 to Question 11295 on Army Cadet Force: Costs, at what stage through the Annual Budget Cycle process his Department is as of 27 January 2025; and how much funding he plans to provide for Control Total for Army Cadet Force expenditure in 2025-26.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

Autumn Budget 2024 set the Ministry of Defence budget for financial year 2025-26 as £59.8 billion, an increase of £2.9 billion from this year. The Department is currently conducting the budget-setting process for 2025-26, with final budgets to be set before the start of the financial year in the normal way.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will publish her planned timetable for rolling out the National Parking Platform across England.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Government continues to support the concept of a National Parking Platform (NPP), recognising the depth of support for it across the parking sector and its many benefits. However, we are of the view that it could and should be delivered without the need to rely on public funding, particularly given the dire financial position the Government inherited.

I am pleased to say that a consortium comprising the British Parking Association and the other key industry stakeholders has come together to develop a potential long term delivery model for the national rollout of the NPP. My officials are working at pace with them to explore how this could be achieved. The pilot project will continue to be funded to the 31 March 2025 while these discussions are on-going.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority will retain independent commissioners.

Answered by Darren Jones - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

The National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA) will combine the functions of the National Infrastructure Commission and Infrastructure and Projects Authority. NISTA will bring oversight of strategy and delivery into one organisation, driving more effective delivery of infrastructure across the country.

On 17 January 2025, the Prime Minister announced in a Written Ministerial Statement that NISTA will be a joint unit of HM Treasury and Cabinet Office, effective from 1 April 2025. Further detail on the work and governance of NISTA will be announced in due course.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of providing assistance for costs to unemployed jobseekers for travelling to in-person interviews for temporary jobs on minimum pay.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

Our new Get Britain Working plan is designed to reform employment support and create a new jobs and careers service to help people into work. We know that travel costs can be a barrier to work for unemployed customers. Currently the Flexible Support Fund is a discretionary non-recoverable fund, that work coaches can use to remove barriers to work for eligible Universal Credit customers, such as assistance with travel costs.

Furthermore, the Jobcentre Plus Travel Discount Card is available to eligible customers to offer reduced rail fares supporting them into employment. The main aim of this support is to improve customers’ job and earnings progression prospects and can include travel to interviews.

Wheelchair services provided by AJM Healthcare

US proposals for Gaza

Found: Johnson Josh Fenton-Glynn Emily Darlington Wera Hobhouse Steve Witherden Laura Kyrke-Smith Daisy Cooper

Found: _185 Kim Leadbeater Daisy Cooper Dr Marie Tidball Rachel Hopkins .

Found: _NC10 Steve Darling Sarah Gibson Daisy Cooper Clive Jones Munira Wilson Olly Glover Liz Jarvis

Found: _NC68 Daisy Cooper Munira Wilson .

Found: _185 Kim Leadbeater Daisy Cooper Dr Marie Tidball Rachel Hopkins .

Found: _NC10 Steve Darling Sarah Gibson Daisy Cooper Clive Jones Munira Wilson Olly Glover Liz Jarvis

Found: _NC68 Daisy Cooper Munira Wilson .

Found: _184 Kim Leadbeater Daisy Cooper .

Found: _NC68 Daisy Cooper Munira Wilson .

Found: _NC10 Steve Darling Sarah Gibson Daisy Cooper Clive Jones Munira Wilson Olly Glover Liz Jarvis

Found: _NC68 Daisy Cooper Munira Wilson .

Found: _2 Daisy Cooper .

Found: _NC12 Steve Darling Munira Wilson Sarah Gibson Daisy Cooper Clive Jones Wendy Chamberlain Liz Jarvis

Found: _NC68 Daisy Cooper Munira Wilson ★.

Found: _NC12 Steve Darling Munira Wilson Sarah Gibson Daisy Cooper Clive Jones Wendy Chamberlain Liz Jarvis

Found: _2 Daisy Cooper .

Found: _NC12 Steve Darling Munira Wilson Sarah Gibson Daisy Cooper Clive Jones Wendy Chamberlain Liz Jarvis

Found: _2 Daisy Cooper .

Found: intention of amendment number six – Clause 9, page 6, line 27, leave out "may" and insert "must" (Daisy Cooper

Found: _NC12 Steve Darling Munira Wilson Sarah Gibson Daisy Cooper Clive Jones Wendy Chamberlain Liz Jarvis

Found: _2 Daisy Cooper .

Found: _NC12 Steve Darling Munira Wilson Sarah Gibson Daisy Cooper Clive Jones Wendy Chamberlain Liz Jarvis

Found: _2 Daisy Cooper .

Found: Existing Amendments: The WSTA fully supports the reasoned amendment tabled by Daisy Cooper MP, Sarah