Dan Aldridge Portrait

Dan Aldridge

Labour - Weston-super-Mare

4,409 (10.4%) majority - 2024 General Election

First elected: 4th July 2024


Water (Special Measures) Bill [HL]
18th Dec 2024 - 16th Jan 2025


Division Voting information

During the current Parliament, Dan Aldridge has voted in 170 divisions, and never against the majority of their Party.
View All Dan Aldridge 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
Lola McEvoy (Labour)
(4 debate interactions)
Bridget Phillipson (Labour)
Minister for Women and Equalities
(4 debate interactions)
Alex Davies-Jones (Labour)
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
(4 debate interactions)
View All Sparring Partners
View all Dan Aldridge's debates

Weston-super-Mare 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).

Dan Aldridge has not participated in any petition debates

Latest EDMs signed by Dan Aldridge

9th December 2024
Dan Aldridge signed this EDM on Thursday 19th December 2024

Institutes of Technology

Tabled by: Will Stone (Labour - Swindon North)
That this House commends and celebrates the 21 Institutes of Technologies across the UK for their outstanding contribution to delivering high-quality, advanced technical education and training in a wide array of STEM fields; and notes that they play a vital role in addressing industry skills gaps by responding to the …
26 signatures
(Most recent: 3 Feb 2025)
Signatures by party:
Labour: 14
Liberal Democrat: 3
Conservative: 3
Independent: 2
Green Party: 2
Democratic Unionist Party: 1
Scottish National Party: 1
17th July 2024
Dan Aldridge signed this EDM on Thursday 18th July 2024

200th anniversary of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution

Tabled by: Helena Dollimore (Labour (Co-op) - Hastings and Rye)
That this House congratulates the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) on its 200th anniversary of saving lives at sea; thanks all crew members who have risked their lives to save over 140,000 lives at sea; and pays tribute to all volunteers past and present who support this vital work.
54 signatures
(Most recent: 30 Oct 2024)
Signatures by party:
Labour: 39
Liberal Democrat: 6
Plaid Cymru: 4
Conservative: 2
Independent: 1
Democratic Unionist Party: 1
Scottish National Party: 1
View All Dan Aldridge's signed Early Day Motions

Commons initiatives

These initiatives were driven by Dan Aldridge, 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.


Dan Aldridge has not been granted any Urgent Questions

Dan Aldridge has not been granted any Adjournment Debates

Dan Aldridge has not introduced any legislation before Parliament

1 Bill co-sponsored by Dan Aldridge

Road Traffic (Unlicensed Drivers) Bill 2024-26
Sponsor - Will Stone (Lab)


Latest 26 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
20th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of including measures to require boards to report on cyber resilience in the draft Audit Reform and Corporate Governance Bill.

All large and medium-sized companies are already required to report on their material risks within their annual strategic report, including on cyber risk where this is a material risk. Recognising the important strategic role that boards of directors play in risk management, the Government intends to launch a Cyber Governance Code of Practice, and cyber governance training, to support boards in governing cyber risks and building cyber resilience. We will bring forward the draft Audit Reform and Corporate Governance Bill shortly, with which we intend to provide the audit and governance regulator with important new powers and objectives relating to the audit and reporting duties of directors.

Justin Madders
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
19th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions he has had with Meta on preventing the sale of illegal e-bikes on their marketplace platform.

Product safety law requires that all consumer products placed on the UK market must be safe. The Office for Product Safety and Standards, in my Department, has a programme of work focused on making sure online platforms, including Meta, are aware of their responsibilities for preventing the supply of unsafe products to UK consumers, and requires them to remove unsafe or non-compliant products made available on their sites.

Justin Madders
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
21st Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to ensure Ofcom requires all user-to-user services to remove child sexual abuse content from their platforms.

The Online Safety Act creates new duties on online services to tackle illegal content and activity. The strongest duties are to protect children from sexual abuse and exploitation (CSEA) and to stop child sexual abuse material (CSAM) from being shared. The illegal content duties have been in effect from 17 March. Ofcom is the regulator for the regime and has set out steps providers can take including strong automated content moderation and takedown measures. Ofcom will continue to develop their codes iteratively, including additional measures to detect, prevent and remove CSAM.

Feryal Clark
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
21st Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to prevent children from receiving (a) harmful content and (b) misinformation from chatbots.

AI generated content is regulated by the Online Safety Act where it is shared on an in-scope user-to-user or search service and constitutes illegal content or content which is harmful to children. This includes mis- and dis- information where it is assessed to present material harm to a significant number of children. Providers of pornographic content must also prevent children from accessing that content.

Chatbots with functionalities that bring them into scope of the Online Safety Act will be required to comply with the relevant duties including preventing children from encountering harmful content – whether that is real or synthetic.

Feryal Clark
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
20th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the increased use of AI by (a) cyber-criminals and (b) nation state actors on cyber security risks to the UK.

Cyber security is a priority for the government. We are taking action to protect businesses, citizens and essential services against cyber threats. Last year the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) said AI will almost certainly increase the volume and heighten the impact of cyber attacks over the next two years, however the impact on the cyber threat would be uneven. The full report is at https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/report/impact-of-ai-on-cyber-threat .

The Cyber Security and Resilience Bill will require regulated organisations to adopt cyber security measures which protect against a wide range of cyber threats, including AI-enabled threats. Further details on the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill will be published in due course.

Cyber attacks cost the UK economy billions of pounds per year, resulting in serious disruption for businesses and individuals, and disruption to supply chains and public services. Cyber attacks harm confidence and investment in UK technology, while intellectual property can be stolen which has cost billions of pounds to develop. The Cyber Security Breaches Survey [https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/cyber-security-breaches-survey] sets out further details on the impact of cyber threats and we will publish further research on this in due course.

Feryal Clark
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
20th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he plans to include provisions within the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill on requiring regulated organisations to adopt cybersecurity to help tackle AI-enabled threats.

Cyber security is a priority for the government. We are taking action to protect businesses, citizens and essential services against cyber threats. Last year the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) said AI will almost certainly increase the volume and heighten the impact of cyber attacks over the next two years, however the impact on the cyber threat would be uneven. The full report is at https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/report/impact-of-ai-on-cyber-threat .

The Cyber Security and Resilience Bill will require regulated organisations to adopt cyber security measures which protect against a wide range of cyber threats, including AI-enabled threats. Further details on the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill will be published in due course.

Cyber attacks cost the UK economy billions of pounds per year, resulting in serious disruption for businesses and individuals, and disruption to supply chains and public services. Cyber attacks harm confidence and investment in UK technology, while intellectual property can be stolen which has cost billions of pounds to develop. The Cyber Security Breaches Survey [https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/cyber-security-breaches-survey] sets out further details on the impact of cyber threats and we will publish further research on this in due course.

Feryal Clark
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
20th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of (a) AI-enabled and (b) other cyber attacks on economic (i) security and (ii) competitiveness.

Cyber security is a priority for the government. We are taking action to protect businesses, citizens and essential services against cyber threats. Last year the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) said AI will almost certainly increase the volume and heighten the impact of cyber attacks over the next two years, however the impact on the cyber threat would be uneven. The full report is at https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/report/impact-of-ai-on-cyber-threat .

The Cyber Security and Resilience Bill will require regulated organisations to adopt cyber security measures which protect against a wide range of cyber threats, including AI-enabled threats. Further details on the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill will be published in due course.

Cyber attacks cost the UK economy billions of pounds per year, resulting in serious disruption for businesses and individuals, and disruption to supply chains and public services. Cyber attacks harm confidence and investment in UK technology, while intellectual property can be stolen which has cost billions of pounds to develop. The Cyber Security Breaches Survey [https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/cyber-security-breaches-survey] sets out further details on the impact of cyber threats and we will publish further research on this in due course.

Feryal Clark
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
20th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what (a) guidance and (b) resources he is providing to (i) small and medium enterprises and (ii) other businesses to help (A) prepare for and (B) mitigate quantum cyber risks.

The government recognises the cyber threats posed by quantum computing. The NCSC recently issued new guidance to help organisations prepare for and protect against threats posed by future developments in quantum computing [https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/guidance/pqc-migration-timelines]. The guidance is focused on migrating to post-quantum cryptography to mitigate the potential future quantum threat to encryption services, and identifying and mitigating cyber risks during the migration.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and NCSC have also commissioned external research to understand industry barriers and incentives to migrate to post-quantum cryptography. This will be used to inform future policy interventions to drive the transition.

The government continues to monitor developments in quantum computing and uptake of post-quantum cryptography, including working with other countries to keep UK citizens and organisations secure. The government continues to assess wider cyber risks from critical and emerging technologies on an ongoing basis.

Feryal Clark
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
20th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to help tackle the threat posed by quantum computing to cybersecurity infrastructure.

The government recognises the cyber threats posed by quantum computing. The NCSC recently issued new guidance to help organisations prepare for and protect against threats posed by future developments in quantum computing [https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/guidance/pqc-migration-timelines]. The guidance is focused on migrating to post-quantum cryptography to mitigate the potential future quantum threat to encryption services, and identifying and mitigating cyber risks during the migration.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and NCSC have also commissioned external research to understand industry barriers and incentives to migrate to post-quantum cryptography. This will be used to inform future policy interventions to drive the transition.

The government continues to monitor developments in quantum computing and uptake of post-quantum cryptography, including working with other countries to keep UK citizens and organisations secure. The government continues to assess wider cyber risks from critical and emerging technologies on an ongoing basis.

Feryal Clark
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
20th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill will ensure that data centres are (a) secure and (b) resilient.

Our current cyber security laws – the NIS Regulations (2018) – are inherited from the EU and are the UK’s only cross-sector cyber security-specific legislation. The cyber threat has since evolved since 2018 due to AI and other technology and geopolitical trends. The laws therefore require an urgent update to ensure UK infrastructure and economy is not comparably more vulnerable. This is why we announced the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill, which will improve the UK’s cyber defences, strengthen our regulatory approach and protect more digital services and supply chains.

The government announced in September 2024 that data centres have been designated as critical national infrastructure, meaning the sector will benefit from greater government support in preparing for and managing critical incidents. Further details on the content of the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill will be published in due course.

Feryal Clark
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
20th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of (a) cyber security laws and (b) supporting regulatory guidance in preventing supply chain attacks on critical (i) services and (ii) infrastructure.

Our current cyber security laws – the NIS Regulations (2018) – are inherited from the EU and are the UK’s only cross-sector cyber security-specific legislation. The cyber threat has since evolved since 2018 due to AI and other technology and geopolitical trends. The laws therefore require an urgent update to ensure UK infrastructure and economy is not comparably more vulnerable. This is why we announced the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill, which will improve the UK’s cyber defences, strengthen our regulatory approach and protect more digital services and supply chains.

The government announced in September 2024 that data centres have been designated as critical national infrastructure, meaning the sector will benefit from greater government support in preparing for and managing critical incidents. Further details on the content of the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill will be published in due course.

Feryal Clark
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
9th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that national sports governing bodies enforce compliance with statutory safeguarding guidance; and what assessment she has made of the adequacy of enforcement mechanisms for failing to act in the absence of direct harm.

The safety, wellbeing and welfare of everyone taking part in sport is absolutely paramount. National Governing Bodies are responsible for the regulation of their sports and for ensuring that appropriate measures are in place to protect participants from harm, including through adherence to statutory safeguarding guidance.

In order to be in receipt of public funding all sport’s organisations need to be in adherence with the Code for Sport Governance, authored by Government’s Arm’s Length Bodies, UK Sport and Sport England. The code includes provisions in relation to welfare and safety which all organisations are required to adhere to.

Sport England also provides support to the sport and physical activity sector around safeguarding, including funding the Ann Craft Trust and the NSPCC’s Child Protection in Sport Unit.

Stephanie Peacock
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
11th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will commission research into the potential merits of the use of generative AI in apprenticeship provision.

The department is committed to supporting high quality apprenticeship training provision which supports employers and learners gain the skills they need for long-term success.

It is for training providers to choose how best to deliver apprenticeship training in order to equip learners with the knowledge, skills and behaviours set out in the apprenticeship standard, in consultation with the learner and employer. The department encourages providers to explore how they can use the latest technologies to enhance their offers.

The department will continue to work with experts to consider and respond to the implications of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and other emerging technologies.

Janet Daby
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
11th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department has made an assessment of the adequacy of the role of generative AI in apprenticeship provision.

The department is committed to supporting high quality apprenticeship training provision which supports employers and learners gain the skills they need for long-term success.

It is for training providers to choose how best to deliver apprenticeship training in order to equip learners with the knowledge, skills and behaviours set out in the apprenticeship standard, in consultation with the learner and employer. The department encourages providers to explore how they can use the latest technologies to enhance their offers.

The department will continue to work with experts to consider and respond to the implications of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and other emerging technologies.

Janet Daby
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
11th Nov 2024
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what discussions her Department has had with training providers on the potential adoption of generative AI in education settings.

The department is building the evidence base for how generative artificial intelligence (AI) is best used in education and learning from the experience and expertise of the sector. As part of this work departmental officials have sought views and experiences from practitioners and training providers across all stages of education as well as the education technology sector and AI experts.

Departmental officials have also regularly met with representative bodies, such as the Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP), who represent training providers. On 1 February 2024, departmental officials met representative bodies at the AELP AI conference, to discuss AI related work programs.

In November 2023, the department published the response to the call for evidence on generative AI in education to understand more about sector views and early use of generative AI tools across schools, further education and higher education. The response is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/generative-artificial-intelligence-in-education-call-for-evidence. In January 2024, the department published a report outlining educator and expert views on generative AI, which is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/generative-ai-in-education-educator-and-expert-views.

The department is also a member of the cross-government AI working group and we are collaborating with peers across government to share thinking and expertise as we develop future policy.

Stephen Morgan
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
17th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of amending the Road Traffic Act 1991 to include the mandated reporting of cats that are (a) struck and (b) killed by vehicles.

There are no plans to amend section 170 of the Road Traffic Act to make it mandatory for drivers to report road collisions involving cats.


Although there is no obligation to report all collisions with animals on roads,Rule 286 of The Highway Code advises drivers to report any collisions involving an animal to the police, and if possible, they should make enquiries to ascertain the owner of domestic animals and advise them of the situation.


Since June 2024, all cats in England over 20 weeks of age must be microchipped and registered on a compliant database, unless exempt or free-living. This will make it easier for National Highways and local authorities to reunite cats with their keepers.

Lilian Greenwood
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
17th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to (a) reduce waiting times on her Department's helplines and (b) prevent calls from being cut off after long waiting periods.

(a) Reduce waiting times on Department's helplines

DWP reviews forecasted telephony demand and plans resourcing accordingly to keep wait times down. Wait time performance is frequently reviewed and where DWP’s telephony is delivered by an outsourced provider we use the Key Performance Indicator of percentage of calls answered. All DWP customer telephone lines are Freephone numbers.


The Department is investing in a new capability that aims to better route customers to the right offer at the right time. This will help to reduce waiting times by supporting customers to utilise digital alternatives where appropriate and enables telephony agents to speak to our customers that really need to speak to someone. If a customer indicates they may be at risk of physical or mental harm e.g. suicide, terminal illness, homelessness, and clinical mental health, they will be routed to a telephony agent in as short a journey as possible.


The Department offers a wide range of reasonable adjustments for customers, including production of communications in a range of alternative formats. We are currently testing further digital solutions for British Sign Language interpreter connectivity within our jobcentre environment.

(b) Prevent calls from being cut off after long waiting periods

Regarding disconnections, while mobile phone contracts may disconnect after a certain time period, we do not intentionally cut off customers after long wait times. We do not have anything configured in our Contact Centre platform to automatically cut customers off after any time threshold, or period of waiting.

We do, however, inform customers when they are in a queue and we know their call won't be answered before the line closes, and request that they call back.

Andrew Western
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
21st Feb 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to help those with (a) severe health conditions and (b) disabilities complete the Personal Independence Payment application process.

The Department is regularly in contact with claimants who are vulnerable. Many, particularly those with severe heath conditions and disabilities, already have support in place from third parties (friends, relatives or appointees for example). However, for those who don’t, DWP provide a range of information and services to support customers through the application process.

Applications for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) are normally registered by telephone. To support hearing and speech impaired applicants, DWP uses the Video Relay Service to communicate in real time through a British Sign Language interpreter over a video connection. DWP also uses Relay UK, previously known as Next Generation Text, to correspond through typed messages via a BT agent.

DWP offers a claims completion service over the telephone to help PIP applicants without support from another source.

For the most vulnerable customers, support – including help with form completion – is offered through the Visiting Service:https://www.gov.uk/support-visit-benefit-claim

DWP has also produced a series of videos to support understanding of and navigation through each part of application and assessment: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/personal-independence-payment-customer-journey-films

Stephen Timms
Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
16th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that people with diabetes are not impacted by the shortage of Ozempic.

The Department has worked intensively with pharmaceutical industry, NHS England, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and others in the supply chain to largely resolve the supply issues with GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs), including Ozempic (semaglutide). Currently all strengths and presentations of Ozempic are available. We continue to monitor the supply of GLP-1 RA’s closely to ensure these medicines remain available for patients. Any patient concerned about their condition, or access to these medications, should speak to their prescriber in the first instance.

Karin Smyth
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
24th Apr 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what measures his Department is taking to (a) monitor and (b) regulate care home fees.

Under the Care Act 2014, local authorities are tasked with the duty to shape their care markets to meet the diverse needs of all local people. This includes commissioning a diverse range of care and support services that enable people to access quality care.

Section 4.31 of the Care and Support Statutory (CASS) guidance states that when commissioning services, local authorities should assure themselves and have evidence that the contract terms, conditions, and fee levels for care and support services are appropriate to provide the delivery of the agreed care packages with the agreed quality of care. Further information on the CASS guidance can be found at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/care-act-statutory-guidance/care-and-support-statutory-guidance.

Fee rates are set by providers of adult social care, the majority of which are in the independent sector. The Department does not have powers to set or recommend the level of fees that care homes charge.

As part of our monitoring of the Market Sustainability and Improvement Fund grant conditions, and to understand fee rates more generally, local authorities are required to provide an annual return to the Department which includes data on the fee rates they pay care providers. The Government publishes this data annually, with the latest being available at the following link:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/market-sustainability-and-improvement-fund-2024-to-2025-care-provider-fees/market-sustainability-and-improvement-fund-msif-provider-fee-reporting-2024-to-2025

Please note this does not include data on fee rates for those that pay for their own care, known as self-funders.

Stephen Kinnock
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
10th Mar 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has any plans to introduce legislation requiring alcoholic beverages to display (a) full ingredient lists and (b) nutritional information in line with the labelling requirements for other food and drink products.

It is mandatory for alcohol labels to state the product’s strength, namely alcohol by volume, and whether the product contains any of the 14 main allergens. There is also voluntary guidance on communicating the UK Chief Medical Officers' low risk drinking guidelines. There are no current plans to change mandatory labelling requirements on alcoholic products.

A National Institute for Health and Care Research-funded study on alcohol calorie labelling is underway to assess the impact of alcohol calorie labelling on product selection, purchasing, and consumption, which will report in 2026.

Ashley Dalton
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
2nd May 2025
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department plans to reduce the rate of VAT for the hospitality and tourism sector.

The Government recognises the significant contribution made by hospitality businesses to economic growth and social life in the UK.

Tax breaks reduce the revenue available for vital public services and must represent value for money for the taxpayer. Exceptions to the standard rate have always been limited and balanced against affordability considerations. The exceptional VAT relief for tourism and hospitality during the Covid-19 pandemic cost over £8 billion. The Government has no current plans to change the VAT rate for the hospitality and tourism sector.

James Murray
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
27th Mar 2025
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will take steps with Cabinet colleagues to increase taxation on (a) higher-polluting vehicles and (b) tax pickup trucks used for personal purposes as private vehicles.

The Government uses the tax system to support a variety of objectives including our legally binding climate targets, including the transition to electric vehicles (EVs).

At Autumn Budget 2024, the Government announced changes to the Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) first year rates from 1 April 2025, to introduce higher rates for hybrid and petrol/diesel vehicles for 2025-26, and freeze the rate for zero emission vehicles until 2029-30.

The Budget also announced new company car tax rates for 2028-29 and 2029-30, which gradually increase the rates for both petrol/diesel and electric vehicles whilst restricting incentives for hybrid vehicles, which research has shown are over three times more polluting than previously thought.

Cars are treated according to their emissions under the capital allowances system; and company cars made available for private use are also taxed according to their CO2 emissions under the benefit in kind regime.

From April 2025 this includes some pick-up trucks such as double cab pick-ups and extended cab pick-ups. These vehicles will be charged a higher rate for the benefit in kind, and be eligible for lower capital allowances reflecting their generally higher emissions.

James Murray
Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
9th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps her Department is taking to simplify the Court of Protection’s Deputyship application process for families of disabled children who lack capacity to access Child Trust Funds.

No such assessment has been undertaken. In many cases, no fee is payable for a court order to access a Child Trust Fund where this is the sole asset.

Where a young adult lacks mental capacity, including due to a disability, legal authority is required to make decisions on their behalf about financial assets or property. This requirement applies to all assets, including Child Trust Funds, and is vital in ensuring that vulnerable people are safeguarded and protected. Guidance on completing the court form when access to a Child Trust Fund is required can be found at How to apply to make property and finance decisions on someone’s behalf (including Child Trust Funds) - GOV.UK.

In February 2023, the Court of Protection introduced an online process to simplify the making of property and affairs applications. This has reduced errors and omissions and reduced administration handling times.

We are considering options for further improving access to matured Child Trust Funds while balancing the need to maintain safeguards which protect the best interests of individuals that lack capacity.

Sarah Sackman
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
9th May 2025
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether she has made an assessment of the financial impact of the Court of Protection’s Deputyship application process on families of disabled children who lack capacity to access Child Trust Funds.

No such assessment has been undertaken. In many cases, no fee is payable for a court order to access a Child Trust Fund where this is the sole asset.

Where a young adult lacks mental capacity, including due to a disability, legal authority is required to make decisions on their behalf about financial assets or property. This requirement applies to all assets, including Child Trust Funds, and is vital in ensuring that vulnerable people are safeguarded and protected. Guidance on completing the court form when access to a Child Trust Fund is required can be found at How to apply to make property and finance decisions on someone’s behalf (including Child Trust Funds) - GOV.UK.

In February 2023, the Court of Protection introduced an online process to simplify the making of property and affairs applications. This has reduced errors and omissions and reduced administration handling times.

We are considering options for further improving access to matured Child Trust Funds while balancing the need to maintain safeguards which protect the best interests of individuals that lack capacity.

Sarah Sackman
Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)