Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of continued fuel duty freezes on (a0 supporting economic growth and (b) supply chain stability in the North West.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

At Budget 2025, the Government announced continued support for people and businesses by extending the temporary 5p fuel duty cut until the end of August 2026. Rates will then gradually return to previous levels. The planned increase in line with inflation for 2026-27 will not take place, with the government uprating fuel duty rates by RPI from April 2027. This will save the average car driver £49 next year compared to previous plans.

The Government considers the impact of fuel duty on the economy, including households and businesses, with decisions on rates made at fiscal events.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent assessment she has made of the condition and capacity of the road network linking the Port of Liverpool with the M57, M58 and M6 corridors; and whether additional funding is planned to support freight movement efficiency in the North West.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

National Highways has considered the current performance and potential future needs of the A5036, M57, M58 and M6 corridor as part of its South Pennines Route Strategy. This is the principal evidence-gathering mechanism for the organisation to inform investment planning for future Road Investment Strategies. The interim reports were published in May 2023, and the final version of these reports will be published alongside the third Road Investment Strategy (RIS3) in March 2026.

Funding allocated to National Highways through the RIS is the primary source for improvements to the strategic road network serving key international ports and gateways.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the answer of 4 July 2025 to question 63299, when he plans to publish the report on packaging changes to Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, as discussed at the Commission on Human Medicines Antidepressant Risk Minimisation Expert Working Group on 1 May.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Commission on Human Medicines Antidepressant Risk Minimisation Expert Working Group met in May and July 2025 and their recommendations were subsequently considered by the Commission on Human Medicines in September 2025.

A public assessment report summarising the data considered and the recommendations will be published by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) as soon as the regulatory position is finalised with the 105 marketing authorisation holders of the 28 antidepressants involved in the review. An exact date for publication of the public assessment report cannot be confirmed yet.

The MHRA will issue a Drug Safety Update to inform healthcare professionals in the United Kingdom of the new regulatory position for all antidepressants, not only selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, and publication of the public assessment report.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer 1 December 2025 to Question HL12274 on Visual Snow Syndrome: Yellow Card Scheme, if he will confirm whether official UK drug labels or patient information leaflets warn about the possibility of this condition occurring.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Visual snow syndrome (VSS) was officially recognized in 2025 with a unique code in the eleventh edition of the International Classification of Diseases by the World Health Organization. Very few cases of VSS have been reported with 22 individual drugs or vaccines through the Yellow Card scheme.

VSS is a rare disorder and the underlying cause currently unknown. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) keeps all licensed medicines and vaccines under close monitoring and any potential signal of an association between a medicine or vaccine exposure and development of VSS will be rigorously assessed through the MHRA’s multidisciplinary signal review process and added to individual product information when there is data available to support regulatory action.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many complaints HMRC have received in the last 6 months about VAT refunds to businesses because the refund was a) not received and b) delayed.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

Between 1 June to 30 November 2025, HMRC processed around 1.4 million VAT repayment returns, with around 93% paid promptly following initial risking.

Based on the information held on HMRC’s complaints database, between 1 June to 30 November 2025, HMRC received 162 complaints relating to VAT repayments of which 119 were directly linked to VAT refund delays.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many VAT refunds to businesses in the last six months a) have not been refunded and b) have been delayed.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

Between 1 June to 30 November 2025, HMRC processed around 1.4 million VAT repayment returns, with around 93% paid promptly following initial risking.

Based on the information held on HMRC’s complaints database, between 1 June to 30 November 2025, HMRC received 162 complaints relating to VAT repayments of which 119 were directly linked to VAT refund delays.

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