Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to her letter to the CEO of the National Wealth Fund entitled Statement of Strategic Priorities to the National Wealth Fund, dated 19 March 2025, in what circumstances the National Wealth Fund should be receptive to investment suggestions made by Ministers in her Department.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The National Wealth Fund remains operationally independent in its day-to-day activities and its investment committees make investment decisions based on the merits of each opportunity. All investments should align with its objectives and investment principles.

As the sole shareholder, it is right that the National Wealth Fund should be responsive to Treasury ministers’ requests to consider investment proposals. In particular, it may consider investments in emerging government priorities that are facing access to finance gaps. However, final decisions will be subject to the National Wealth Fund’s operating framework and investment principles.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of increases to Air Passenger Duty in (a) 2025 and (b) 2026 on passenger demand.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government published Tax Impact and Information Notes (TIINs) assessing the impacts of the 2025/26 and 2026/27 Air Passenger Duty rates:

Air Passenger Duty: rates from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026 - GOV.UK

Air Passenger Duty: rates from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027 - GOV.UK

The OBR certified costing of the changes includes a behavioural effect to account for the change in flights taken resulting from the change in the tax rates.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions she has had with the Security of State for Energy Security and Net Zero on a response to the Climate Change Committee’s report on the Seventh Carbon Budget, published on 26 February 2025.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

In line with the Climate Change Act 2008, the Government will respond to the Climate Change Committee’s Seventh Carbon Budget Advice and set the seventh carbon budget in law by 30 June 2026.

The Government will set out policies to support delivery of the seventh carbon budget as soon as reasonably practicable after this.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the implications for her Department’s policies of section 7.6 of the Climate Change Committee's Seventh Carbon Budget on aviation, published on 26 February 2025.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

In line with the Climate Change Act 2008, the Government will respond to the Climate Change Committee’s Seventh Carbon Budget Advice and set the seventh carbon budget in law by 30 June 2026.

The Government will set out policies to support delivery of the seventh carbon budget as soon as reasonably practicable after this.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 4 February 2025 to Question 27493 on British Business Bank: National Wealth Fund and with reference to the press release entitled Boost for new National Wealth Fund to unlock private investment, published on 9 July 2024, for what reason the British Business Bank will no longer be aligned under National Wealth Fund with the UK Infrastructure Bank.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The National Wealth Fund (NWF) is at the forefront of investing public money and will work in close partnership with other public financial institutions, including the British Business Bank.

The UK’s public financial institutions each target specific market failures and finance gaps to drive growth. The Government is strengthening strategic coordination across these institutions, including by creating the Strategic Public Investment Forum.

This CEO-level forum will consider how to leverage the institutions’ different expertise to best support investment and collectively identifying opportunities for greater effectiveness and coherence in the landscape.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to her letter to the CEO of the National Wealth Fund entitled Statement of Strategic Priorities to the National Wealth Fund, dated 19 March 2025, whether additional risk management employees will be hired as the National Wealth Fund takes on greater risk.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

As the National Wealth Fund delivers on its wider remit with an increased risk appetite, and its portfolio of investments grows, it will require more resources and expertise to manage the increasing number of projects effectively. The risk function is one of several front office teams that will need to expand to deliver on these objectives.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to her oral answer to the question from the Rt hon. Member for Gainsborough on 21 January 2025, Official Report, col 859, how the Government plans to compensate hospices for the increase in Secondary Class 1 National Insurance Contributions.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government recognises the vital role hospices play in supporting people at the end of life and their families. The Government will provide support for departments and other public sector employers for additional employer National Insurance costs only. Private sector firms or charities including hospices or social care providers that are contracted by central or local Government will not be exempt from these changes. This is the usual approach the Government takes to supporting the public sector with additional employer National Insurance contributions as was the case with the previous Government’s Health and Social Care Levy.

The Government is determined to shift more healthcare into the community and ensure patients and their families receive high-quality, personalised care in the most appropriate setting, and hospices will have a big role to play in that shift.

Integrated Care Boards are responsible for the commissioning of palliative and end of life care services to meet the needs of their local populations; where ICBs provide funding, they will work with hospices to agree funding arrangements through the normal contracting process.

The Government has recently announced that we are supporting the hospice sector with a £100 million boost for adult and children’s hospices to ensure they have the best physical environment for care, and £26 million revenue to support children and young people’s hospices. We will set out the details of the funding allocation in due course.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the contribution of (a) churches and (b) church buildings to (i) society and (ii) the economy each year.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

A fully comprehensive assessment of the social and spiritual contribution churches, whether in their physical or congregational form, make to the nation would be beyond the scope or ability of any government. They provide sanctuary, enlightenment, succour, warmth and solidarity. They offer a space in which to celebrate, congregate and commiserate; a place in which to witness some of the greatest art and architecture, ancient and modern; and a venue to mark the great occasions of our lives as individuals, as a community and as a nation. For many people of faith they offer a sense of purpose, commitment and shared religious identity. In many cases they also offer rooms for voluntary groups, rehearsal spaces and act as our most important valuable visitor attractions.

In addition, the Government is aware of external research carried out by the National Churches Trust, which shows that for every £1 invested in church buildings there is an estimated Social Return on Investment of £3.74, which can go up to £18.10 when alternative wellbeing valuation methods are used.

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Found: The Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG), Gareth Davies, is an Officer of the House of Commons and

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Found: Gareth Davies, Comptroller and Auditor General, NAO, Charles Nancarrow, Director, NAO, and David Fairbrother

Found: Letter from James Murray MP to Gareth Davies MP and James Wild MP regarding application of PAYE, expenditure

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Found: Gareth Davies Comptroller and Auditor General 13 March 2025 National Audit Office 157-197 Buckingham

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Found: Gareth Davies Comptroller and Auditor General 21 March 2025 National Audit Office 157-197 Buckingham

Found: Gareth Davies MS (tabled on 21/06/2024): How is the Welsh Government collaborating with UK and international

Found: membership: Alun Davies MS Welsh Labour Mick Antoniw MS Welsh Labour Heledd Fychan MS Plaid Cymru Gareth Davies

Found: Chair: Buffy Williams MS Welsh Labour Current Committee membership: Hefin David MS Welsh Labour Gareth Davies

Found: Buffy Williams MS Welsh Labour Current Committee membership: Carolyn Thomas MS * Welsh Labour Gareth Davies

Found: Plaid Cymru Committee Chair: Russell George MS Welsh Conservatives Current Committee membership: Gareth Davies

Found: Plaid Cymru Committee Chair: Russell George MS Welsh Conservatives Current Committee membership: Gareth Davies

Found: Plaid Cymru Committee Chair: Russell George MS Welsh Conservatives Current Committee membership: Gareth Davies

Found: Welsh Labour Committee Chair: Russell George MS Welsh Conservatives Current Committee membership: Gareth Davies

Found: Welsh Labour Committee Chair: Russell George MS Welsh Conservatives Current Committee membership: Gareth Davies

Found: July 2023 Bil Caffael y Gwasanaeth Iechyd (Cymru) Health Service Procurement (Wales) Bill Gareth Davies

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Found: May 2023 Bil Caffael y Gwasanaeth Iechyd (Cymru) Health Service Procurement (Wales) Bill Gareth Davies

Found: Gareth Davies, Comptroller and Auditor General, National Audit Office agreed stating: “… I would observe

Found: the Committee during this inquiry: Sarah Murphy MS Welsh Labour Jack Sargeant MS Welsh Labour Gareth Davies

Found: Plaid Cymru Committee Chair: Russell George MS Welsh Conservatives Current Committee membership: Gareth Davies

Found: Plaid Cymru Committee Chair: Russell George MS Welsh Conservatives Current Committee membership: Gareth Davies

Found: Rowlands MS * Welsh Conservatives Mabon ap Gwynfor MS Plaid Cymru John Griffiths MS Welsh Labour Gareth Davies

Found: Cymru John Griffiths MS Welsh Labour Siân Gwenllian MS Plaid Cymru Carolyn Thomas MS Welsh Labour Gareth Davies

Found: Current Committee membership: Mike Hedges MS Welsh Labour Sam Rowlands MS Welsh Conservatives Gareth Davies

Found: Buffy Williams MS Welsh Labour Current Committee membership: Carolyn Thomas MS * Welsh Labour Gareth Davies

Found: Chair: Buffy Williams MS Welsh Labour Current Committee membership: Hefin David MS Welsh Labour Gareth Davies

Found: Jo Maimaris, Silvia Colonna, Ian Farr, Hywel T Evans, Delyth James, Josh Dixon, Sam Fallick, Gareth Davies

Found: Sam Fallick, Ryan Phillips, Joanne Maimaris, Silvia Colonna, Ian Farr, Hywel Turner Evans, Gareth Davies

Found: Maimaris, Silvia Colonna, Ian Farr, Hywel T Evans, Josh Dixon, Matthew Skermer, Sam Fallick, Gareth Davies

<p>The first item will be questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales, and the first question is from Gareth Davies.</p>

<p>Thank you very much, Gareth Davies. Of course, this is a decision that was made by Denbighshire County Council, by democratically elected local councillors, who I’m sure will be the first point of call in terms of accountability for decisions made by the authority. Of course, there is monitoring governance as well for the authority, but this is a decision that has been made by that local authority.</p>