Question to the Wales Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, whether they will require their department and agencies to offer payroll deductions to all employees to enable them to join a credit union.

Answered by Jo Stevens - Secretary of State for Wales

Staff in my Department are employed by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ), which provides payroll services on our behalf.

The MoJ does not currently operate a payroll‑deduction facility for credit union membership, however, staff who wish to join a credit union can already do so independently. My department continues to support staff financial wellbeing through the MoJ’s wider financial wellbeing offer, which provides access to information, tools, and advice.

Question

To ask the Chairman of the Public Accounts Commission, whether the Commission has had discussions with the National Audit Office regarding employee payroll deductions to credit unions.

Answered by Clive Efford

This is not a matter that the Commission has discussed with the National Audit Office.

The NAO does not currently operate any payroll deduction arrangements for credit unions, nor does it have any active schemes or mechanisms in place that facilitate credit union deductions from employees’ salaries.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of reports of human rights abuses in Uganda.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK works with the Government of Uganda on a range of important issues, including trade, development, regional security and refugee response. We also regularly raise concerns about infringements of human rights and restrictions on political activity, including on opposition parties and their supporters. The UK engaged across the political spectrum to advocate for peaceful and credible January 2026 elections, including for opposition candidates to be able to campaign freely and safely, and we continue to press for democratic rights and freedoms, including through our High Commission in Kampala.

Question to the Attorney General:

To ask the Solicitor General, whether they will require their department and agencies to offer payroll deductions to all employees to enable them to join a credit union.

Answered by Ellie Reeves - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)

The AGO or its sponsored departments do not offer payroll deduction facility to employees to enable them to join a credit union.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of allegations of harassment by the Government of Uganda against leaders of the opposition and their families.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The UK works with the Government of Uganda on a range of important issues, including trade, development, regional security and refugee response. We also regularly raise concerns about infringements of human rights and restrictions on political activity, including on opposition parties and their supporters. The UK engaged across the political spectrum to advocate for peaceful and credible January 2026 elections, including for opposition candidates to be able to campaign freely and safely, and we continue to press for democratic rights and freedoms, including through our High Commission in Kampala.

Question

To ask the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney, representing the Restoration and Renewal Client Board, whether the Client Board will offer payroll deductions to all its staff to enable them to join a credit union.

Answered by Nick Smith

House of Commons and Joint Department staff, including those working for the Restoration and Renewal (R&R) Client Team, already have access to payroll deductions to enable them to join a credit union, operated through London Mutual Credit Union. Full details are available in the staff handbook.

The R&R Delivery Authority is a company limited by guarantee established pursuant to the Parliamentary Buildings (Restoration and Renewal) Act 2019, and under the Act, it may appoint employees on such terms and conditions, including as to remuneration and allowances, as it may determine. The Delivery Authority does not offer the ability to participate in a credit union. The Delivery Authority regularly engages with colleagues to seek their views, and the ability to participate in a credit union is not something in which staff have expressed interest.

Question

To ask the hon. Member for Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney, representing the House of Commons Commission, whether the Commission will offer payroll deductions to all House staff to enable them to join a credit union.

Answered by Nick Smith

House of Commons and Joint Department staff already have access to payroll deductions to enable them to join a credit union, operated through London Mutual Credit Union. Full details are available in the staff handbook.

Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether they will require their department and agencies to offer payroll deductions to all employees to enable them to join a credit union.

Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

The Northern Ireland Office (NIO) does not offer payroll deductions for credit unions. However, the department offers financial wellbeing support and advice through the employee benefits package. The employee benefits package is provided to NIO staff by the Ministry of Justice and its contracted suppliers.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether they will require their department and agencies to offer payroll deductions to all employees to enable them to join a credit union.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Department for Business and Trade offer a variety of financial support to employees. This includes season ticket loans, bicycle advances, rental deposits, house purchase advances (for those relocating and meeting departmental eligibility criteria) and salary advances. In addition, employees can access support for debt management or financial wellbeing through the Employee Assistance Programme.

There are no plans to introduce payroll deductions for Credit Union purposes. The Department for Business and Trade is not able to advise on behalf of other agencies.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether they will require their department and agencies to offer payroll deductions to all employees to enable them to join a credit union.

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

This is a service that we do not current offer in DfT or our agencies. Staff can still make arrangements to contribute to a credit union via direct debit.

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, whether they will require their department and agencies to offer payroll deductions to all employees to enable them to join a credit union.

Answered by Kirsty McNeill - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Scotland Office)

The Scotland Office does not employ any staff directly. All staff that join do so on an assignment, loan or secondment from other government departments, principally the Ministry of Justice and the Scottish Government, who remain the employers.

Any matters relating to payroll are the responsibility of the employing departments.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether they will require their department and agencies to offer payroll deductions to all employees to enable them to join a credit union.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) already offers Serving Personnel, and Veterans in receipt of a pension, the opportunity to save with our three credit unions (https://www.joiningforcescu.co.uk/) via payroll deduction administered by Defence Business Services. MOD Civil Servants and Veterans without a pension can save with those same credit unions using Direct Debit.