Asked by: Graham Stuart (Conservative - Beverley and Holderness)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans she has for the Points of Light awards.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Volunteers serve at the heart of our communities nationwide, dedicating their time to create positive change and enhance the lives of those around them. The Government is committed to supporting volunteering, which is critical to a vibrant, connected and resilient civil society. We are currently considering how the hugely valuable contributions of volunteers can be best recognised.
Asked by: Graham Stuart (Conservative - Beverley and Holderness)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to her Oral Statement of 30 October 2024 on Financial Statement and Budget Report, Official Report, column 819, what the evidential basis is for the estimate that 75% of family farms will not be affected by the changes to agricultural property relief.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government has published information about reforms to agricultural property relief at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/what-are-the-changes-to-agricultural-property-relief.
Almost three-quarters of estates claiming agricultural property relief (or those claiming agricultural property relief and business property relief together) in 2026-27 are expected to be unaffected by these reforms.
Historic data published by HMRC shows that in 2021-22, 73% of estates making agricultural property relief claims did so on total amounts worth less than £1m.
HMRC is commissioned by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) at each fiscal event to produce Inheritance Tax receipts forecasts. More information behind this process is published on the OBR website: https://obr.uk/forecasts-in-depth/tax-by-tax-spend-by-spend/inheritance-tax/.
HMRC analysis suggests that in 2026-27, 500 estates claiming agricultural property relief will receive a lower financial benefit as a result of the Government’s reforms, out of a projected total of 1,800 estates making agricultural property relief claims in that year. This means that around three-quarters of estates making agricultural property relief claims will be unaffected by this measure.
Asked by: Graham Stuart (Conservative - Beverley and Holderness)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to paragraph 2.51 of the Autumn Budget 2024, on what evidential basis she reduced Agricultural Property Relief on combined agricultural and business assets valued over £1 million.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government has published information about reforms to agricultural property relief at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/what-are-the-changes-to-agricultural-property-relief.
Almost three-quarters of estates claiming agricultural property relief (or those claiming agricultural property relief and business property relief together) in 2026-27 are expected to be unaffected by these reforms.
Historic data published by HMRC shows that in 2021-22, 73% of estates making agricultural property relief claims did so on total amounts worth less than £1m.
HMRC is commissioned by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) at each fiscal event to produce Inheritance Tax receipts forecasts. More information behind this process is published on the OBR website: https://obr.uk/forecasts-in-depth/tax-by-tax-spend-by-spend/inheritance-tax/.
HMRC analysis suggests that in 2026-27, 500 estates claiming agricultural property relief will receive a lower financial benefit as a result of the Government’s reforms, out of a projected total of 1,800 estates making agricultural property relief claims in that year. This means that around three-quarters of estates making agricultural property relief claims will be unaffected by this measure.
Asked by: Graham Stuart (Conservative - Beverley and Holderness)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make it her policy to continue to fund the universal bus pass for those of pension age.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The English National Concessionary Travel Scheme (ENCTS) provides free off-peak bus travel to those with eligible disabilities and those of state pension age, currently sixty-six. The government recognises the importance of the scheme, which supports local bus travel, assists with access to essential local services and helps those who use it to stay active and avoid isolation. The government has absolutely no plans to withdraw the concessionary bus pass scheme.
Asked by: Graham Stuart (Conservative - Beverley and Holderness)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make it her policy to extend the £2 bus fare cap beyond 31 December 2024.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Delivering reliable and affordable public transport services for passengers is one of the government’s top priorities as we know how important this is for passengers and for local growth. The Department for Transport is looking at the future of the £2 fare cap as a matter of urgency and is considering the most appropriate and affordable approach for the future of the scheme.
Asked by: Graham Stuart (Conservative - Beverley and Holderness)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many full time equivalent personnel there are working in his Department's legal directorate.
Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
As of 30 September 2024, there were between 100-119 staff working in Legal Directorate.
Asked by: Graham Stuart (Conservative - Beverley and Holderness)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department employs staff on secondment from human rights NGOs.
Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Staff on inward secondment to the FCDO are not on the FCDO Payroll, however there are invoicing arrangements in place between the FCDO and some host organisations. The FCDO does not currently have any staff on inward secondment from human rights NGOs.
Asked by: Graham Stuart (Conservative - Beverley and Holderness)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how many qualified lawyers are working in his Department's legal directorate.
Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
As of 30 September 2024, there were between 70-89 lawyers working in Legal Directorate.
Asked by: Graham Stuart (Conservative - Beverley and Holderness)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when he expects to progress Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage in the Humber through the Track-1 Expansion and Track-2 processes.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The historic investment we recently announced in Carbon Capture and Storage in the North-West and North-East is just the start, representing a vote of confidence in this technology and burgeoning industry. To be ultimately successful, delivering on our climate commitments and protecting jobs, we need to deliver across all four corners of the UK. We have been engaging with the Track-1 and Track-2 clusters, to understand their deployment and expansion plans. We recognise that industry will be hoping for clarity as soon as possible on next steps, and we will have more to say on future projects in the coming months.
Asked by: Graham Stuart (Conservative - Beverley and Holderness)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, when his Department plans to pay the second phase of grants under the Farming Recovery Fund to farmers affected by flooding in Beverley and Holderness constituency.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We are aware of the ongoing challenges farmers have been facing following the winter storms and the wet weather in late 2023 and early 2024. We are committed to maintaining food production and supporting thriving farm businesses as well as protecting communities from flooding. All spending commitments will be confirmed in the spending review. This includes the Farming Recovery Fund, more information on the expanded Farming Recovery Fund will be made available soon.