Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of driver licensing for community transport operators; and if she will review access to (a) D1 and (b) Certificate of Professional Competence licences for (i) volunteer and (ii) community drivers.

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

The previous government published a Call for Evidence in 2022 on driver licensing. It sought views on whether changes to D1 licensing could be made in a positive way to help industry, including community transport operators, without detrimental impact on road safety. The results were published in 2023 and despite there being support for removing D1 driver licence testing to increase the pool of drivers, there was no evidence that road safety would not be compromised.

There are circumstances when a driver may be able to drive a minibus with a category B (car) licence when stipulations are met and when driving under a Transport Act 1985 permit. Access to D1 licences requires additional testing for drivers who passed their car test after 1997. A Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) is not required for volunteer or community drivers unless driving professionally for hire or reward. However, CPC training and testing are available to those who wish to enhance their skills or pursue professional driving roles.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of her Department’s fair funding review for local authorities on adult social care provision for people of working age.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government is committed to transforming adult social care, including for people of working age, and making tangible improvements in the short-term. The Spending Review allows for an increase of over £4 billion available for adult social care in 2028-29 compared to 2025-26.

We have consulted on proposals, as part of ‘The Fair Funding Review 2.0’, to ensure adult social care funding reflects an up-to-date assessment of need, including updating the Adult Social Care Relative Needs Formula (ASC RNF) with the most recent data. The ‘Fair Funding Review 2.0’ proposals are a fundamental step to improving the sustainability of the sector and will allow councils to focus on service delivery and transformation.

We are considering ‘The Fair Funding Review 2.0’ consultation responses; decisions are yet to be taken that will determine final allocations for local authorities overall. We will respond to the consultation in due course and will set out further details at the provisional Local Government Finance Settlement later this year.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what her planned timetable is for bringing into force the provisions of the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 that provide consumer protections for homeowners on freehold estates.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer to Question UIN 74882 on 12 September 2025.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether any third-party contractors have been engaged to assist with the monitoring of social media content.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Government follows a fair and open tender process towards all contracts. Information on contracts awarded by the department to third-party contractors is available on gov.uk.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of adult social care on supporting people of working age into the labour market.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Adult social care plays a vital role and directly supports people of working age to enter, remain in, or return to employment, and ultimately to maintain people’s independence. By ensuring individuals receive the right care in the right place at the right time, they are better able to contribute to society through employment, volunteering, or other forms of participation. To support working aged people into the labour market, earnings from employment are specifically disregarded from financial assessments, with further information available at the following link:

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2014/2672/regulation/14

This is to ensure that working aged adults who are in employment are able to retain their earnings in full, and supplement their income, in addition to retaining the Minimum Income Guarantee (MIG) after being charged for their social care.

The Government also recognises the importance of supporting unpaid carers. Access to appropriate support, such as respite care, is important to help carers maintain their own wellbeing and avoid burnout, which can otherwise lead to withdrawal from the workforce. To support this, we are committed to reviewing the implementation of Carer’s Leave and examining the benefits of introducing paid Carer’s Leave.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what his policy is on the (a) storage, (b) retention and (c) use of data collected from social media monitoring activities by (i) government departments and (ii) affiliated agencies.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology complies with UK data protection legislation, ensuring data is used fairly, and handled appropriately. That includes data collected from social media monitoring activities.

For example, DSIT’s National Security Online Information Team (NSOIT) conducts targeted open-source analysis to identify and assess potential threats within its ministerially agreed remit of public safety and national security. NSOIT has a privacy notice which sets out how data will be stored, retained and used in the course of its work and this is available on gov.uk.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, for what purposes government agencies monitor social media activity by members of the public; and whether there are limits on the scope of such monitoring.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Within the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, the National Security Online Information Team (NSOIT) leads the department’s operational response to information risks to UK audiences within its ministerially defined remit which concerns public safety and national security. The NSOIT has compliance policies and procedures in place, in accordance with all applicable legislation, to ensure that individuals are not monitored and their rights are respected. Its privacy notices are available on GOV.UK.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of establishing an Older People’s Commissioner for England.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Department for Work and Pensions has not made an assessment on an Older People’s Commissioner. Our commitment to the pensions Triple Lock throughout this Parliament will see millions of pensioners receive up to £470 more this year added to their State Pension and our increased income threshold for Winter Fuel Payments of £35,000 a year will see over three quarters of pensioners in England and Wales receiving the payment later this Winter.

DWP currently offers employment support for those older jobseekers affected by low confidence, menopause, health and disability or caring pressures, and out of date skills or qualifications. Through Midlife MOTs, delivered in Jobcentres across the UK, and online, we support older people to assess their health, finances and skills.

The Government is reforming Jobcentre Plus and creating a new jobs and careers service that will enable everyone, including the over-50s, to access support to find good, meaningful work, and support to help them progress in their careers. This includes an enhanced focus on skills and careers advice.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of trends in the level of foreign nationals claiming Universal Credit.

Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Department publishes Universal Credit (UC) immigration status and nationality statistics as part of the Universal Credit statistics publication. The latest release of these statistics is included in the latest Universal Credit statistical bulletin. ‘Table 2’ in the latest Universal Credit immigration status and nationality data tables provides information on the number of people on Universal Credit by immigration status, nationality group and employment status, for each month from April 2022 to June 2025.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what oversight mechanisms are in place to ensure that government monitoring of public social media content does not infringe upon freedom of expression and privacy rights.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Government firmly believes that people must be able to debate and discuss issues freely. The rights of citizens freedom of expression and access to journalism are essential to any functioning democracy.

For example, the Department for Science Innovation & Technology’s National Security Online Information Team (NSOIT) analyses social media to identify and assess potential information threats to UK public safety and national security. The NSOIT’s commitment to protecting freedom of expression is embedded in its compliance policies and practices which are available on GOV.UK.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to use recently closed independent schools as alternative accommodation for illegal immigrants.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

No, there are no current plans. Home Office officials work in collaboration with other government departments on a future strategy for asylum accommodation, aiming to develop a better, long-term model of accommodation supply, which may be more locally led, should reduce competition for affordable housing, and help deliver new supply. Greater emphasis is being placed on engagement and collaboration with local authorities, and a variety of options are being tested. Value for money, community cohesion and the wellbeing of asylum seekers will continue to be at the forefront of decision making as officials continue to explore options and develop this strategy.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he has had discussions with local authorities in (a) Surrey and (b) Hampshire on maintaining support for community transport operators following local government reorganisation.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Local support for community transport operators remains a matter for local authorities in Surrey and Hampshire, or any future local authorities that may be set up following local government reorganisation.

Before a local government reorganisation proposal can be implemented, the Secretary of State must first consult any council affected that has not submitted the proposal, as well as any other persons considered appropriate. This includes local public service providers in the area.

The consultation on local government reform in Surrey closed on 5 August. A decision will now be made on which proposal, if any, to implement.

Hampshire is part of the Devolution Priority Programme and final proposals for local government reform in the county are due to submitted to the Government by 26 September.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of charging infrastructure for community transport operators using electric minibuses in rural areas.

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

The government recognises the vital role community transport plays in connecting people to places, facilitating independence and providing access to essential services, employment, education and leisure.

The Government is driving forward the expansion of public charging infrastructure so that everyone, no matter where they live or work, in urban or in rural areas, can confidently make the switch to an electric vehicle.

As of 1st July 2025, there were 10,903 public EV charging devices in rural areas of England. The number of public charging devices in rural areas of England increased by 33% from July 2024 to July 2025.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions she has had with LINK on widening the criteria for establishing additional banking hubs.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

While the Government engages with LINK on a range of issues, decisions regarding changes to LINK’s independent assessment criteria are a matter for LINK and the financial services sector.

The Government understands the importance of face-to-face banking to communities and high streets across the UK, and is committed to championing sufficient access for all as a priority. This is why the Government is working closely with industry to roll out 350 banking hubs across the UK. The UK banking sector has committed to deliver these hubs by the end of this Parliament. Over 230 hubs have been announced so far, and over 180 are already open.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has had discussions with Cabinet colleagues on managing seized cryptocurrency assets as long-term strategic holdings rather than liquidating them.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

As per responses from my predecessor, the Proceeds of Crime Act provides a clear process for the management and realisation of seized assets, while the UK's official reserves are governed by established investment principles. There are currently no plans to amend either framework or to commission a review into the potential role of Bitcoin and other digital assets as reserve assets or in a wider financial strategy.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will commission a review into the role of (a) Bitcoin and (b) other digital assets (i) as a reserve asset and (ii) in other future financial strategy.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

As per responses from my predecessor, the Proceeds of Crime Act provides a clear process for the management and realisation of seized assets, while the UK's official reserves are governed by established investment principles. There are currently no plans to amend either framework or to commission a review into the potential role of Bitcoin and other digital assets as reserve assets or in a wider financial strategy.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what information her Department holds on the (a) number and (b) nature of instances in which members of the public have been subject to monitoring by government agencies on social media platforms in the last 12 months.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

It is the longstanding policy of successive UK Governments that we do not comment on operational intelligence or security matters.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the potential impact of (a) digitising and (b) centralising the firearms licensing process on police time.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Government has no plans to introduce the centralisation of the firearms licensing process. The Firearms Act 1968 places statutory responsibility for firearms licensing on the Chief Officer of Police of each individual force in England, Wales and Scotland.

This framework is supported by Statutory Guidance to Chief Officers of Police issued by the Home Secretary in respect of firearms licensing and by Authorised Professional Practice issued by the College of Policing.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of Homes England’s management of the (a) Techforest and (b) Woolmead sites in Farnham and Bordon constituency.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Homes England has worked closely with East Hampshire District Council (EHDC) to support priorities for growth in Whitehill and Bordon for several years. This includes supporting the delivery of new employment sites in the area. Tech Forest has been identified as an employment site and, following consultation with EHDC, will be marketed for employment use.

Homes England purchased Woolmead in Farnham via the Brownfield Infrastructure Land Fund, which has an extant planning permission for 138 new homes and over 4,000m² of commercial space. Homes England is considering options for the delivery of the site, including seeking a new planning consent, and remaining in contact with the market and prospective partners. In the meantime, Homes England continues to manage the site to ensure it remains safe, secure, and in a stable condition whilst longer-term plans for the site evolve.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for what reason chefs were removed from the Shortage Occupation List under the Skilled Worker visa route; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of that decision on (a) small and (b) independent hospitality businesses.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

As set out in the Immigration White Paper ‘Restoring Control over the Immigration System’, published on 12 May, this Government’s approach is to link migration policy and visa controls to skills and labour market policies, so that immigration is not used as an alternative to training or tackling workforce problems in the UK.

Chefs were removed from the Shortage Occupation List upon the recommendation of the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) in their 2020 review under the previous government. In their 2023 review the MAC found that entry to the now defunct Shortage Occupation List would ‘contribute to downward pressure on wages in the occupation’.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to the licensing system for Section 2 shotguns on rural economies.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

We will be undertaking a public consultation later this year on the greater alignment of the controls on shotguns with other firearms.

The Government response to the 2023 firearms licensing consultation, published on 13 February this year, included a commitment to having a consultation on strengthening the licensing controls on shotguns.

We will carefully consider the views put forward to the consultation in due course and this includes the possible impact of any changes.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential long-term fiscal merits of retaining the Bitcoins held by UK authorities in connection with investment fraud.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

Under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (POCA), which sets out the necessary steps for the management and realisation of assets, the seizure, recovery and management of Bitcoin assets is subject to consideration of independent law enforcement and the courts.

There are no current plans to amend the Act to divert seized coins to a centrally-held fund or reserve.

I am unable to comment on any ongoing civil recovery investigations.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of amending the rules for the childcare vouchers scheme to allow participants to receive refunds, subject to the appropriate tax and National Insurance contributions, in instances where (a) exceptional and (b) unforeseen changes in circumstances have resulted in unused balances that can no longer be spent on eligible childcare, in the context of the covid-19 pandemic.

Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to ensure that people impacted by (a) long-term health conditions and (b) disabilities are consulted during the review of changes to Personal Independence Payment.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

I am committed to co-producing the review with disabled people, including those with long term health conditions and disabilities, the organisations that represent them, clinicians, experts, Members of Parliament and other stakeholders, to ensure that a wide range of views and voices are heard.

I have been engaging over the summer to consider the process for the work of the review and consider how it can best be co-produced to ensure that expertise from a range of different perspectives is drawn upon. I will share more details on this and how disabled people and other stakeholders will be involved in the review as plans progress.

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