Asked by: Gregory Stafford (Conservative - Farnham and Bordon)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps his Department is taking to ensure adequate safeguards are in place for (a) older and (b) vulnerable people during the transition from the Public Switched Telephone Network to digital landlines.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
This is an issue that the new Government takes especially seriously. The Government is determined to ensure that any risks arising from the industry-led migration from the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) are mitigated, for all customers across the UK.
A definition of vulnerable customers who may require additional support in the context of the digital switchover was published in November 2024. It includes those who are telecare users and those dependent on their landline. Any customer, including the elderly, can also self-identify as requiring additional support.
Communication providers and network operators signed voluntary charters in December 2023 and March 2024, committing to protect vulnerable consumers during the PSTN migration. On 18 November 2024, the major communication providers agreed to adhere to further safeguards set out in the non-voluntary migrations checklist before restarting non-voluntary migration of customers.
Asked by: Gregory Stafford (Conservative - Farnham and Bordon)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to ensure that online companies such as (a) Temu and (b) Shein are paying their due and import taxes for sales of products in the United Kingdom.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government recognises the increasing popularity of overseas retailers.
VAT is due on all imports of goods into the UK at the same rate as domestic transactions, meaning that overseas retailers contribute to the Exchequer. Imports valued below £135 can be imported into the UK without paying customs duty. Imports valued above £135 must pay the relevant duty.
HMRC’s compliance strategy seeks to ensure that overseas retailers pay the tax and duty they are liable for and addresses all forms of non-compliance.
Asked by: Gregory Stafford (Conservative - Farnham and Bordon)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to clarify long-term residency options for Ukrainian refugees in the UK beyond December 2026.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
We recognise the Ukrainian government’s desire for the future return of its citizens to Ukraine. It is important our approach respects these wishes.
This is why the temporary Ukraine Schemes do not lead to settlement in the UK. Similarly, time spent in the UK with permission granted under the Ukraine Schemes cannot be relied upon towards the continuous qualifying period for the purposes of a Long Residence application.
There are other routes available for those who wish to settle in the UK permanently, if they meet the requirements.
Asked by: Gregory Stafford (Conservative - Farnham and Bordon)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, with reference to her Department's document entitled Local highways maintenance: additional funding from 2023 to 2034, updated on 23 January 2025, whether the £132 million of Network North funding for Hampshire County Council will be provided between the 2023-24 and 2034-35 financial years.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
This Government is determined to help local authorities such as Hampshire County Council tackle the poor state of our roads. The previous Government made a series of questionable funding promises in its Network North plan, and this Government has had to review their affordability. We have already announced a £500 million funding uplift for local highway authorities for 2025/26 and will say more on future years’ funding after the conclusion of the Spending Review. Hampshire County Council will benefit from an additional £14.1 million in 2025/26, an increase of around 36% on top of the Network North uplift in 2024/25, to help it carry out vital preventative maintenance works across the county.
Asked by: Gregory Stafford (Conservative - Farnham and Bordon)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has had discussions with stakeholders on the potential merits of implementing thresholds for corporation tax as per personal taxation.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
Companies already pay Corporation Tax in line with their profitability. The main rate of 25 per cent – which is the lowest in the G7 – applies to profits over £250,000. The small profits rate of 19 per cent applies to profits under £50,000. Marginal relief applies to profits between £50,000 and £250,000 so that the tax rate increases gradually from 19% to 25%.
Asked by: Gregory Stafford (Conservative - Farnham and Bordon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the number of children who have moved from independent to state schools as a result of applying VAT to independent schools in Hampshire.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department has made no separate estimate of the number of pupils in individual local authority areas who have left the independent school system as a result of VAT on school fees.
The government predicts that, in the long-term steady state, there will be 37,000 fewer pupils in the private sector in the UK as a result of the removal of the VAT exemption applied to school fees. This represents around 6% of the current private school population.
Of the expected 37,000 pupil reduction in the private sector, the government estimates an increase of 35,000 pupils in the state sector in the steady state following the VAT policy taking effect, with the other 2,000 consisting of international pupils who do not move into the UK state system, and domestic pupils moving into homeschooling. This state sector increase represents less than 0.5% of total UK state school pupils, of which there are over 9 million. This movement is expected to take place over several years.
The impact on individual local authorities will interact with other pressures and vary between authorities. Every year many pupils move between schools, including between the private and state-funded sectors.
Local authorities routinely support parents who need a state-funded school place, including where private schools have closed. Where local authorities are experiencing difficulties in ensuring there are enough school places for children that need them, the department will offer support and advice.
The department provides capital funding through the Basic Need grant to support local authorities to provide school places, based on their own pupil forecasts and school capacity data. They can use this funding to provide places in new schools or through expansions of existing schools.
Surrey County Council has been allocated just below £43 million to support the provision of new mainstream school places needed over the current and next two academic years, up to and including the academic year starting in September 2026.
Hampshire County Council has been allocated just over £22.2 million to support the provision of new mainstream school places needed over the current and next two academic years, up to and including the academic year starting in September 2026.
Asked by: Gregory Stafford (Conservative - Farnham and Bordon)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate she has made of the number of children who have moved from independent to state schools as a result of applying VAT to independent schools in Surrey.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department has made no separate estimate of the number of pupils in individual local authority areas who have left the independent school system as a result of VAT on school fees.
The government predicts that, in the long-term steady state, there will be 37,000 fewer pupils in the private sector in the UK as a result of the removal of the VAT exemption applied to school fees. This represents around 6% of the current private school population.
Of the expected 37,000 pupil reduction in the private sector, the government estimates an increase of 35,000 pupils in the state sector in the steady state following the VAT policy taking effect, with the other 2,000 consisting of international pupils who do not move into the UK state system, and domestic pupils moving into homeschooling. This state sector increase represents less than 0.5% of total UK state school pupils, of which there are over 9 million. This movement is expected to take place over several years.
The impact on individual local authorities will interact with other pressures and vary between authorities. Every year many pupils move between schools, including between the private and state-funded sectors.
Local authorities routinely support parents who need a state-funded school place, including where private schools have closed. Where local authorities are experiencing difficulties in ensuring there are enough school places for children that need them, the department will offer support and advice.
The department provides capital funding through the Basic Need grant to support local authorities to provide school places, based on their own pupil forecasts and school capacity data. They can use this funding to provide places in new schools or through expansions of existing schools.
Surrey County Council has been allocated just below £43 million to support the provision of new mainstream school places needed over the current and next two academic years, up to and including the academic year starting in September 2026.
Hampshire County Council has been allocated just over £22.2 million to support the provision of new mainstream school places needed over the current and next two academic years, up to and including the academic year starting in September 2026.
Asked by: Gregory Stafford (Conservative - Farnham and Bordon)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps he has taken with Cabinet colleagues to ensure that veterans of the Northern Ireland conflict are not subject to potential repeated or prolonged legal action under the provisions of the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
We owe a great debt to our Armed Forces who served in Northern Ireland.
The previous government's Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023 has been found to be unlawful and was widely opposed in Northern Ireland, including by some families who lost relatives whilst serving the State.
That legislation does not prevent legal action being brought by prosecutors for Troubles-related offences, although it is clear that, with the passage of time, prosecutions are increasingly unlikely. As this Government puts in place changes to ensure that legacy cases are dealt with sensitively, efficiently and lawfully, we will ensure that any veteran engaging with this process receives welfare and, where appropriate, legal support.
Asked by: Gregory Stafford (Conservative - Farnham and Bordon)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment he has made with Cabinet colleagues of the potential impact of the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023 on the legal protection of UK veterans.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
We owe a great debt to our Armed Forces who served in Northern Ireland.
The previous government's Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023 has been found to be unlawful and was widely opposed in Northern Ireland, including by some families who lost relatives whilst serving the State.
That legislation does not prevent legal action being brought by prosecutors for Troubles-related offences, although it is clear that, with the passage of time, prosecutions are increasingly unlikely. As this Government puts in place changes to ensure that legacy cases are dealt with sensitively, efficiently and lawfully, we will ensure that any veteran engaging with this process receives welfare and, where appropriate, legal support.
Asked by: Gregory Stafford (Conservative - Farnham and Bordon)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the recent State Pension increase.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Ensuring a decent foundation State Pension for pensioners is a priority for this Government. That is why we have set out our commitment to the Triple Lock throughout this Parliament. As a result, spending on people’s State Pensions is forecast to rise by over £31 billion.
Through our commitment to the Triple Lock, from April the basic and new State Pensions will increase by 4.1%. This means that over 12 million pensioners will benefit from an increase of up to £470 to their State Pension from April this year. That’s up to £275 more than if pensions had been uprated in line with inflation.