Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether (a) she and (b) her officials have had discussions with Natwest Bank on fixed rate loans for small and medium-sized businesses taken out in the 2008 period.

Answered by Emma Reynolds - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government regularly engages with a range of stakeholders across the financial services landscape, and it is important that communication can take place in a free and frank way.

Officials and Ministers frequently engage with NatWest, as one of the UK's largest banks on a range of topics, including matters relating to SME lending.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 18 March 2025 to Question 38944, if she will make an estimate of the proportion of people aged over 66 years old working (a) part time and (b) full time who paid income tax in the last financial year.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The information is not available. HMRC does not hold complete information on hours worked in an employment.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many times the Export Finance Manager responsible for Northern England, Scotland and Northern Ireland visited Northern Ireland in 2024.

Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

UK Export Finance (UKEF) has a dedicated Export Finance Manager (EFM) based in, and visiting businesses all around, Northern Ireland since 2012, along with Regional Heads who oversee the work of clusters of EFMs.

UKEF does not provide information about individual officials who are not senior civil servants.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent estimate he has made of the number of people aged 66 and over who are in (a) full time employment and (b) part time employment.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.

A response to the Hon gentleman’s Parliamentary Question of 18th March is attached.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, Pursuant to the Answer of 10 February 2025 to Question 28458 on Life Sciences: Northern Ireland, what the geographical spread was of the projects that received funding up to the summer of 2024.

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

The Life and Health Sciences Launchpad in Northern Ireland has so far funded 32 business-led projects. These were in the following local authorities:

• Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon (1 project)
• Antrim and Newtownabbey (1 project)
• Ards and North Down (1 project)
• Belfast (18 projects)
• Causeway Coast and Glens (1 project)
• Derry City and Strabane (2 project)
• Lisburn and Castlereagh (3 projects)
• Mid Ulster (2 projects)
• Mid and East Antrim (3 projects)

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 30 January 2025 to Question 26424 on Cars: Credit, if she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of trends in the level of consumer credit debt relating to car purchases for the next five years.

Answered by Emma Reynolds - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

The government believes it is vital that consumers have access to a thriving motor finance market to enable them to spread the cost of a vehicle in a way that is manageable and affordable.

The government engages with a broad range of stakeholders such as the financial regulators, industry, debt advice charities and consumer groups to monitor trends in consumer debt and understand issues affecting consumers.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department holds information on the dates of future meetings of the Global Sovereign Debt roundtable in 2025.

Answered by Emma Reynolds - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Global Sovereign Debt Roundtable (GSDR) meets at Principals (i.e., Finance Minister or equivalent) level during the IMF-World Bank Spring and Annual meetings, in April and October respectively. Technical and preparatory meetings, including open workshops, take place in the intervening months. As a participant in the GSDR, the UK is invited to all GSDR meetings when they are scheduled, and actively participates in the sessions.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to raise awareness of the Blind Person's Allowance.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

Blind Person's Allowance is an extra amount of tax-free allowance that can be added to an individual’s Personal Allowance, for those who are blind or severely sight impaired. Blind Person's Allowance is £3,070 for the tax year 2024-25. If the recipient does not pay tax or have enough taxable income to use their full BPA, the remainder of the allowance can be transferred to a spouse or civil partner.

HMRC promotes the availability of Blind Person's Allowance through supporting and funding key charities, such as the Royal National Institute of Blind People, through dedicated communications partners and the 2024-27 HMRC Voluntary and Community Sector Grant Funding Programme. This ensures communications are accurate and reach the greatest number of eligible customers.

Information on how to claim Blind Person's Allowance is available on the GOV.UK website and it can be claimed by telephone to HMRC. Blind Person’s Allowance is also signposted on the application form for registering any sight impairments with Local Authorities.

HMRC follows comprehensive government accessibility standards. These include guidance on writing and producing braille developed by the Royal National Institute of Blind People and the Sensory Trust as well as making social media accessible.

HMRC’s ongoing support for Blind Person's Allowance campaigns seeks to raise awareness of the eligibility criteria for the allowance, encourage take-up and educate customers on how to claim.

British Summer Time clock change

Trevor Magowan

125th anniversary of the Irish Guards

Mothering Sunday for people who lost their sons during The Troubles

100th anniversary of East Belfast District Scouts

Congratulating Alan Hansen on receiving an MBE

Rory McIlroy's victory at the 2025 Players Championship

Carbon monoxide safety

Found: March 2025 8 Early Day Motions Open Doors 2025 EDM 641 (session 2024 -25) 15 January 2025 Gregory Campbell

Found: _NC3 Jim Allister Gavin Robinson Sammy Wilson Jim Shannon Alex Easton Robin Swann Mr Gregory Campbell

Found: 2025 _NC3 Jim Allister Gavin Robinson Sammy Wilson Jim Shannon Alex Easton Robin Swann Mr Gregory Campbell

Found: 2025 _NC3 Jim Allister Gavin Robinson Sammy Wilson Jim Shannon Alex Easton Robin Swann Mr Gregory Campbell

Found: 2025 _NC3 Jim Allister Gavin Robinson Sammy Wilson Jim Shannon Alex Easton Robin Swann Mr Gregory Campbell