Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 28 January 2025 to Question 23863 on Department for Education: Disclosure of Information, what recent progress her Department has made on the inquiry; and whether special advisers have been interviewed as part of the inquiry.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The investigation remains ongoing and the department is unable to comment further on the progress or specifics of an ongoing investigation.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what her Department's budget is for (a) advertising, (a) marketing and (c) communications in each year of this Parliament.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

HMT sets its budgets annually. Budgets have not been finalised for future financial years.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many full time equivalent staff are employed in (a) each Ministerial office and (b) the Permanent Secretary's office.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

HM Treasury has seven ministers, two of which work jointly with other departments.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer’s Private Office has thirteen permanent full-time members of staff.

The Chief Secretary to the Treasury Private Office has six permanent full-time members of staff.

The Financial Secretary to the Treasury’s Private Office has six permanent full-time members of staff.

The Economic Secretary to the Treasury’s Private Office has six permanent full-time members of staff.

The Exchequer Secretary’s Private Office has six permanent full-time members of staff.

The Minister for Pensions works jointly with the Department of Work and Pensions. He has one permanent full-time member of staff who is a HM Treasury employee.

The Minister for Investment works jointly with the Department of Trade. She has one permanent full-time member of staff who is a HM Treasury employee.

The Permanent Secretary’s Office has four permanent full-time members of staff.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to her Department's consultation Strengthening the Soft Drinks Industry Levy, published on 28 April 2025, what estimate she has made of the annual revenue which would be generated from the proposed changes set out in the consultation.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

At Autumn Budget 2024 the Chancellor announced her intention to review the Soft Drinks Industry levy (SDIL) – which has incentivised producers to remove almost half (46%) the sugar in relevant drinks – to further drive product reformulation.

The ‘Strengthening the Soft Drinks Industry Levy’ consultation follows this commitment. Specifically, it sets out proposals to reduce the minimum sugar threshold at which the levy applies from 5g to 4g sugar per 100ml, and to remove the current exemptions for milk-based and milk substitute drinks with added sugar.

The government welcomes feedback on the proposed changes as part of the consultation, which is open until 21 July 2025 and will inform decisions at a future Budget.

The exchequer impact of any changes to SDIL will be confirmed following the consultation and certified by the Office of Budget Responsibility as part of a Budget.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of dualling the A47 between Tilney and East Winch.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The current performance and potential future needs of the A47 between Tilney and East Winch has been considered as part of National Highways East of England Route Strategy, which will form the basis of future investment planning on the strategic road network.

As part of a proposed housing development at West Winch, to the south of Kings Lynn, National Highways is considering improvements to the Hardwick Interchange where the A47 meets the A10, dual the section of the A47 south of the Hardwick Interchange and provide for a new access road. This is still in an early stage of development and is subject to review and assessment by the department once details are finalised.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to end the Great Northern franchise at the core term expiry date.

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

Great Northern services are operated by Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR), whose core term expiry date was 1 April 2025. The date on which GTR’s franchise will end, and its services transfer to public ownership, has not yet been decided. The Rail Minister and Secretary of State meet with all the Train Operating Companies and their Network Rail counterparts regularly to discuss performance and staffing amongst other topical issues.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps regulators sponsored by her Department are taking to reduce the reporting requirements for firms.

Answered by Emma Reynolds - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

Our Regulation Action Plan included a whole of Government target to cut the administrative costs of regulation for business, including costs posed by reporting requirements, by a quarter by the end of the Parliament.

As first steps to contribute to the delivery of this target:

· The Prudential Regulation Authority has committed to working with industry to deliver a more streamlined approach to banking regulatory reporting;

· The Financial Conduct Authority published a consultation on removing certain reporting and notification requirements on 16 April; and,

· We are considering changes to the Money Laundering Regulations, to ensure requirements are proportionate and targeted at high-risk activity.

We are completing a baselining exercise in parallel to understand how much regulation is costing and where reforms can be targeted to streamline processes and remove unnecessary burdens.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if he will take steps to ensure Project Gigabit includes addresses with (a) PE30 3RW, (b) PE30 3BZ and (c) PE30 3NQ postcodes.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

CityFibre is currently delivering a Project Gigabit contract across Norfolk.

However, Building Digital UK’s (BDUK) regular market reviews have indicated that premises in the PE30 3RW, PE30 3BZ and PE30 3NQ postcode areas are likely to be included in suppliers’ future commercial plans and should receive a gigabit-capable connection without the need for public subsidy.

BDUK continually monitors suppliers' commercial plans and, if it becomes apparent that these commercial plans will not deliver as expected, premises in these postcode areas may then become eligible for inclusion within the scope of Project Gigabit.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what plans his Department has to ensure access to gigabit broadband for (a) homes and (b) businesses not covered by (i) Project Gigabit and (ii) commercial rollout plans.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The vast majority of premises will be covered by commercial activity or Project Gigabit, but it will remain too expensive to build a gigabit capable connection to a very small proportion of premises on either a commercial or subsidised basis. The government is exploring options for the kind of support that might be required and appropriate to ensure sufficient, affordable and reliable connectivity in these cases.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to section 2.1 of her Department's policy paper entitled New approach to ensure regulators and regulation support growth, updated on 31 March 2025, what progress she has made on the development of the model to support the sustainable funding of statutory consultees.

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

A new clause (NC39) was tabled by my Department as an amendment to the Planning and Infrastructure Bill and has been incorporated into it in PBL Committee.

This will allow the government to set a surcharge on planning fees to fund the costs incurred by key statutory consultees in England of advising on planning applications.

Details of its operation will be set out in regulations, following consultation.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department plans to agree a multi-year public transport settlement with Norfolk County Council from 2026.

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

This government is committed to providing greater stability to local government by giving councils multi-year funding settlements and ending wasteful competitive bidding.

Funding to local authorities, including for transport in future years will be confirmed through the ongoing Spending Review.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much has been spent on (a) maintenance and (b) refurbishment of 36 Whitehall in each of the last three years.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

Whilst 36 Whitehall is currently unoccupied, the Government Property Agency (as owner of the freehold) has an obligation to maintain essential health and safety systems. Essential fire maintenance costs at 36 Whitehall totalled £5k in 2022-23, £3k in 2023-24 and £1.5k in 2024-25. In 2024-25, £362k was allocated to replace the fire alarm system as part of the GPA’s Lifecycle Replacement (LCR) programme, which replaces office assets that are at the end of their useful life.

Costs related to professional fees for project management and design to develop a scheme to bring the building back into use totalled £661k in 22/23 and £763k in 23/24 with £0 in 24/25. Options for the future use of the building continue to be discussed as part of plans for the Government’s London office estate, with any final decisions being made as part of the ongoing Spending Review process.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what plans his Department has for the use of 36 Whitehall.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

36 Whitehall is a GPA freehold building currently unoccupied. Options for the future use of the building continue to be discussed as part of plans for the Government’s London office estate, with any final decisions being made as part of the ongoing Spending Review process.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, pursuant to Answer of 7 April 2025 to Question 42858 on Child Trust Fund, whether her Department has taken recent steps to (a) update and (b) publicise the guidance entitled Making Financial Decisions for young people: parent and carer toolkit, published on 9 June 2023.

Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

Although the parent and carer toolkit ‘Making Financial Decisions for young people’ is almost two years old, the information it contains is still current.

The Ministry of Justice regularly considers how to publicise the tool kit and raise awareness of the Mental Capacity Act.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what information her Department holds on the number of providers that have allowed carers of young people without capacity to access Child Trust Funds up to £5,000 without legal authority.

Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

Providers of Child Trust Funds are financial organisations who are independent of government.

As a result, my Department does not hold information on volumes of matured, unclaimed Child Trust Funds belonging to people who lack capacity, or information on the number of providers who have allowed carers of young people without capacity to access Child Trust Funds up to £5,000 without legal authority.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how many and what proportion of matured Child Trust Funds that are unclaimed belong to people who lack capacity.

Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

Providers of Child Trust Funds are financial organisations who are independent of government.

As a result, my Department does not hold information on volumes of matured, unclaimed Child Trust Funds belonging to people who lack capacity, or information on the number of providers who have allowed carers of young people without capacity to access Child Trust Funds up to £5,000 without legal authority.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to section 2 of her Department's policy paper entitled New approach to ensure regulators and regulation support growth, updated on 31 March 2025, when the administrative costs of regulation baselining exercise will conclude.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The government has committed to cut the administrative costs of regulation to business by 25% by the end of this Parliament. To do this, we must determine the cumulative administrative costs of regulation which has not been done for 15 years. At that time, the exercise took approximately 18 months, which was consistent with efforts of other countries that have undertaken similar exercises.

We are working in partnership with businesses to understand their real-life experiences of regulatory compliance to establish a robust regulatory baseline. We will publish an update on this baseline exercise and our expected timelines in due course.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to section 2 of the policy paper entitled New approach to ensure regulators and regulation support growth, updated on 31 March 2025, how many people are employed by the British Hallmarking Council.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

• The British Hallmarking Council currently employs one part time member of staff.

• In 2024 the annual operating cost of the British Hallmarking Council was £112,650.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to section 2 of the policy paper entitled New approach to ensure regulators and regulation support growth, updated on 31 March 2025, what the annual operating cost is of the British Hallmarking Council .

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

• The British Hallmarking Council currently employs one part time member of staff.

• In 2024 the annual operating cost of the British Hallmarking Council was £112,650.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to section 2 of her Department's policy paper entitled New approach to ensure regulators and regulation support growth, updated on 31 March 2025, what the estimated saving is from merging the Office of the Regulator of Community Interest Companies and Companies House.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Office of the Regulator of Community Interest Companies (“CICs”) (“the Regulator”) plays a crucial role in maintaining the CIC model as an effective form of social enterprise. By exploiting the considerable overlap between the Regulator and Companies House, and the close working relationship that already exists between the two, the Government intends to fully integrate the Regulator’s functions into Companies House as part of wider plans to streamline the UK’s regulatory environment. Both organisations are funded by fees, and there are no expected direct savings.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what proportion of matured Child Trust Funds that have not been claimed were opened by HMRC on the child’s behalf.

Answered by Emma Reynolds - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

HMRC assists young people in accessing their matured CTFs through its online tracing service and through targeted communications appropriate to the age group. It will continue its work with providers, industry representatives and other stakeholders, exploring ways of increasing the profile of CTFs and enabling account owners to be aware of and trace their accounts.

HMRC encourages anyone unsure about their situation to get in touch with their account provider. If people don’t know their account provider, they can easily locate their Child Trust Fund accounts online by using the “Find my CTF” page on GOV.UK https://www.gov.uk/child-trust-funds/find-a-child-trust-fund

Information on Child Trust Funds is available in HMRC’s Annual Savings Statistics.

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/annual-savings-statistics-2024

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what the market value is of matured Child Trust Funds that are unclaimed.

Answered by Emma Reynolds - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

HMRC assists young people in accessing their matured CTFs through its online tracing service and through targeted communications appropriate to the age group. It will continue its work with providers, industry representatives and other stakeholders, exploring ways of increasing the profile of CTFs and enabling account owners to be aware of and trace their accounts.

HMRC encourages anyone unsure about their situation to get in touch with their account provider. If people don’t know their account provider, they can easily locate their Child Trust Fund accounts online by using the “Find my CTF” page on GOV.UK https://www.gov.uk/child-trust-funds/find-a-child-trust-fund

Information on Child Trust Funds is available in HMRC’s Annual Savings Statistics.

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/annual-savings-statistics-2024

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps HMRC is taking to improve communication with Child Trust Fund beneficiaries.

Answered by Emma Reynolds - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

HMRC assists young people in accessing their matured CTFs through its online tracing service and through targeted communications appropriate to the age group. It will continue its work with providers, industry representatives and other stakeholders, exploring ways of increasing the profile of CTFs and enabling account owners to be aware of and trace their accounts.

HMRC encourages anyone unsure about their situation to get in touch with their account provider. If people don’t know their account provider, they can easily locate their Child Trust Fund accounts online by using the “Find my CTF” page on GOV.UK https://www.gov.uk/child-trust-funds/find-a-child-trust-fund

Information on Child Trust Funds is available in HMRC’s Annual Savings Statistics.

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/annual-savings-statistics-2024

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what proportion of matured Child Trust Funds have not been claimed.

Answered by Emma Reynolds - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

HMRC assists young people in accessing their matured CTFs through its online tracing service and through targeted communications appropriate to the age group. It will continue its work with providers, industry representatives and other stakeholders, exploring ways of increasing the profile of CTFs and enabling account owners to be aware of and trace their accounts.

HMRC encourages anyone unsure about their situation to get in touch with their account provider. If people don’t know their account provider, they can easily locate their Child Trust Fund accounts online by using the “Find my CTF” page on GOV.UK https://www.gov.uk/child-trust-funds/find-a-child-trust-fund

Information on Child Trust Funds is available in HMRC’s Annual Savings Statistics.

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/annual-savings-statistics-2024

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many matured Child Trust Funds are unclaimed.

Answered by Emma Reynolds - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

HMRC assists young people in accessing their matured CTFs through its online tracing service and through targeted communications appropriate to the age group. It will continue its work with providers, industry representatives and other stakeholders, exploring ways of increasing the profile of CTFs and enabling account owners to be aware of and trace their accounts.

HMRC encourages anyone unsure about their situation to get in touch with their account provider. If people don’t know their account provider, they can easily locate their Child Trust Fund accounts online by using the “Find my CTF” page on GOV.UK https://www.gov.uk/child-trust-funds/find-a-child-trust-fund

Information on Child Trust Funds is available in HMRC’s Annual Savings Statistics.

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/annual-savings-statistics-2024

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to section 2.1 of HM Treasury's policy paper entitled New approach to ensure regulators and regulation support growth, updated on 31 March 2025, how much the Environment Agency's priority tracked service cost.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Environment Agency launched the priority tracked service on 1 April 2025. The priority tracked service is an optional service paid for by service users. The service will fully recover its costs and scale up to reflect uptake. Currently, charges are £100 per hour.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to section 2.1 of HM Treasury's policy paper entitled New approach to ensure regulators and regulation support growth, updated on 31 March 2025, when the Environment Agency's priority tracked service will launch.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Environment Agency launched the priority tracked service on 1 April 2025. The priority tracked service is an optional service paid for by service users. The service will fully recover its costs and scale up to reflect uptake. Currently, charges are £100 per hour.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to section 2.1 of HM Treasury’s policy paper entitled New approach to ensure regulators and regulation support growth, updated on 31 March 2025, which new initiatives have been launched to support priority sectors.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Defra, jointly with Welsh Government are currently consulting on proposals to streamline the process for setting and amending exemptions within the environmental permitting framework, empowering regulators to operate in an agile and outcome-driven fashion in support of both economic growth and environmental protections.

The regulations the Environment Agency (EA) implements spans aspects of sectors, such as advance manufacturing and clean energy, in the priority list. In April the EA launched a pilot priority tracked service for significant infrastructure and major housebuilding projects, ahead of launching a full service later in the year, to allow developers to work with a dedicated team on their permits and track progress. On 31st March, the EA launched a “standard rules” approach to support research and development activities at industrial installations, this will make it easier to trial and scale-up new technologies and processes to boost investment and productivity.

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