Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of reducing VAT on labour costs to 10% for the hair and beauty sector.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

VAT is a broad-based tax on consumption, and the 20 per cent standard rate applies to most goods and services. VAT is the UK’s third largest tax, forecast to raise £180 billion in 2025/26.

Tax breaks reduce the revenue available for vital public services and must represent value for money for the taxpayer. Exceptions to the standard rate have always been limited and balanced against affordability considerations.

No VAT is charged on employment costs themselves, as wages are not subject to VAT. VAT only applies where labour is supplied through an agency or another business-to-business service, and VAT-registered businesses can recover any VAT incurred.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether his Department plans to increase the availability of the test digital service for applicants for (a) the Personal Independence Payment and (b) other benefits in (i) Horsham constituency and (ii) other areas.

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

We are enabling customers to complete parts of their application online, as announced in the Pathways to Work Green Paper. We are also planning to increase the number of face-to-face assessments.

We are transforming the way in which DWP delivers services, including the provision of online and self-serve options, while protecting and improving other channels.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the Channel 4 Fact Check report entitled Value of UK arms imported by Israel, published on 29 September 2025.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Channel 4 report focuses on imports of ammunition and munitions by Israel. The UK does not licence the export of any bombs or ammunition for use in military operations in Gaza or the West Bank. As Members will be aware, last year we suspended licences for exports of items to the IDF that might be used in military operations in Gaza.

The report is based on Israeli customs data which does not differentiate between live munitions and training equipment or sporting ammunition for civilian use. Furthermore it does not differentiate between items staying in Israel and those scheduled for re-export to other countries.

We take our arms control system very seriously and have taken every possible measure to ensure licences are not approved for exports that could be used by the IDF in Gaza.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what information his Department holds on the number of claims for clinical negligence in each NHS Trust in the most recent period for which data is available.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

NHS Resolution (NHSR) manages clinical negligence and other claims against the National Health Service in England. The table attached shows the number of clinical claims and incidents received in the 2024/25 financial year, broken down by NHS trust.

The table provided sets out the number of clinical negligence claims and incidents notified to NHSR by NHS trusts in the most recent period for which data is available. It should be noted that these figures are based on the financial year in which a claim or incident was notified to NHSR, however, the incident may have occurred in previous financial years.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she plans maintain the five pence per litre fuel duty cut.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

At Autumn Budget 2024, the Government announced continued support for people and businesses by extending the temporary 5p fuel duty cut and cancelling the planned increase in line with inflation for 2025/26. The temporary 5p cut is currently scheduled to expire in March 2026. The Government considers the impact of fuel duty on households and businesses, with decisions on rates made at fiscal events.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate his Department have made of potential savings of the implementation of Fixed Recoverable Costs for clinical negligence claims valued up to (a) £25,000, (b) £100,000 and (c) £250,000.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The rising costs of clinical negligence claims against the National Health Service in England are of great concern to the Government. Costs have more than doubled in the last 10 years and are forecast to continue rising, putting further pressure on NHS finances.

As announced in the recently published 10-Year Health Plan for England, David Lock KC will be providing expert policy advice on the rising legal costs and how we can improve patients’ experience of clinical negligence claims, ahead of a review by the Department in the autumn. The results of David Lock’s work will inform future policy making in this area. No decisions on policy have been taken at this point. The Government will provide an update on the work done and next steps, in due course.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of repealing S2(4) of the Law Reform (Personal Injuries) Act 1948 on NHS costs.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The rising costs of clinical negligence claims against the National Health Service in England are of great concern to the Government. Costs have more than doubled in the last 10 years and are forecast to continue rising, putting further pressure on NHS finances.

As announced in the recently published 10-Year Health Plan for England, David Lock KC will be providing expert policy advice on the rising legal costs and how we can improve patients’ experience of clinical negligence claims, ahead of a review by the Department in the autumn. The results of David Lock’s work will inform future policy making in this area. No decisions on policy have been taken at this point. The Government will provide an update on the work done and next steps, in due course.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what (a) organisations and (b) individuals has David Lock KC had discussions with as part of his review into the legal costs of clinical negligence.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The rising costs of clinical negligence claims against the National Health Service in England are of great concern to the Government. Costs have more than doubled in the last 10 years and are forecast to continue rising, putting further pressure on NHS finances.

As announced in the recently published 10-Year Health Plan for England, David Lock KC will be providing expert policy advice on the rising legal costs and how we can improve patients’ experience of clinical negligence claims, ahead of a review by the Department in the autumn. The results of David Lock’s work will inform future policy making in this area. No decisions on policy have been taken at this point. The Government will provide an update on the work done and next steps, in due course.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether David Lock KC’s review of the legal costs of clinical negligence will be published.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The rising costs of clinical negligence claims against the National Health Service in England are of great concern to the Government. Costs have more than doubled in the last 10 years and are forecast to continue rising, putting further pressure on NHS finances.

As announced in the recently published 10-Year Health Plan for England, David Lock KC will be providing expert policy advice on the rising legal costs and how we can improve patients’ experience of clinical negligence claims, ahead of a review by the Department in the autumn. The results of David Lock’s work will inform future policy making in this area. No decisions on policy have been taken at this point. The Government will provide an update on the work done and next steps, in due course.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to ensure hunting laws are applied.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The enforcement of the Hunting Act is an operational matter for the police. This is in line with their duties to keep the peace, protect communities and prevent the commission of offences, working within the provisions of the legal framework set by Parliament.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if his Department will include a target in a future Rare Disease Action Plan on proportionate access to multi-indication medicines for (a) rare and (b) ultra-rare disease patients.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Improving access to specialist care, treatments, and drugs is a priority under the UK Rare Diseases Framework. The 2025 England Rare Diseases Action Plan was published in February 2025 and reports on progress against existing actions under this priority. This included reviewing the effectiveness of the Early Access to Medicines Scheme, the Innovative Licensing and Access Pathway, and the Innovative Medicines Fund, which are key access initiatives aimed at facilitating earlier availability of innovative treatments. Our review specifically assessed how effective these pathways are in supporting timely access to therapies for individuals living with rare diseases.

As set out in the Life Sciences Sector plan, we will be introducing a new and proportionate approach to National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) appraisals and NHS indication-specific based pricing agreements for medicines with large numbers of indications, strong long-term outcome data, and low affordability risk. This will support treatments for rare diseases. There are currently no plans to introduce an access target, as it is essential to review the available evidence on a case-by-case basis. However, the Government remains committed to improving access to medicines for rare and ultra-rare diseases.

Buying community energy locally

Water scarcity and agricultural reservoirs

President Trump’s 20-point peace plan

Fly-tipping and illegal waste dumping by criminal gangs

Conduct of Sir Robbie Gibb and the independence of the BBC Board

Found: Q112 John Milne: Good morning.

Found: Torbay) Damien Egan (Labour; Bristol North East) Amanda Hack (Labour; North West Leicestershire) John Milne

Found: Torbay) Damien Egan (Labour; Bristol North East) Amanda Hack (Labour; North West Leicestershire) John Milne

Found: Q7 John Milne: Good morning.