Asked by: John Whittingdale (Conservative - Maldon)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if his Department will review the policy requiring local authorities to claw back covid grant payments made in error where (a) significant periods of time have elapsed before notification of the error, (b) the payment was (i) made and (ii) used in good faith and (c) repayment would have a disproportionate impact on small community organisations.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The various business grant schemes were a vital component of support for many businesses during the Covid-19 crisis. However, due to the speed of delivery, payments were made in good faith and in some cases following post payment compliance checks, some awards were identified as being made when they didn’t qualify for the support. In such cases, to protect public money these funds are recovered.
Recovery action is considered and assessed on a case-by-case basis, with repayment terms on an interest-free basis offered to support businesses required to repay.
Asked by: John Whittingdale (Conservative - Maldon)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps her Department has taken through the (a) Financial Conduct Authority and (b) Payment Systems Regulator to establish the reasons for which banks have not engaged directly with investors in resolving authorised push payment reimbursement claims relating to investments made (i) before and (ii) after 7 October 2024; and what (A) findings, (B) correspondence and (C) further steps have resulted from this work.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
Treasury Ministers have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. Details of ministerial meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available at the link below.
All payment services providers, including banks, are required to comply with the Payment Systems Regulator’s authorised push payment (APP) scam reimbursement regime, which came into force on 7 October 2024. This requires firms to reimburse victims for qualifying APP scams which took place from 7 October 2024 and over the Faster Payments System up to the value of £85,000. For APP scams which took place before this, these may be eligible for reimbursement under the Contingent Reimbursement Model Code, which applied from May 2019 and was signed by the UK’s largest banks and building societies.
The 79th group are currently subject to an ongoing investigation by The City of London Police. As such the Government is unable to comment on the specifics of the case.
The FCA and PSR have recently written to financial services firms setting out their expectation that firms should determine whether any claims, or parts of claims, are a qualifying APP scam, on an individual basis.
Asked by: John Whittingdale (Conservative - Maldon)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what representations her Department has received from sending banks under the authorised push payment reimbursement arrangements in relation to (a) claims and (b) complaints by 79th Group investors; and what guidance UK Finance has provided to those banks on handling such claims.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
Treasury Ministers have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. Details of ministerial meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available at the link below.
All payment services providers, including banks, are required to comply with the Payment Systems Regulator’s authorised push payment (APP) scam reimbursement regime, which came into force on 7 October 2024. This requires firms to reimburse victims for qualifying APP scams which took place from 7 October 2024 and over the Faster Payments System up to the value of £85,000. For APP scams which took place before this, these may be eligible for reimbursement under the Contingent Reimbursement Model Code, which applied from May 2019 and was signed by the UK’s largest banks and building societies.
The 79th group are currently subject to an ongoing investigation by The City of London Police. As such the Government is unable to comment on the specifics of the case.
The FCA and PSR have recently written to financial services firms setting out their expectation that firms should determine whether any claims, or parts of claims, are a qualifying APP scam, on an individual basis.
Asked by: John Whittingdale (Conservative - Maldon)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what representations her Department has received from receiving banks under the authorised push payment reimbursement arrangements in relation to (a) claims and (b) complaints by 79th Group investors; and what guidance UK Finance has provided to those banks on handling such claims.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
Treasury Ministers have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. Details of ministerial meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available at the link below.
All payment services providers, including banks, are required to comply with the Payment Systems Regulator’s authorised push payment (APP) scam reimbursement regime, which came into force on 7 October 2024. This requires firms to reimburse victims for qualifying APP scams which took place from 7 October 2024 and over the Faster Payments System up to the value of £85,000. For APP scams which took place before this, these may be eligible for reimbursement under the Contingent Reimbursement Model Code, which applied from May 2019 and was signed by the UK’s largest banks and building societies.
The 79th group are currently subject to an ongoing investigation by The City of London Police. As such the Government is unable to comment on the specifics of the case.
The FCA and PSR have recently written to financial services firms setting out their expectation that firms should determine whether any claims, or parts of claims, are a qualifying APP scam, on an individual basis.
Asked by: John Whittingdale (Conservative - Maldon)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions her Department has had with UK Finance on proposed changes to the (a) role and (b) remit of the Financial Ombudsman Service; and what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of those proposed changes on protections for (i) people in the 79th Group and (b) other vulnerable investors.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
Treasury Ministers meet with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the regular business of government. Details of ministerial meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel
The Government engaged a wide range of stakeholders as part of its review of the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS), which was conducted between March and July 2025. The Government recently consulted on proposed reforms following the conclusion of the review, and the consultation closed on 8 October 2025. The Government is now reviewing responses, and will set out its proposed next steps in due course. The review’s findings and the consultation on proposed reforms can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/fs-sector-strategy-review-of-the-financial-ombudsman-service.
The Government’s proposed reforms will not undermine the important role of the FOS in providing consumers with a cost-free route to quickly and easily resolve disputes with financial services firms. The review concluded that the FOS’s role providing an impartial dispute resolution service within the financial services regulatory framework should be preserved, and that the fair and reasonable test remains appropriate for its position as an informal alternative to the courts.
The Government is proposing that the fair and reasonable test should be retained and adapted to align with the overall regulatory approach for financial services, so that where conduct complained of is in scope of FCA rules, a firm will be considered to have acted fairly and reasonably.
These reforms will improve the regulatory coherence between the FOS and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), to deliver a more consistent and predictable regulatory environment, which the Government believes will benefit both consumers and industry..
The 79th Group is subject to an ongoing investigation by The City of London Police. As such the Government is unable to comment on the specifics of the case. However, the FCA and PSR have recently written to financial services firms setting out their expectation that firms should determine whether any claims, or parts of claims, are a qualifying APP scam, on an individual basis.
Asked by: John Whittingdale (Conservative - Maldon)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions she has had with UK Finance on reforming of the role of the Financial Ombudsman Service.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
Treasury Ministers meet with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the regular business of government. Details of ministerial meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel
The Government engaged a wide range of stakeholders as part of its review of the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS), which was conducted between March and July 2025. The Government recently consulted on proposed reforms following the conclusion of the review, and the consultation closed on 8 October 2025. The Government is now reviewing responses, and will set out its proposed next steps in due course. The review’s findings and the consultation on proposed reforms can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/fs-sector-strategy-review-of-the-financial-ombudsman-service.
The Government’s proposed reforms will not undermine the important role of the FOS in providing consumers with a cost-free route to quickly and easily resolve disputes with financial services firms. The review concluded that the FOS’s role providing an impartial dispute resolution service within the financial services regulatory framework should be preserved, and that the fair and reasonable test remains appropriate for its position as an informal alternative to the courts.
The Government is proposing that the fair and reasonable test should be retained and adapted to align with the overall regulatory approach for financial services, so that where conduct complained of is in scope of FCA rules, a firm will be considered to have acted fairly and reasonably.
These reforms will improve the regulatory coherence between the FOS and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), to deliver a more consistent and predictable regulatory environment, which the Government believes will benefit both consumers and industry..
The 79th Group is subject to an ongoing investigation by The City of London Police. As such the Government is unable to comment on the specifics of the case. However, the FCA and PSR have recently written to financial services firms setting out their expectation that firms should determine whether any claims, or parts of claims, are a qualifying APP scam, on an individual basis.
Asked by: John Whittingdale (Conservative - Maldon)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department is taking to reorganise local government in Essex.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Local Government Reorganisation creates a huge opportunity for efficiency and improve public services.
Final proposals from councils in Essex were submitted by 26 September. We anticipate launching a statutory consultation in November.
Asked by: John Whittingdale (Conservative - Maldon)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, in what way he plans to appoint the Chairs of the technical sub-groups on (a) AI and (b) copyright; and what criteria will be used to ensure their impartiality.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
We have committed to establishing technical working groups to inform our approach to copyright and AI. They will be designed to bring together a range of experts and stakeholders. The initial groups are being jointly chaired by SoS DSIT and SoS DCMS. Details on the subsequent meetings will be set out in due course.
Asked by: John Whittingdale (Conservative - Maldon)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if he will publish the (a) membership, (b) minutes and (c) Terms of Reference of the (i) working groups on AI and copyright and (ii) technical sub-groups.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
We have committed to establishing technical working groups to inform our approach to copyright and AI. They will be designed to bring together a range of experts and stakeholders. A full list of attendees and Terms of Reference will be published in due course.
Asked by: John Whittingdale (Conservative - Maldon)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of cancer patients receive treatment within 62 days in (a) England and (b) Maldon constituency.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The latest data for England shows that 67.1% of people started treatment within 62 days of referral. Data on the 62 day referral to treatment cancer waiting time standard is available by integrated care board (ICB) area, but not by constituency. The Maldon constituency falls within the Mid and South Essex ICB, and therefore the following table shows the proportion of cancer patients who receive treatment within 62 days in June 2024 and June 2025, and the change over this 12 month period, for both England and the Mid and South Essex ICB:
Cancer | 62 day standard (85% standard) | |
June 2025 | National | 67.1% |
ICB | 43.5% | |
June 2024 | National | 67.9% |
ICB | 47.8% | |
12-month change | National | -0.8% |
ICB | -4.3% | |