Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of changes to tax relief for orchestras on (a) the financial sustainability of British touring orchestras, (b) profits from international tours and (c) funding needs for orchestras whose funding model is dependent on income from international touring.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

Orchestra tax relief is available for costs incurred on goods or services that are used or consumed in the UK. This replaces the previous rule that qualifying costs were those incurred on goods or services provided from the UK or the European Economic Area (EEA).

To ease the transition to the new rule, orchestras with concerts in train on 1 April 2024 were permitted to continue claiming relief on goods or services provided from within the EEA until 31 March 2025.

It is appropriate to refocus orchestra tax relief on UK expenditure now that the UK has left the EU. Under the new rule, the relief incentivises activity within the UK, rather than the UK and the EEA. This does not prevent qualifying productions from touring in the EEA (nor elsewhere).

As with all tax policy changes, a Tax Information and Impact Note was published in 2023 which can be found here: Administrative changes to the creative industry tax reliefs - GOV.UK.

The Government keeps all taxes under review.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what safeguarding provisions her Department provides for (a) children and (b) isolated parents while Child Arrangement Orders are approved.

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

The legislation which governs child arrangements cases ensures that the child’s welfare is paramount at each stage of proceedings.

Whilst a Child Arrangements Order is being approved, the Family Court may put an interim Child Arrangements Order in place. These orders are often issued to ensure that whilst a final decision is being reached a child can maintain family relationships, where it is safe to do so. The order can specify the details of contact, such as whether it should be supervised. In cases where there are concerns about safety, the court may direct that contact takes place at a Child Contact Centre.

The Government is committed to supporting vulnerable children and parents. Our Pathfinder pilot, which is currently being rolled out across England and Wales, is designed to improve the court experience for children and vulnerable parents in private family law cases. Central to this the Child Impact Report, which assesses a child’s needs and what the right approach would be for them, particularly focusing on the impact of any domestic abuse or high-risk behaviours.

Practice Direction 27C allows both Independent Domestic Violence Advisors and Children’s Independent Domestic Violence Advisors to accompany individuals during court hearings, ensuring they are supported throughout their case. These trained professionals provide trauma-informed support to victims and child victims of domestic abuse, helping them navigate the legal process, access services, and participate safely in proceedings.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 27 February 2025 to Question 31023 on Gambling: Young People, how many video game companies have adopted the new guidance produced by the Technical Working Group of video game representatives; and what her planned timeline is for the publication of the commissioned independent academic research on its effectiveness.

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

We are committed to ensuring video games are enjoyed safely and responsibly by everyone.

Following the publication of industry-led guidance on loot boxes in video games, my Department continues to work with independent academic researchers to assess the extent of implementation by video games companies and its effectiveness in improving player protections. This work is continuing and although we do not have the precise number he requests, we will publish findings in due course.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps her Department is taking to support people with long covid into work.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

Our ambitions are to reverse the trend of inactivity, and to raise both productivity and living standards whilst improving the quality of work. To help achieve this, we have set a long-term ambition to achieve an 80% employment rate, demonstrating our commitment to bringing those furthest away from the labour market into it, increasing local labour supply. Backed by £240million investment, the Get Britain Working White Paper launched last November will drive forward approaches to tackling economic inactivity and work toward the 80% employment rate.

Appropriate work is generally good for health and wellbeing, so we want everyone to get work and get on in work, whoever they are and wherever they live. Disabled people and people with health conditions are a diverse group so access to the right work and health support, in the right place, at the right time, is key.

The Government is committed to supporting disabled people and people with health conditions, including people with long covid, and have range of support available so individuals can stay in work and get back into work, including those that join up employment and health systems. Measures include joining up health and employment support around the individual through Employment Advisors in NHS Talking Therapies, Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care and WorkWell, as well as support from Work Coaches and Disability Employment Advisers in Jobcentres and Access to Work grants.

The Government also announced in the recent Pathways to Work Green Paper that we would establish a new guarantee of support for all disabled people and people with health conditions claiming out of work benefits who want help to get into or return to work, backed up by £1billion of new funding.

Employers play an important role in addressing health and disability. The Disability Confident Scheme encourages employers to create disability inclusive workplaces and to support disabled people to get work and get on in work. To build on this, the Joint DWP and DHSC Work & Health Directorate is facilitating “Keep Britain Working”, an independent review of the role of UK employers in reducing health-related inactivity and to promote healthy and inclusive workplaces. The lead reviewer, Sir Charlie Mayfield, is expected to bring forward recommendations in Autumn 2025.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the total annual administrative cost was of implementing the 25p weekly age addition to the state pension for recipients over 80; and whether this cost exceeds the total amount paid out in such additions.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Age Addition is designed to be simple to administer. Payments are made automatically as part of the person's ongoing State Pension entitlement. The administration costs are therefore negligible.

In 2024, 474,239 letters were issued to inform people that they were now entitled to the Age Addition, costing £278,030 in printing and postage. In 24/25, the annual cost of the 25p Age Addition to the State Pension for those eligible 80+ is estimated to be £50.8m. Administrative costs therefore do not exceed the total amount paid.

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Bob Blackman (Chair); Jess Brown-Fuller; Jonathan Davies; Mary Glindon