Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, for what reason contributions are calculated using a paying parent’s gross income as opposed to a net income, and whether there are plans to change this.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Child Maintenance Service uses gross income because this provides a clear and consistent basis for calculating maintenance. Information about the paying parent’s gross income is taken directly from HM Revenue and Customs for the latest tax year available, allowing calculations to be made quickly and accurately. We judge gross income figures are less vulnerable to manipulation by the minority of parents who attempt to evade paying child maintenance.

The current calculation scheme was designed using gross income and was introduced in 2012 to simplify the assessment process and reduce administrative burden. The Government currently has no plans to change the basis of the calculation from gross income to net income.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, whether he plans to introduce improved rights for purchasers in large property administrations to establish (a) representative creditor committees and (b) equivalent mechanisms to scrutinise administrator decisions, fees, asset recoveries and investigations.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

There are no plans to introduce improved rights as the insolvency framework already contains robust safeguards to ensure that administrators, who are authorised insolvency practitioners, are subject to appropriate oversight and scrutiny to ensure transparency and accountability. Administrators must provide creditors with regular progress reports, and seek their approval for their initial proposals as well as their remuneration and expenses. Creditors must also be invited to establish a creditors' committee to represent their interests and assist the administrator in the administration, and may request further information about an office-holder's remuneration and expenses.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, whether he plans to review the adequacy of the regulatory and insolvency framework in providing protection for consumers purchasing off-plan property from developers operating through multiple connected companies.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government is currently considering responses to its recently concluded Corporate Civil Enforcement Reforms consultation.

The regulatory and insolvency framework balances the interests of consumers, employees, businesses and other creditors. Duties of company directors are set out in legislation, and they are expected to comply with company and insolvency law and uphold the highest standards of corporate governance.

The recent consultation included proposals to modernise corporate enforcement, such as automatic disqualification of directors where companies are wound up by the court on public interest grounds, and director restrictions to tackle misconduct more quickly and prevent escalation.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, whether he is considering the potential merits of changes to insolvency or consumer-protection legislation to provide greater protection to purchasers of off-plan residential property, including greater protection for deposits.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government keeps insolvency legislation under regular review to ensure that it continues to provide appropriate protection for businesses and consumers. There are existing safeguards when a developer becomes subject to insolvency proceedings, including powers to investigate directors’ conduct with particular attention paid to deposits accepted when developers are unable to fulfil their obligations. Where misconduct is identified, and it is in the public interest to do so, enforcement action may follow to disqualify the directors from acting in the management of a company for a period of between 2 and 15 years.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, when amounts are owed between companies within the same property development group, what mechanisms exist to ensure that potentially recoverable funds or assets are adequately investigated and pursued for the benefit of creditors.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Where a company enters administration or liquidation, the insolvency practitioner acting as office-holder is responsible for identifying and dealing with the company’s assets, including any amounts due from other companies.

Office-holders have wide powers to secure company property and seek information and, where appropriate, pursue recovery action. Where relevant legal thresholds are met, they may also seek to overturn certain transactions made prior to the insolvency proceedings that were not to the benefit of all of the creditors, so that assets may be restored for the benefit of the insolvent estate and its creditors.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what oversight mechanisms are in place governing the fees and expenses charged by insolvency practitioners in large property administrations involving hundreds of individual purchasers.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Insolvency practitioners must follow statutory requirements and regulatory guidance on how their remuneration must be reported. The requirements seek to ensure that fees are a fair and reasonable reflection of the work undertaken while appointed.

Insolvency practitioners are subject to a robust regulatory regime, where they are monitored by Recognised Professional Bodies, who are themselves subject to oversight regulation by the Secretary of State.

Creditors are given opportunities to question fees and challenge them, with the court being the ultimate arbiter if disputes cannot be resolved.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the insolvency framework in providing protection to purchasers who have paid deposits for properties that have not yet been completed when the developer enters administration.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The insolvency framework does not provide specific protections for purchasers of uncompleted properties. An administrator is under a statutory duty to assess the company's assets and liabilities and must act in the interests of creditors as a whole. The treatment of any purchaser's claim will depend on the circumstances of the case, including any contractual arrangements. Once assets have been realised and claims agreed, any remaining funds will be distributed according to the order of priority set out in legislation.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of reversing the decision to allow the English Single malt geographical indication.

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

English Whisky has been registered as a geographical indication as the application met the requirements of the regulation. There are no plans by the department to assess reversing this decision. Appeals against this decision submitted by the deadline will be heard by a First-tier Tribunal.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether UK officials have discussed with their US counterparts the findings that US operations against the Houthis in Yemen in 2025 caused civilian deaths and injuries.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

Our Ministers and officials speak regularly with their US counterparts on a wide range of defence matters to ensure coherence and alignment between our two nations. As a matter of longstanding policy, we do not offer comment or information relating to other foreign nations’ military operations.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the recent US Department of Defense findings concerning civilian casualties arising from US military operations against the Houthis in Yemen in 2025; and whether those findings have prompted any review of UK policy or operational practice in relation to future joint operations with the United States.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

For operational security reasons, we do not offer comment or information relating to foreign nations’ military operations. All UK support to allies for operational purposes is considered on a case-by-case basis and includes consideration of the legal basis and policy rational for the proposed activity.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether an assessment of civilian harm risks forms part of the decision-making process when determining whether to accept a request from the United States for UK military assistance in operations against the Houthis in Yemen.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

For operational security reasons, we do not offer comment or information relating to foreign nations’ military operations. All UK support to allies for operational purposes is considered on a case-by-case basis and includes consideration of the legal basis and policy rational for the proposed activity.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has reviewed whether any civilian harm incidents identified by the US in their recent ‘1057’ review involved intelligence, targeting information, surveillance, refuelling, basing or other support provided by the United Kingdom.

Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

For operational security reasons, we do not offer comment or information relating to foreign nations’ military operations. All UK support to allies for operational purposes is considered on a case-by-case basis and includes consideration of the legal basis and policy rational for the proposed activity.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent estimate he has made of the cost of the Nuclear Enterprise.

Answered by Wes Streeting - Secretary of State for Defence

The Defence Nuclear Enterprise spent £12 billion in the financial year 2025-26. The Defence Investment Plan sets out a further £63.6 billion of planned investment in the Defence Nuclear Enterprise between 2026-27 and 2029-30.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what powers and obligations do administrators have to investigate transactions between connected companies within a property development group where one or more companies subsequently enter administration.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Administrators are regulated Insolvency Practitioners, appointed to manage the company’s affairs, business and property. Their statutory duties include making appropriate enquiries into transactions entered into by the company which includes intercompany transactions. Where transactions meet the relevant legal tests, the administrator may seek to reverse the transaction for the benefit of all creditors.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of requirements for disclosure of related-party transactions and intercompany balances to allow purchasers and other unsecured creditors to understand how funds were moved within a property development group before insolvency.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Companies Act 2006 sets out legal requirements in respect of related-party transactions. These include the rights and duties of the company directors and shadow directors within Part 10, disclosure obligations in Part 15 and financial assistance rules in Part 17.

Where a company enters insolvency, the insolvency framework provides mechanisms to investigate the company’s affairs and transactions before insolvency, including transactions involving connected parties. These protections sit alongside company reporting and disclosure requirements.

Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, where purchaser funds are transferred between connected companies or used in connection with other developments within the same corporate group, what legal or regulatory requirements govern those transactions.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Companies Act 2006 sets out legal requirements in respect of related-party transactions. These include the rights and duties of the company directors and shadow directors within Part 10, disclosure obligations in Part 15 and financial assistance rules in Part 17.

Where a company enters insolvency, the insolvency framework provides mechanisms to investigate the company’s affairs and transactions before insolvency, including transactions involving connected parties. These protections sit alongside company reporting and disclosure requirements.

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