Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of bus franchising on community connectivity in rural villages.

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

The Government is committed to delivering better bus services, including in rural areas. We have set out a plan to achieve this based on giving local leaders the powers they need and empowering them to choose the service model that works best in their area, whether that be franchising, strengthened Enhanced Partnerships, or local authority bus companies.

Under franchised bus services, local authorities can assume responsibility for all elements of the bus network, including routes, timetables and fares. This can lead to improved levels of connectivity. There is no ‘one size fits all’ approach to franchising, and Government is engaging with Local Transport Authorities to identify potential alternative models of franchising that could be adopted and used by smaller or more rural authorities.

The Government has also allocated funding to five different areas to take forward bus franchising pilots. The pilots will test different franchising models to investigate how they can be implemented and deliver improved bus services for passengers, including in more rural locations. The pilots will provide funding, guidance, and practical resources to local transport authorities to identify the most suitable approach to bus franchising and wider bus reform measures.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether there are plans to build new service family accommodation in the constituency of Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Defence Housing Strategy sets out a vision for the future renewal of the Service family estate, backed by a 10-year programme of investment. Until the Strategy implementation plan is finalised, we are unable to confirm any future plans for new Service Family Accommodation in your constituency of Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has made an assessment into the social value of increasing rail connectivity (a) in and (b) between rural and semi-rural areas.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

Assessments of the social value of increasing rail connectivity (a) in and (b) between rural and semi-rural areas are calculated on a case-by-case basis to reflect local economic conditions, using Transport Analysis Guidance (TAG). As an aid to understanding the value of such connectivity between origins and destinations, the Department for Transport has developed the connectivity metric, which measures an individual’s ability to reach employment, services and social engagements.

Connectivity evaluates the value of destinations and the opportunity to reach said destinations using various modes of transport, including walking, cycling, driving and public transport. It considers different purposes of travel, like employment, education, shopping, leisure and healthcare. Its value will vary widely across geographies or between locations.

In assessing the full social value of connectivity, the Connectivity tool is one method of gauging such potential value. However, this assessment must then take a holistic view as set out in TAG, including the guidance on assessment of the wider benefits of rail interventions including reduced road congestion, improved air quality and reduced carbon emissions.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps her Department is taking to ensure the Online Safety Act 2023 does not result in unintended consequences for (a) freedom of expression and (b) access to (i) supportive and (ii) archival online content.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

Under the Act, both Ofcom and in-scope companies will have duties relating to freedom of expression, for which they can be held to account. Platforms will not be able to arbitrarily remove content and users will have access to effective complaints procedures to appeal instances when content is unduly taken down. This will ensure that UK users can express themselves freely online and participate in pluralistic and robust debate.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the adequacy of restoration of rail service levels to pre COVID-19 levels.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

We regularly review and publish passenger demand levels and work closely with operators to ensure they provide sufficient capacity to meet demand wherever possible. We have been clear with operators that they should meet demand in a manner that supports overall performance improvement and minimises the net subsidy taxpayers pay for rail.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when the Disability Confident Scheme was last evaluated, what metrics were used, and whether the Department plans to review employer compliance with the guaranteed interview commitment.

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

In 2022, the department ran a survey to understand from members’ perspectives the impact that signing up to the Disability Confident scheme has had on their organisations. Metrics in the survey included members’ recruitment and retention attitudes and practices towards disabled people, awareness of the benefits of Disability Confident membership, plans for membership renewal, and perceived impact of Disability Confident on the organisation. The findings of the survey can be accessed from: Disability Confident: survey of participating employers, May 2022 - GOV.UK.

DWP is working with stakeholders, including disabled people, the Devolved Governments, local authorities, disability organisations, employers and sector experts to strengthen the scheme. This includes reviewing the current offer of an interview commitment and exploring how we can work with employers to improve transparency and accountability against scheme criteria.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the report by CenTax entitled A fair solution to inheritance tax on farms and small businesses, published on 15 August 2025, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the proposal for a minimum share rule on levels of Inheritance Tax paid by (a) family-run farms and (b) estates holding agricultural land for investment purposes.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government believes its reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief from 6 April 2026 get the balance right between supporting farms and businesses, fixing the public finances, and funding public services. The reforms reduce the inheritance tax advantages available to owners of agricultural and business assets, but still mean those assets will be taxed at a much lower effective rate than most other assets. Despite a tough fiscal context, the Government will maintain very significant levels of relief from inheritance tax beyond what is available to others and compared to the position before 1992. Where inheritance tax is due, those liable for a charge can pay any liability on the relevant assets over 10 annual instalments, interest-free.

As announced at Budget 2025, any unused £1 million allowance for the 100% rate of agricultural property relief and business property relief will be transferable between spouses and civil partners, including if the first death was before 6 April 2026.

The report by the independent Centre for the Analysis of Taxation (CenTax) sets out its other potential amendments to the policy are not, in its own words, a “silver bullet”. For example, CenTax acknowledge the proposal for a minimum share test is less effective than the Government’s reforms in raising revenue from the wealthiest estates, could be exposed to tax planning opportunities, would not necessarily prevent wealthy individuals buying land for inheritance tax purposes, and would mean double the number of estates being affected by the reforms (and largely estates below £2 million).

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications of his policies the recommendation in the report entitled FloodReady – an action plan to build the resilience of people and properties, published on 16 October 2025, that the Government explore (a) amending Building Regulations and (b) amending the Future Homes Standard to include low-cost property flood resilience measures.

Answered by Samantha Dixon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 81948 on 21 October 2025.

Found: Lee Dillon; Graeme Downie; Mary Kelly Foy; Tracy Gilbert; Gurinder Singh Josan; John Lamont; Lee Pitcher

Written Parliamentary Questions (WPQs) are an important tool for Members of Parliament to obtain detailed and targeted information to aid in the scrutiny of Government policy and operations. The long-established purpose of WPQs is to uphold transparency and accountability by ensuring that the Government provides clear and timely information to Parliament, and to the public via their publication.