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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many planning inspectors are qualified to run local planning examinations; and whether her Department plans to increase staffing at the Planning Inspectorate in the context of the timeframes proposed in the Planning and Infrastructure Bill.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Planning Inspectorate (PINS) currently has 60 Inspectors (55FTE) trained to carry out Local Plan Examinations.

The government is committed to achieving a more efficient and consistent local plans examination process. This includes ensuring there is sufficient resourcing in PINS to support such activity.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, when he plans to implement the second phase of the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards for non-domestic private rented buildings.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

We have analysed the responses to our consultation on Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards in the non-domestic private rented sector and we are reviewing the policy design to ensure it remains fair and appropriate for landlords and tenants, and plan to publish our response in the first half of 2025.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when the Infected Blood Compensation Authority plans to begin making compensation payments to affected individuals under the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

In December 2024, the Infected Blood Compensation Authority (IBCA) began making payments to people who are infected and as of 24 April, over £78 million has been paid in compensation. In March Parliament approved Regulations to give the IBCA the power to make payments to people who are affected as a result of the Infected Blood Scandal. The Government expects IBCA to begin making payments to people who are affected before the end of this year.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps her Department is taking to improve retention rates among Design and Technology teachers.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

High-quality teaching is the most important in-school factor to a child’s educational outcomes. Recruiting and retaining more qualified, expert teachers is critical to the government’s mission to break down barriers to opportunity and boost the life chances for every child. This is why the department will recruit 6,500 new expert teachers.

The 2024/25 initial teacher training (ITT) census reported 618 trainees had begun courses in design technology, up from 334 trainees in 2021/22. The department offered a £25,000 tax-free bursary for design technology teacher training in 2024/25 and increased this to £26,000 for courses starting in 2025/26.

A successful recruitment strategy starts with a strong retention strategy, and we want to ensure teachers of all subjects and phases stay and thrive in this profession. The department agreed a 5.5% pay award for teachers in the 2024/25 academic year and has taken steps to improve teachers’ workload and wellbeing, and enable greater flexible working, to support retention and help re-establish teaching as an attractive profession.

High-quality continuing professional development is also key to ensuring the retention of an effective teaching workforce. The department has established teaching school hubs across the country, who play a significant role in delivering ITT, the early career framework, and national professional qualifications. Star Teaching School Hub North West Lancashire and One Cumbria Teaching School Hub are both centres of excellence supporting teacher training and development across Lancaster, Westmorland and Furness.

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 merits of introducing a requirement for self-employed carers to be regulated by the Care Quality Commission.

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

The Department has understood that the term ‘self-employed carer’ refers to self-employed personal assistants. There are no current plans to introduce a requirement for self-employed carers to be regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Currently, a person, or a related third party on their behalf, can make their own arrangement for personal care where an individual works directly for that person and under their control, without involving an agency or employer in managing or directing the care provided. In this case, the individual engaged does not need to register with the CQC for the regulated activity of personal care.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many vehicles manufactured prior to the 2020 changes to Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) rates are subject to the increased diesel vehicle supplement due to their first registration date falling after those changes; whether her Department plans to review the legislation to ensure vehicles of the same year, make and model are subject to the same VED rate regardless of registration date; and whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of this tax difference on the Ministry of Defence fleet and related costs.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

Since 1 April 2020, the Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedures (WLTP) have been used by the DVLA to measure the CO2 emissions of a car, rather than the CO2 emissions stated by an EU Certificate of Conformity or a UK approval certificate.

Where a car has not been tested to WLTP standards, the car must be taxed according to its engine size and in the Private Light Goods taxation class. This means its tax rate is based on its engine size, rather than CO2 emissions.

While the Ministry of Defence (MOD) keeps its own register of the vehicles it owns, the MOD is not a licensing authority, meaning the first registration of an MOD vehicle will be its point of first registration with the DVLA.

The Government keeps the tax system under review.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what plans her Department has to resume decision-making on applications for indefinite leave to remain from Syrian nationals resettled under the Community Sponsorship Scheme.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Home Office)

Following the fall of the Assad regime, the Home Office withdrew the Country Policy Information Notes and guidance relating to Syria and has temporarily paused all asylum interviews and decisions.

Settlement Protection applications from Syrian nationals are also subject to the pause, and this includes indefinite leave to remain applications from Syrian nationals resettled under the Community Sponsorship Scheme.

The decision to pause was, and remains, a necessary step. As long as there is no stable, objective information on which to base an accurate assessment of a claimant’s risk on return to Syria, we are unable to make robust, reliable decisions on claims for international protection.

Settlement in the UK is a privilege, not an automatic right. Given the need for protection may be temporary, a safe return review is carried out on every application for settlement on a protection route to determine and confirm the need for protection is continuing.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when her Department plans to resume processing indefinite leave to remain applications from Syrian nationals that have been paused.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

Following the fall of the Assad regime, the Home Office withdrew the Country Policy Information Notes and guidance relating to Syria and has temporarily paused all asylum interviews and decisions.

Settlement Protection applications from Syrian nationals who are trying to obtain indefinite leave to remain in the UK are also subject to the pause.

The decision to pause was, and remains, a necessary step. As long as there is no stable, objective information on which to base an accurate assessment of a claimant’s risk on return to Syria, we are unable to make robust, reliable decisions on claims for international protection.

Settlement in the UK is a privilege, not an automatic right. Given the need for protection may be temporary, a safe return review is carried out on every application for settlement on a protection route to determine and confirm the need for protection is continuing.

We will keep this pause under constant review.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether the Infected Blood Compensation Authority plans to provide (a) support and (b) resources to people disputing the distribution of compensation paid to the estates of those who died intestate.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

The Infected Blood Compensation Authority’s priority is to deliver compensation to those who are legally entitled to it under the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme Regulations 2025, which includes infected people, affected people and estates of those infected people who have very sadly died. IBCA provides legal and financial advice to those who are eligible for compensation under the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme. IBCA does not, however, currently fund legal advice to those who are distributing a person’s estate following the receipt of a compensation payment.

Found: Kane Antonia Bance Alison Taylor Ruth Jones Ann Davies Sammy Wilson Neil Duncan-Jordan Lizzi Collinge

Found: Kane Antonia Bance Alison Taylor Ruth Jones Ann Davies Sammy Wilson Neil Duncan-Jordan Lizzi Collinge

Found: Kane Antonia Bance Alison Taylor Ruth Jones Ann Davies Sammy Wilson Neil Duncan-Jordan Lizzi Collinge

Found: Kane Antonia Bance Alison Taylor Ruth Jones Ann Davies Sammy Wilson Neil Duncan-Jordan Lizzi Collinge

Found: Kane Antonia Bance Alison Taylor Ruth Jones Ann Davies Sammy Wilson Neil Duncan-Jordan Lizzi Collinge

Found: Kane Antonia Bance Alison Taylor Ruth Jones Ann Davies Sammy Wilson Neil Duncan-Jordan Lizzi Collinge

Found: Kane Antonia Bance Alison Taylor Ruth Jones Ann Davies Sammy Wilson Neil Duncan-Jordan Lizzi Collinge

Found: Kane Antonia Bance Alison Taylor Ruth Jones Ann Davies Sammy Wilson Neil Duncan-Jordan Lizzi Collinge

Found: Kane Antonia Bance Alison Taylor Ruth Jones Ann Davies Sammy Wilson Neil Duncan-Jordan Lizzi Collinge

Found: Kane Antonia Bance Alison Taylor Ruth Jones Ann Davies Sammy Wilson Neil Duncan-Jordan Lizzi Collinge

Found: Kane Antonia Bance Alison Taylor Ruth Jones Ann Davies Sammy Wilson Neil Duncan-Jordan Lizzi Collinge

Found: Richard Baker Chris Kane Antonia Bance Alison Taylor Ruth Jones Ann Davies Sammy Wilson Lizzi Collinge