Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing funding for the fire and rescue service as part of the upcoming spending review.

Answered by Darren Jones - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

Overall, fire and rescue authorities have received around £2.87 billion in 2024/25. The Local Government Funding Settlement was published on 3 February and sets out funding allocations for all Local Authorities including Fire and Rescue. In 2025/26, standalone Fire and Rescue Authorities will see an increase in core spending power of £65.5m in 2025/26. These allocations, which include the National Insurance Contribution Grant, represent a 3.6% increase in core spending power.

The government has committed to performing a Zero-Based Review of all expenditure, conducting line-by-line scrutiny of spending. This is the first time in over a decade and a half that government departments have been asked to take such an approach, with what’s called a “zero-based review” last undertaken 17 years ago.

The Spending Review will draw on this to ensure funding is aligned with the government’s priorities and the Plan for Change.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if her Department will remove the 2011 cap on Local Housing Allowance payable for temporary accommodation through the Housing Benefit Subsidy system.

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

DWP pays local authorities a Housing Benefit subsidy for temporary accommodation cases. There are restrictions on the amount paid, including a subsidy cap which is £500 per week in certain areas of London or £375 elsewhere.

We recognise the financial pressures which local authorities are experiencing. MHCLG are increasing funding for homelessness services this year by an extra £233 million compared to last year (2024/25).

We continue to keep the rates used for Housing Benefit subsidy under review and are working closely with MHCLG and the Inter-Ministerial Group on Homelessness and Rough Sleeping to explore the impacts of subsidy rates on local authorities.

Any future decisions on subsidy rates will be taken in the context of the Government’s missions, goals on housing and the current challenging financial environment at the appropriate fiscal event.

Negotiating rights for police officers

Restructure of local government debt

UN’s resolution on Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine and sanctions

Transparency of data-based and data-driven policing systems

Found: I will start the questions with Margaret Mullane.

Found: Billington Martin Rhodes Catherine Fookes Mary Kelly Foy Douglas McAllister Carolyn Harris Margaret Mullane

Found: Thursday 22 May 2025 4 _NC15 Marsha De Cordova Paula Barker Neil Duncan-Jordan Emma Lewell Margaret Mullane

Found: David Baines Sir John Hayes Jess Brown-Fuller John Lamont Lillian Jones Ms Marie Rimmer Margaret Mullane

Found: Billington Martin Rhodes Catherine Fookes Mary Kelly Foy Douglas McAllister Carolyn Harris Margaret Mullane

Found: _NC15 Marsha De Cordova Paula Barker Neil Duncan-Jordan Emma Lewell Margaret Mullane Kim Johnson

Found: Billington Martin Rhodes Catherine Fookes Mary Kelly Foy Douglas McAllister Carolyn Harris Margaret Mullane

Found: _NC15 Marsha De Cordova Paula Barker Neil Duncan-Jordan Emma Lewell Margaret Mullane Kim Johnson

Found: Not moved_4 Sarah Champion Margaret Mullane .

Found: David Baines Sir John Hayes Jess Brown-Fuller John Lamont Lillian Jones Ms Marie Rimmer Margaret Mullane

Found: Billington Martin Rhodes Catherine Fookes Mary Kelly Foy Douglas McAllister Carolyn Harris Margaret Mullane

Found: STAGE Monday 19 May 2025 _NC15 Marsha De Cordova Paula Barker Neil Duncan-Jordan Emma Lewell Margaret Mullane

Found: Rosindell Leigh Ingham John Grady Bradley Thomas Sir Desmond Swayne Ms Marie Rimmer Margaret Mullane

Found: Paul Waugh Mary Glindon Sarah Smith Monica Harding Richard Baker Naz Shah Sarah Olney Margaret Mullane

Found: Billington Martin Rhodes Catherine Fookes Mary Kelly Foy Douglas McAllister Carolyn Harris Margaret Mullane

Found: STAGE Friday 16 May 2025 _NC15 Marsha De Cordova Paula Barker Neil Duncan-Jordan Emma Lewell Margaret Mullane

Found: Mary Kelly Foy Paul Waugh Mary Glindon Sarah Smith Richard Baker Naz Shah Sarah Olney Margaret Mullane

Found: Billington Martin Rhodes Catherine Fookes Mary Kelly Foy Douglas McAllister Carolyn Harris Margaret Mullane

Found: _NC15 Marsha De Cordova Paula Barker Neil Duncan-Jordan Emma Lewell Margaret Mullane Kim Johnson

Found: Not moved_4 Sarah Champion Margaret Mullane .

Found: Osamor Valerie Vaz Maya Ellis Mary Glindon John Lamont Lillian Jones Ms Marie Rimmer Margaret Mullane

Found: Billington Martin Rhodes Catherine Fookes Mary Kelly Foy Douglas McAllister Carolyn Harris Margaret Mullane

Found: Not moved_4 Sarah Champion Margaret Mullane .

Found: _4 Sarah Champion Margaret Mullane .

Found: Valerie Vaz Zöe Franklin John Grady Bradley Thomas Sir Desmond Swayne Ms Marie Rimmer Margaret Mullane

Found: Not moved_NC1 Tonia Antoniazzi Tracy Gilbert Mrs Sharon Hodgson Carolyn Harris Margaret Mullane

Found: _4 Sarah Champion Margaret Mullane .

Found: (Lab) • Seema Malhotra (Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department) • Margaret Mullane

This inquiry will examine the drivers of extremism in the UK, with a focus on emerging trends of young people being drawn into extremism, violence and crime through online radicalisation. It will assess whether the Government’s approach is keeping pace with the evolving threat and evaluate the effectiveness of measures such as Prevent in combatting new forms of extremism.