Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the National Inquiry, how she will ensure the survivors of group-based child sexual exploitation and abuse are supported throughout the process.

Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

We remain committed to delivering an inquiry that earns trust and delivers truth. Following the appointment of the Chair and the establishment of the Inquiry, the Chair will consult on the Terms of Reference with victims and survivors and other key stakeholders before agreeing a final version with the Home Secretary. The inquiry will then begin considering evidence and data to select the first local areas for investigations.

We are moving at pace, but we will not compromise rigour for speed. This is a complex and sensitive process, and we are not setting arbitrary deadlines – we are focused on getting it right. We will provide public updates when it is appropriate to do so.

The inquiry is expected to operate over a two to three-year period which will maximise the number of areas it can examine, while remaining time-limited so that victims and survivors receive answers swiftly.

The Government recognises the devastating impacts that child sexual exploitation and abuse can have on victims and survivors and is committed to ensuring that all victims and survivors receive better care and support.

As set out in the Government’s Tackling Child Sexual Abuse Progress Update in April, we are working across government to develop ambitious proposals to improve therapeutic support services for victims of child sexual abuse. Government committed in that update to double funding and invest an additional £1.6 million for adult victims and survivors of child sexual abuse. The Home Office continues to fund voluntary organisations providing nationally accessible services to support victims and survivors of child sexual abuse, investing £2.59 million this year to seven organisations through the Support for Victims and Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse (SVSCSA) fund.

We also recognise the importance of ensuring that all staff supporting victims have sufficient guidance on child sexual abuse to deliver effective trauma informed support. The Government is providing funding to the independent Centre of Expertise on Child Sexual Abuse to strengthen professional responses to child sexual abuse through evidence-based training and resources.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the National Inquiry into Group-Based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse will (a) conclude and (b) publish its findings.

Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

We remain committed to delivering an inquiry that earns trust and delivers truth. Following the appointment of the Chair and the establishment of the Inquiry, the Chair will consult on the Terms of Reference with victims and survivors and other key stakeholders before agreeing a final version with the Home Secretary. The inquiry will then begin considering evidence and data to select the first local areas for investigations.

We are moving at pace, but we will not compromise rigour for speed. This is a complex and sensitive process, and we are not setting arbitrary deadlines – we are focused on getting it right. We will provide public updates when it is appropriate to do so.

The inquiry is expected to operate over a two to three-year period which will maximise the number of areas it can examine, while remaining time-limited so that victims and survivors receive answers swiftly.

The Government recognises the devastating impacts that child sexual exploitation and abuse can have on victims and survivors and is committed to ensuring that all victims and survivors receive better care and support.

As set out in the Government’s Tackling Child Sexual Abuse Progress Update in April, we are working across government to develop ambitious proposals to improve therapeutic support services for victims of child sexual abuse. Government committed in that update to double funding and invest an additional £1.6 million for adult victims and survivors of child sexual abuse. The Home Office continues to fund voluntary organisations providing nationally accessible services to support victims and survivors of child sexual abuse, investing £2.59 million this year to seven organisations through the Support for Victims and Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse (SVSCSA) fund.

We also recognise the importance of ensuring that all staff supporting victims have sufficient guidance on child sexual abuse to deliver effective trauma informed support. The Government is providing funding to the independent Centre of Expertise on Child Sexual Abuse to strengthen professional responses to child sexual abuse through evidence-based training and resources.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when the National Inquiry into Group-Based Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse will start to conduct (a) hearings and (b) local investigations.

Answered by Jess Phillips - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

We remain committed to delivering an inquiry that earns trust and delivers truth. Following the appointment of the Chair and the establishment of the Inquiry, the Chair will consult on the Terms of Reference with victims and survivors and other key stakeholders before agreeing a final version with the Home Secretary. The inquiry will then begin considering evidence and data to select the first local areas for investigations.

We are moving at pace, but we will not compromise rigour for speed. This is a complex and sensitive process, and we are not setting arbitrary deadlines – we are focused on getting it right. We will provide public updates when it is appropriate to do so.

The inquiry is expected to operate over a two to three-year period which will maximise the number of areas it can examine, while remaining time-limited so that victims and survivors receive answers swiftly.

The Government recognises the devastating impacts that child sexual exploitation and abuse can have on victims and survivors and is committed to ensuring that all victims and survivors receive better care and support.

As set out in the Government’s Tackling Child Sexual Abuse Progress Update in April, we are working across government to develop ambitious proposals to improve therapeutic support services for victims of child sexual abuse. Government committed in that update to double funding and invest an additional £1.6 million for adult victims and survivors of child sexual abuse. The Home Office continues to fund voluntary organisations providing nationally accessible services to support victims and survivors of child sexual abuse, investing £2.59 million this year to seven organisations through the Support for Victims and Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse (SVSCSA) fund.

We also recognise the importance of ensuring that all staff supporting victims have sufficient guidance on child sexual abuse to deliver effective trauma informed support. The Government is providing funding to the independent Centre of Expertise on Child Sexual Abuse to strengthen professional responses to child sexual abuse through evidence-based training and resources.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she considered including an assessment of the potential impact of paragraph 4.167 State Pension and Simple Assessment of the Budget 2025, published in November 2025, on costs to the public purse within the Budget 2025 document.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

As the Chancellor has said, over this Parliament those whose only income is the basic or new State Pension without any increments will not have to pay income tax.

As announced at the Budget, the government will ease the administrative burden for pensioners whose sole income is the basic or new State Pension without any increments so that they do not have to pay small amounts of tax via Simple Assessment from 2027-28.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to Section 4.167 of the Autumn Budget 2025, when her Department plans to publish the solution ensuring that pensioners who only receive the state pension will not (a) have to fill out a tax return and (b) pay income tax.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

As the Chancellor has said, over this Parliament those whose only income is the basic or new State Pension without any increments will not have to pay income tax.

As announced at the Budget, the government will ease the administrative burden for pensioners whose sole income is the basic or new State Pension without any increments so that they do not have to pay small amounts of tax via Simple Assessment from 2027-28.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to paragraph 4.167 State Pension and Simple Assessment of the Budget 2025, published in November 2025, when her Department began consulting on this policy.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

As the Chancellor has said, over this Parliament those whose only income is the basic or new State Pension without any increments will not have to pay income tax.

As announced at the Budget, the government will ease the administrative burden for pensioners whose sole income is the basic or new State Pension without any increments so that they do not have to pay small amounts of tax via Simple Assessment from 2027-28.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to Section 4.167 (State Pension and Simple Assessment) of the Budget 2025, if she will publish the cost impact of this policy.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

As the Chancellor has said, over this Parliament those whose only income is the basic or new State Pension without any increments will not have to pay income tax.

As announced at the Budget, the government will ease the administrative burden for pensioners whose sole income is the basic or new State Pension without any increments so that they do not have to pay small amounts of tax via Simple Assessment from 2027-28.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many pensioners receive the full state pension as their only income.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Department does not hold readily available information to identify how many pensioners receive the full State Pension as their only income. Information is, however, available from Departmental survey data which shows, in 2023/24, around 1.1m pensioner families in the UK received the State Pension and other state benefits as their only source of income. This information is published in the Pensioner Incomes series.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to his Oral Statement on 11 November 2025 entitled Pensions, if he will publish the research findings from the Department's 2007 evaluation on the effectiveness of automatic pension forecast letters.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

Report no.447 “Evaluation of Automatic State Pension Forecasts” is publicly available and can be accessed at:

https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20121212081018mp_/http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd5/rports2007-2008/rrep447.pdf

As confirmed in the Written Statement made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 11 November, a copy of DWP Research Report no.447 “Evaluation of Automatic State Pension Forecasts” has also been deposited in the Libraries of the House.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to his Oral Statement on 11 November 2025 entitled Pensions, whether the 2007 report on the effectiveness of automatic pension forecast letters is the one referenced in the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman's report entitled Women's State Pension Age: our findings on the Department for Work and Pension's communication of changes.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s reports titled “Women’s State Pension age: our findings on the Department for Work and Pensions’ communication of changes”, published 19 July 2021, and “Women’s State Pension age: our findings on injustice and associated issues”, published 21 March 2024, both refer to findings from DWP’s ‘Evaluation of Automatic Pension Forecast’ research.

In retaking the decision, we will review the evidence from DWP’s ‘Evaluation of Automatic Pension Forecasts’ Research Report, no.447 alongside evidence previously considered. The process to retake the decision has already begun.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the 2007 report on the effectiveness of automatic pension forecast letters is the one referenced in the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman's report entitled Women's State Pension age: our findings on injustice and associated issues.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s reports titled “Women’s State Pension age: our findings on the Department for Work and Pensions’ communication of changes”, published 19 July 2021, and “Women’s State Pension age: our findings on injustice and associated issues”, published 21 March 2024, both refer to findings from DWP’s ‘Evaluation of Automatic Pension Forecast’ research.

In retaking the decision, we will review the evidence from DWP’s ‘Evaluation of Automatic Pension Forecasts’ Research Report, no.447 alongside evidence previously considered. The process to retake the decision has already begun.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 19 June 2025 to Question 61158, whether she plans to publish the statutory instrument on open banking in the first quarter of 2026.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

The National Payments Vision, published in November, set out the government’s ambitious plans for the next phase of Open Banking, building on the UK’s leadership in this area. This includes steps towards delivering seamless, Open Banking enabled, account-to-account payments.

The government intends to use powers in the ‘Data (Use and Access) Act’ to put in place a long-term regulatory framework for Open Banking and is working at pace to deliver this.

Found: Perteghella: Financial Support for small businesses and individuals during the covid-19 pandemic • Mark Garnier

Found: col 717. 31 Responding for the opposition, Shadow Economic Secretary to the Treasury Mark Garnier