Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will hold discussions with the Financial Conduct Authority on the additional costs to consumers of paying (a) vehicle and (b) household insurance in monthly instalments; and if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of such costs on people on lower incomes.
Answered by Bim Afolami - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
Treasury Ministers and officials have regular meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors, including the financial services regulators, on an ongoing basis.
The Government does not prescribe the terms, conditions or price that insurance companies set when offering insurance. Insurers make commercial decisions about the pricing of insurance following their assessment of the relevant risks. The Government does not intervene in these decisions as this could damage competition in the market.
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is the independent regulator responsible for supervising the insurance industry. The FCA requires firms to ensure their products offer fair value (i.e. if the price a consumer pays for a product or service is reasonable compared to the overall benefits they can expect to receive). The FCA has been clear that it will be monitoring firms to ensure they are providing products that are fair value, and, where necessary, it will take action.
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will hold discussions with the (a) Directors of Wrexham, Shropshire & Midlands Railway and (b) Chief Executive of the Office of Rail and Road on the inclusion of Wellington in Shropshire in future services operated by Wrexham, Shropshire & Midlands Railway.
Answered by Huw Merriman - Minister of State (Department for Transport)
As part of the Industry Consultation, conducted by Network Rail, the Department for Transport reviewed the open access application from Wrexham, Shropshire and Midlands Railway and was supportive in principle of this application. Department for Transport officials have engaged with Directors at Wrexham, Shropshire and Midlands Railway and will continue to do so.
Passenger open access operators are train operators that run services without contractual arrangements or direct support from Government. Decisions on access to the rail network are a matter for the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) in its role as independent regulator for the rail industry and the Department for Transport is unable to direct the ORR in its decision making. Should Wrexham, Shropshire and Midlands Railway wish to include Wellington in Shropshire in future open access proposals they will need to apply to the ORR in the usual manner.
Asked by: Mark Pritchard (Conservative - The Wrekin)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what plans she has to provide financial support to (a) adult and (b) youth brass bands in (i) Telford and Wrekin borough and (ii) Shropshire in the next five years.
Answered by Julia Lopez - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Arts Council England, which is funded by taxpayers and National Lottery players, is working with Brass Bands England, the sector support organisation for brass bands. In particular, it is providing support to brass bands across the country to develop their membership and audiences.
While there are no specific plans for the funding of brass bands in Telford and Wrekin borough or Shropshire at present, brass bands from anywhere in the country are eligible to apply for Arts Council England’s National Lottery project grants. Since April 2022, the Arts Council has provided over £500,000 of funding for 21 applications from brass bands. It also provides annual funding to the National Youth Brass Band of Great Britain and the organisation Making Music, both of which support youth and amateur adult brass bands.