Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people have been migrated from Employment and Support Allowance to Universal Credit since July 2024.

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

This information will be published as part of a routinely released statistical series in February 2026.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether 2026-27 business rate transitional reliefs should be calculated using base liabilities which include the application of Retail, Hospitality and Leisure rate relief in 2025-26.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The government has announced support for those losing RHL relief through an expanded Support Small Business scheme which caps bill increases at the higher of £800 or the relevant TR cap. The SSB cap applies to the ratepayers’ current bill, including the 40% RHL relief they are currently receiving, before changes in other reliefs and local supplements.

This is part of a generous support package worth £4.3 billion over the next 3 years, including support to help ratepayers to transition to their new bill.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what number and proportion of pregnant Universal Credit claimants were deemed to have Limited Capability for Work-Related Activity due to pregnancy risk in the most recent year for which data is available.

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

Between January 2024 and December 2024 there were 1,150 UC claimants who were deemed to have Limited Capability for Work-Related Activity (LCWRA) due to pregnancy risk following a health assessment. Information on all UC claimants who are pregnant is not readily available, so the proportion this represents of all pregnant UC claimants cannot be provided.

Notes:

• The data captures all UC decisions taken between January 2024 and December 2024.
• Some LCWRA decisions do not have an associated decision reason recorded so may not be captured by this data.
• The data supplied is based on bespoke analysis of departmental datasets and has not been certified as National Statistics or Official Statistics.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the OBR's fiscal forecasts included the costs of the Erasmus scheme.

Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

As usual, any changes since the last forecasts will be included in a future forecast.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, how will the cost of the Erasmus Scheme in 2027/28 be funded.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

We have agreed terms with the European Commission that represent a fair balance between the UK’s contribution and the benefits the programme offers, which paved the way for UK participation.

We have agreed a 30% discount compared to the default terms in the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, as well as a review of the UK’s participation in the programme ten months after our association, including data concerning demand for funding in the UK. Going forward, any continued UK participation in Erasmus+ under the next Multiannual Financial Framework will be informed by our experience of association in 2027.

Erasmus costs will be funded above the department’s spending review settlement and scored in the usual way at the next fiscal event.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the outstanding value is of student loan debt owed by EU students; and how much of that debt is being actively repaid.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

An EU borrower is a borrower who was originally domiciled in an EU country prior to entering higher education in England. Tuition fee funding for new EU students in England without 'settled' or 'pre-settled status' ceased in the 2021/22 academic year. However, those continuing a course remain eligible for financial support for the duration of their course, in addition to those covered by the Withdrawal Agreements, subject to meeting other residency and course requirements.

The outstanding value of student loan debt owed by EU borrowers was £5.8 billion at 31 March 2025. Of EU borrowers liable to repay, 38.8% are actively repaying, have fully repaid or had their loan cancelled or written off. This data is published at: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/student-loans-in-england-2024-to-2025/student-loans-in-england-financial-year-2024-25.

A loan becomes liable for repayment when the borrower has passed their statutory repayment due date. This is the normally the April after graduating or otherwise leaving their course, provided they are earning above the relevant income threshold.

Definitions of repayment terms can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/student-loans-in-england-2024-to-2025/definitions-england.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to Item 13 of Table 4.1 in the Budget Document, published 26 November 2025, if she will provide a breakdown of the fiscal impacts in each financial year for each of the operational changes included in the costing.

Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate her Department has made of the proportion of estates subject to paying Inheritance Tax in (a) the most recent year for which data is available and (b) each year up to 2030-31.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The statistics for the number of estates subject to paying inheritance tax (IHT) are available at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/inheritance-tax-liabilities-statistics.

The statistics for the number of estates forecast to pay inheritance tax are available at https://obr.uk/download/november-2025-economic-and-fiscal-outlook-detailed-forecast-tables-receipts/?tmstv=1766066728.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Chancellor's written statement of 5 January 2026, UIN HCWS1219, whether she plans to respond to the OBR's Spring forecast in an oral statement.

Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

As set out in a written statement to Parliament last week, the Chancellor has asked the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) to prepare an economic and fiscal forecast for publication on 3 March 2026. The Chancellor will deliver an oral statement to the House in response.

Found: general Members contributing to the debate focused on other measures, though the Shadow Chancellor, Mel Stride