Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of changing the tax on the Longer Separation Allowance (a) to be tax-free (b) or to be taxed at the basic rate of tax regardless of whether the recipient's total pay is in a higher tax bracket.

Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General

We recognise the significant impact that time away from home can have on Service personnel and their families.

The Longer Separation Allowance is paid to Service personnel who are required to live or work away from their families for extended periods, such as on longer exercises or operational deployments. Payments increase with the amount of separation experienced, so those who spend longer periods away from home receive higher levels of support.

The Longer Separation Allowance is treated as earnings, similar to salary, and is therefore taxed in the same way under the UK tax system. This approach is set out in tax legislation, which determines how different types of income are treated for tax purposes.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has been made of the potential merits of changing the allocation process for the Dental Foundation Training (DFT) to take into account graduate's preferences and local connections.

Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government is committed to ensuring that the allocation of Dental Foundation Training (DFT) places is fair, transparent, and based on the needs of both foundation-stage dentists and patients.

Applicants to DFT can express preferences for training programmes and locations as part of the national recruitment process. Places are allocated based on rankings following a Situational Judgement Test and then candidates’ preference ranking. Additional support is provided to applicants with approved special circumstances, including those with significant caring responsibilities, medical conditions or disabilities, or parental responsibilities that limit their ability to relocate.

NHS England keeps recruitment and allocation processes under regular review.

Found: Richard Quigley (Labour; Isle of Wight West) Luke Taylor (Liberal Democrat; Sutton and Cheam) Michelle Welsh

Found: Richard Quigley (Labour; Isle of Wight West) Luke Taylor (Liberal Democrat; Sutton and Cheam) Michelle Welsh

Found: Michelle Welsh MP, the Government’s Maternity and Neonatal Adviser, said: Families have fought for answers

Found: Michelle Welsh MP, the government’s Maternity and Neonatal Adviser, said: Families have fought for answers

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