Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when her Department plans (a) to (i) launch and (ii) close the public consultation on enfranchisement valuation methodology under the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 and (c) to publish the findings of that consultation; and by what date she plans to bring forward legislative proposals to implement those findings.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 68213 on 23 July 2025.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps she is taking to address the loophole in the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 whereby freeholders can retain undemised flats to prevent buildings from qualifying for collective enfranchisement.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government wants to support leaseholders to take control of the management of their buildings through the right to manage or to enfranchise should they wish to do so. That is why we have already implemented the provisions in the Leasehold and Freehold reform act to remove the two-year qualifying period before people can enfranchise or extend their lease.

Where a freeholder owns a flat within a building this is no bar to leaseholders exercising their right to manage or to enfranchise. However, we recognise that if a freeholder owns a substantial portion of a building, claims are likely to be difficult. We would welcome any evidence of freeholders choosing to retain flats within buildings in order to complicate right to manage or enfranchisement proceedings.

The Government has committed to further reform the leasehold system by enacting remaining Law Commission recommendations relating to enfranchisement and the Right to Manage.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many audits the Public Sector Fraud Authority has undertaken into the National Investigation Service; what the purpose of these audits was; what methods were used during these audits; what the risks identified during these audits were; and how long each of these audits took.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

On 12 October 2023, the Public Sector Fraud Authority were requested to undertake a formal operational review of National Investigation Service, with a primary purpose to focus on performance. The review team included experts from the National Crime Agency, Serious Fraud Office, HM Revenue and Customs, Government Internal Audit Agency, and NHS Counter Fraud Authority.

The review report was provided to DBT on 17 November 2023 and made recommendations to prevent future risk of secondments lapsing and appropriate governance.

There have been no other formal audits or reviews undertaken by the Public Sector Fraud Authority into National Investigation Service.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many complaints his Department has received on the National Investigation Service.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Department for Business and Trade does not maintain a central record of complaints specifically about the National Investigation Service (NATIS).

While no formal complaints have been received directly by the Department, NATIS has been the subject of various Parliamentary Questions and Freedom of Information requests, indicating a level of interest.

In July 2025, the Department supported a response to a written complaint submitted to the Insolvency Service which included concerns about NATIS.

All correspondence is handled in line with established procedures to ensure appropriate and consistent responses.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department took to undertake due diligence in relation to the National Investigation Service before its funding for that body to enhance counter-fraud work was announced in the Spring Statement 2022.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

At the time of the Spring Statement 2022 the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) had commissioned and managed NATIS to undertake potentially fraudulent covid loan investigations.

Through the Machinery of Government changes accountability for NATIS passed to DBT in February 2023. Financial, Commercial and Security due diligence was completed by DBT in preparation for the contract that commenced April 2024.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, on what dates the Government renewed the contract for the National Investigation Service to investigate COVID-19 Bounce Back Loan fraud nationwide.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

NATIS was commissioned by the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS), subsequently The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) in September 2020 to undertake investigations into potentially fraudulent activity by recipients of loans under the Covid-19 Bounce Back Loan Scheme. The contract was renewed effective from 1^st April 2024.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, on what date the National Investigation Service was contracted to investigate COVID-19 Bounce Back Loan fraud nationwide.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

NATIS was commissioned by the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS), subsequently The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) in September 2020 to undertake investigations into potentially fraudulent activity by recipients of loans under the Covid-19 Bounce Back Loan Scheme. The contract was renewed effective from 1^st April 2024.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, on what date his Department was made aware of Mazars' report commissioned by Thurrock Council into the National Investigation Service; and what steps it took in response.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) became aware of the Mazars report commissioned by Thurrock Council into the NATIS in June 2024.

The report was independently commissioned by Thurrock Council to review NATIS activity internally. DBT was not consulted or interviewed during its preparation.

Although confidential, the recommendations of the report were published in Thurrock Council board meeting quarter 2 2024.

In response, DBT requested the report from NATIS, which was provided July 2024. There was one finding directly affecting DBT that had already been addressed ahead of DBT receiving the report.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many cases have been transferred from the National Investigation Service under Thurrock Council to the Insolvency Service.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

No cases have yet been transferred from the National Investigation Service (NATIS) to the Insolvency Service. The Department for Business and Trade is working closely with both agencies to ensure a smooth and secure transition of ongoing investigations. This careful approach is designed to protect the integrity of the casework and the recovery of public funds lost to Covid-related fraud.

Question to the Attorney General:

To ask the Solicitor General, what assessment the Crown Prosecution Service has made of the adequacy of National Investigation Service investigations.

Answered by Ellie Reeves - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)

The Department for Business and Trade has responsibility for the National Investigation Service, given it is overseen by the Insolvency Service. As a result, the Crown Prosecution has made no assessment of the adequacy of the National Investigation Service.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when the Minister for Secondary Care plans to respond to the correspondence of 28 July 2025 from the hon. Member for Tunbridge Wells on the Dashboard for Accelerated Discharge.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

I have received the hon. Member’s correspondence and will reply in due course.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many cases of alleged covid-19 Bounce Back Loan Fraud the National Investigation Service investigated under its contract with the Government; and how many people were arrested because of these investigations but not charged.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The National Investigation Service have investigated 254 Bounce Back Loan Fraud cases in total (including both open and closed cases).

There have been 6 arrests resulting in no charge.

There have been 56 arrests where the cases are still ongoing, and the suspect has been released pending investigation, a number of these may result in no charge.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps she is taking to ensure that the contracted suppliers for the Disabled Students' Allowance are transparent with students on pricing.

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

Non-medical help hourly rates, together with any awards for travel, accommodation, or other costs, are supplied in the student’s entitlement letter, which outlines approved support. Additionally, the full breakdown of equipment costs is detailed in the needs assessment report, and students are entitled to request a copy of this report at any time. This means that students can see the costs associated with each element of their Disabled Students' Allowance support.

Found: Labour; Rotherham) Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour; Slough)Bill Esterson (Labour; Sefton Central) Mike Martin

Found: Dhesi, in the Chair1 Calvin Bailey Alex Baker Lincoln Jopp Emma Lewell-Buck Jesse Norman Mike Martin

Found: Mike Martin: Yes, sure.

Found: Mike Martin: Yes, sure.