Asked by: Mike Martin (Liberal Democrat - Tunbridge Wells)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of applying VAT to private school fees on children attending extracurricular activities at private schools, despite not attending them.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, has made no assessment of the impact of applying VAT to school fees on children who do not attend private schools but may utilise their facilities.
The 20% standard rate of VAT applies to all education services, vocational training and boarding services provided by private schools for a charge. The VAT treatment of services delivered by third-party providers at private schools, for instance, self-employed music teachers or organisations that rent out private schools’ facilities, are unaffected by this policy. These services will always have been subject to VAT, if the provider is VAT-registered, unless it is private tutoring of a subject ordinarily taught in schools, which is exempt from VAT.
However, any before or after school childcare, or childcare-based holiday clubs, that consists solely of childcare and does not fall within the definition of education will remain exempt from VAT by virtue of the fact that welfare services are exempt from VAT.
HM Revenue and Customs have published guidance on charging and/or reclaiming VAT on good and services related to private school fees, which can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/charging-and-reclaiming-vat-on-goods-and-services-related-to-private-school-fees.
Asked by: Mike Martin (Liberal Democrat - Tunbridge Wells)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps her Department is taking to support parents and carers who are survivors of domestic abuse that caused them to be unable to claim Child Benefit and National Insurance credits; and if she will take steps to support them.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
Where HMRC is made aware that a person is a victim of domestic abuse, consideration of a claim for Child Benefit will be prioritised before other, standard claims. A Child Benefit claim can be backdated for a maximum of three months. However, only one person can be entitled to Child Benefit for the same period except in exceptional circumstances, those being fraud or misrepresentation.Parents and carers who are entitled to Child Benefit automatically receive National Insurance credits until their child turns twelve. These credits count towards their future State Pension entitlement. The government recognises that some individuals may have missed out on entitlement towards their State Pension if they were eligible to claim Child Benefit but did not do so.
From April 2026 a new National Insurance credit will be introduced for people who missed out on the National Insurance credits because they did not claim Child Benefit and where no other successful claim to Child Benefit was made for the same period. There will be transitional arrangements in place that will allow people to claim the new credit retrospectively as far back as 2013.
Asked by: Mike Martin (Liberal Democrat - Tunbridge Wells)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 29 November 2024 to Question 16106 on Overseas Students: Ukraine, whether Ukrainian students who gain an 18-month extension on their visa through the Ukraine Permission Extension scheme will be eligible for home fees status for the full duration of their degree; and whether she is taking steps with Cabinet colleagues to allow Ukrainian students to extend their visa once the 18-month extension has expired.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The department has amended the Student Support regulations so that those who have been granted leave under the Ukraine Permission Extension Scheme may qualify for higher education student support in England and home fee status without the requirement to meet the normal three-year ordinary residence requirement.
Where a person's Ukraine Scheme permission expires during their course of study and they are granted further permission to remain under one of the standard immigration routes, they will continue to be eligible to access student support and home fee status while they complete their studies. This is in line with those granted leave under the other Ukraine Schemes.
We will continue to keep the Ukraine Schemes under consistent review in line with developments in the ongoing war.
Asked by: Mike Martin (Liberal Democrat - Tunbridge Wells)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make it her policy to amend the definition of relevant carer in Section 23A of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992 to include individuals unable to apply for Child Benefit due to (a) extenuating circumstances and (b) domestic abuse.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
Parents and carers who claim Child Benefit automatically receive National Insurance credits until their child turns twelve. These credits count towards future State Pension entitlement.
Where HMRC is made aware that a person is a victim of domestic abuse, consideration of their Child Benefit claim will be prioritised before other, standard claims.
The Government recognises that some individuals may have missed out on entitlement towards their State Pension if they were eligible to claim Child Benefit but were unable or chose not to. This is why the Government is introducing a new NI credit for people who missed out on National Insurance credits because they did not claim Child Benefit, where no other successful claim to Child Benefit was made for the same period. The credit will be available to claim from April 2026. Transitional arrangements will be in place to ensure those affected from 2013 will be able to claim retrospectively.
Information about the full range of National Insurance credits available, the criteria that must be met to be awarded them and guidance on how to apply for them, is provided on the Government website at: www.gov.uk/national-insurance-credits/eligibility.
Asked by: Mike Martin (Liberal Democrat - Tunbridge Wells)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether there are compensation schemes available for people made ill by defective hip replacements supplied by DePuy.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne
NHS Resolution (NHSR) manages clinical negligence and other claims against the National Health Service in England. NHSR has confirmed that there is no specific NHS compensation scheme for claims relating to defective hip replacements supplied by DePuy.
While there is no specific compensation scheme for claims relating to defective hip replacements supplied by DePuy, NHSR’s website gives some general advice for claimants wishing to make a claim for clinical negligence, with further information available at the following link:
https://resolution.nhs.uk/services/claims-management/advice-for-claimants/
Anyone who is aware of complications or adverse events associated with hip replacement devices is encouraged to seek clinical advice from their responsible clinician and report the issue via the Yellow Card Scheme, which is available at the following link:
https://yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk/
Asked by: Mike Martin (Liberal Democrat - Tunbridge Wells)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of (a) increasing employers' National Insurance contributions, (b) increasing minimum wage and (c) cutting the business rates relief for retail, hospitality, and leisure on the hospitality sector.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
An assessment of the changes to Employers’ National Insurance has been published by HMRC in their Tax Information and Impact Note, including impacts on the exchequer, the economy, individuals, households and families, equalities, and businesses including civil society organisations, alongside details on monitoring and evaluation.
The National Minimum Wage (NMW) and National Living Wage (NLW) rates are set based on recommendations by the independent and expert Low Pay Commission (LPC). The government has asked the LPC to monitor the effects of the NLW and has given them a clear mandate to recommend a change of course where necessary.
On business rates, for 2025-26, the government will provide a 40 per cent discount to Retail, Hospitality and Leisure (RHL) properties up to a cash cap of £110,0000 per business and has frozen the small business multiplier. This will save the average pub, with a rateable value (RV) of £16,800, over £3,300 in 2025.
From 2026-27, the government intends to introduce permanently lower tax rates for RHL properties with an RV below £500,000. To sustainably fund this tax cut, the government intends to introduce a higher rate on the most valuable properties in 2026-27 - those with an RV of £500,000 and above. These represent less than one per cent of all properties.
Asked by: Mike Martin (Liberal Democrat - Tunbridge Wells)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an estimate of the cost of (a) military and (b) humanitarian aid for Ukraine in 2025 for each taxpayer.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Russia's illegal invasion of Ukraine poses a serious threat to UK prosperity and security. We are proud to provide vital support to Ukraine. The UK will deliver £3 billion of military aid to Ukraine this year - our largest ever package - and every year until the end of the decade, or as long as it takes. The UK is also speeding up vital military support. The UK will provide £2.26 billion in additional support to Ukraine as part of the G7 loan scheme to be repaid from the windfall profits on immobilised Russian sovereign assets.
We are also providing at least £120 million in humanitarian assistance through to the end of financial year 2024 to 2025. The UK's military and humanitarian support to Ukraine is delivered through a coordinated system to provide the most value for both the Ukrainian people and the British taxpayer.
Asked by: Mike Martin (Liberal Democrat - Tunbridge Wells)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent progress he has made with NHS England on rolling out the Fracture Liaison Service.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne
Fracture Liaison Services (FLS) are a globally recognised care model, and can reduce the risk of refracture for people at risk of osteoporosis by up to 40%.
The Government and NHS England support the clinical case for services which help to prevent fragility fractures, and support the patients who sustain them. The Government is committed to ending the postcode lottery for access to FLS.
FLS are commissioned by integrated care boards, which make decisions according to local need. Officials are continuing to work closely with NHS England to consider how best to support systems to ensure better quality and access to these important preventative services.
Asked by: Mike Martin (Liberal Democrat - Tunbridge Wells)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what grants are available for (a) district and (b) borough councils to support mental health initiatives.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
There are no grants available specifically to support mental health initiatives at this time; however, local authorities may decide to fund such initiatives from their Public Health Grant allocations.
Asked by: Mike Martin (Liberal Democrat - Tunbridge Wells)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his Egyptian counterpart on the release of Alaa Abd el-Fattah.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK remains committed to securing Alaa Abd El-Fattah's release so he can be reunited with his family. The Foreign Secretary raised Mr El-Fattah's case with the Egyptian Foreign Minister most recently during his visit to Egypt on 23 January. The Prime Minister wrote to President Sisi to raise Mr El-Fattah's case on 8 January. The National Security Adviser, Jonathan Powell, raised with the Foreign Minister on 2 January.