Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what the Office for Product Safety and Standards' timetable is for publishing the findings from the Product Safety review consultation which closed on 24 October 2023.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake
The Office for Product Safety & Standards (OPSS) is currently analysing responses to the Product Safety Review consultation. The Government intends to publish a response later this year which will summarise the findings and set out future plans.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many coroners' reports have asked the Office for Product Safety and Standards to take action against dangerous or faulty e-bike chargers in each of the last five years.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake
The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) has received two coroner’s reports relating to concerns about the safety of e-bikes, lithium-ion batteries and chargers. The reports were received in August 2023 and in January 2024, and OPSS’ responses will be published on the judiciary.uk website.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department is taking steps to help ensure (a) drivers living in the UK with EU licences and (b) UK licence holders seeking to drive in EU member states do not lose (i) licences and (ii) access to insurance after the age of 70.
Answered by Guy Opperman
Since EU exit, bilateral arrangements are in place with all European Economic Area (EEA) countries for the recognition and exchange of the vast majority of UK licences.
For drivers living in the UK with EU licences, an EU licence can be used to drive in the UK until its expiry, up to the age of 70. If an EU licence holder is 67 or over when they become resident in the UK, they can drive until they are 70 or have lived in the UK for 3 years, whichever is longer and provided the licence remains valid. After this time, they must exchange their EU licence for a UK licence. They do not have to retake their test.
For drivers visiting the UK, an EU licence can be used to drive in the UK as long as it is full and valid, regardless of age.
For UK licence holders seeking to drive in EU member states, valid UK licences are recognised for use by visitors. UK licence holders who become resident in the EU are able to use their licences in line with local arrangements. These arrangements vary from country to country, with some enabling extended recognition until the licence expires (after which the UK licence must be exchanged for a local licence). Other countries require that the UK licence is exchanged for a local licence within a specified time period, determined by that country.
The treatment of drivers over the age of 70 varies across EU countries, however being aged over 70 does not in itself prevent a UK licence holder from using that licence in the EU or exchanging it for an EU one.
The setting of premiums is a commercial decision for individual insurers based on their underwriting experience and the Government does not intervene or seek to control the market. They use a wide range of criteria to assess the potential risk a driver poses, including the age of the applicant, the type of vehicle being insured, the postal area where the applicant lives and the driving experience of the applicant. All UK vehicle insurance provides the minimum third-party cover to drive in the EU.
With respect to UK licence holders living in EU member states, insurance is a matter for insurance companies within those states.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate he has made of the impact of raising wine duty on revenue raised by his Department.
Answered by Gareth Davies
The Government will make and announce any alcohol decisions at Spring Budget 2024. Duty freezes to alcohol duty over the last decade have amounted to a total tax cut of £12.9 billion to the alcohol industry, including the duty freeze up to 1 August 2024 announced at Autumn Statement 2023.
Before Autumn Statement 2023, since ending the duty escalator for wine in 2013, the wine industry has benefitted from cuts or freezes to wine duty at four out of the last nine fiscal events.
The latest receipts for alcohol duty including wine duty can be found at the following link:
Alcohol Bulletin commentary (November 2023 to January 2024) - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will take steps to reduce excise duty on wine.
Answered by Gareth Davies
The Government will make and announce any alcohol decisions at Spring Budget 2024. Duty freezes to alcohol duty over the last decade have amounted to a total tax cut of £12.9 billion to the alcohol industry, including the duty freeze up to 1 August 2024 announced at Autumn Statement 2023.
Before Autumn Statement 2023, since ending the duty escalator for wine in 2013, the wine industry has benefitted from cuts or freezes to wine duty at four out of the last nine fiscal events.
The latest receipts for alcohol duty including wine duty can be found at the following link:
Alcohol Bulletin commentary (November 2023 to January 2024) - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of making the easement for levying wine duty permanent.
Answered by Gareth Davies
As part of the new alcohol duty system, the Government introduced a wine easement for 18 months which will last until February 2025. During this period, all wine between 11.5-14.5% alcohol by volume (ABV) will pay duty as if it were 12.5% ABV. This gives the wine industry over two years to adapt to the new system.
The Government is closely monitoring the impact of the recent reforms and will evaluate the impact of the new rates and structures three years after the changes took effect on 1 August 2023. This will allow time to understand the impacts on the alcohol market, and for HMRC to gather useful and accurate data with which to evaluate the effects of the reform.
As with all taxes, the Government keeps the alcohol duty system under review during its yearly Budget process.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:
To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, whether he has made an assessment of the impact of the Renters (Reform) Bill on relocation agents.
Answered by Jacob Young
The Renters (Reform) Bill will deliver a fairer, more secure, and higher quality private rented sector that is fit for the 21st century. The Impact Assessment for the Bill considers the impact on letting agents (which includes relocation agents).
It estimates that as a result of familiarisation costs and more stable private rented sector tenancies, letting agents will face costs of £1,085 per agent per year over the ten-year appraisal period. The reforms may also create new opportunities for letting agents, such as services which support landlords to meet their new requirements.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what his planned timetable is for implementing the recommendations of the Independent Review of Prevent, published on 8 February 2023.
Answered by Tom Tugendhat
The Independent Review of Prevent was published on 8 February 2023.
On 20 February 2024, the Government published the Independent Review of Prevent: One year on progress report. The report details full progress against the Review’s recommendations. This report can be found at the following link: Independent Review of Prevent - One year on progress report.
We have implemented 30 of the 34 recommendations and are making rapid progress on delivering the remaining four.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which recommendations of the Independent Review of Prevent, published on 8 February 2023, have been implemented.
Answered by Tom Tugendhat
The Independent Review of Prevent was published on 8 February 2023.
On 20 February 2024, the Government published the Independent Review of Prevent: One year on progress report. The report details full progress against the Review’s recommendations. This report can be found at the following link: Independent Review of Prevent - One year on progress report.
We have implemented 30 of the 34 recommendations and are making rapid progress on delivering the remaining four.
Asked by: Neil Coyle (Labour - Bermondsey and Old Southwark)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if his Department will take steps to halt evictions from temporary asylum accommodation for the full duration that a severe weather emergency protocol is active.
Answered by Tom Pursglove
It has been agreed that the eviction or move on from asylum accommodation will pause for up to, but no more than three days, when Severe Weather Emergency Protocol (SWEP) is activated by a local authority and an individual does not have a housing offer from elsewhere.
The Home Office is working to ensure that individuals are offered support from Migrant Help or their partner organisation when they receive a decision on their asylum claim. This support includes providing advice on accessing the labour market, on applying for Universal Credit and signposting to local authorities for assistance with housing.