Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the value-for-money to the taxpayer of the Loan Charge.

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

Tax avoidance deprives the Exchequer of funds needed to deliver vital public services and it is right that HMRC target their resources to stop this.

The Loan Charge was intended to encourage those who had used disguised remuneration loan schemes to settle their affairs before it came into effect. HMRC estimates that £2.3 billion of these liabilities had been paid, largely by customers who agreed a contract settlement before the Loan Charge arose.

There are are around 32,000 individuals and 5,000 employers with outstanding or unresolved Loan Charge liabilities in scope of the Loan Charge Settlement Scheme, with liabilities estimated to be around £3.6 billion in total(£1.7 billion and £1.9 billion respectively).

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many outstanding disguised remuneration cases he expects will be settled as a result of the new settlement offer following the McCann Review.

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

Tax avoidance deprives the Exchequer of funds needed to deliver vital public services and it is right that HMRC target their resources to stop this.

The Loan Charge was intended to encourage those who had used disguised remuneration loan schemes to settle their affairs before it came into effect. HMRC estimates that £2.3 billion of these liabilities had been paid, largely by customers who agreed a contract settlement before the Loan Charge arose.

There are are around 32,000 individuals and 5,000 employers with outstanding or unresolved Loan Charge liabilities in scope of the Loan Charge Settlement Scheme, with liabilities estimated to be around £3.6 billion in total(£1.7 billion and £1.9 billion respectively).

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has made an assessment of the adequacy of future pension arrangements of UK university staff who are transferred to subsidiary companies by their employer.

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

The government recognises that a number of universities are adopting subsidiary models in a variety of circumstances. Higher education providers are independent from government and as such are responsible for their own decisions about their workforce. However, in any decisions affecting staff, the government expects providers to abide by all relevant legislation, including requirements under employment law pension requirements. The government also expects providers to engage constructively with their workforce when considering any changes that may affect them.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of UK universities setting up subsidiary companies and transferring staff into those companies on those staff.

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

The government recognises that a number of universities are adopting subsidiary models in a variety of circumstances. Higher education providers are independent from government and as such are responsible for their own decisions about their workforce. However, in any decisions affecting staff, the government expects providers to abide by all relevant legislation, including requirements under employment law pension requirements. The government also expects providers to engage constructively with their workforce when considering any changes that may affect them.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how the draft recommendations and principles of the Timms Review may lead to changes in policy and practice, particularly around how assessment criteria, assessor guidance and training, and the application form may change.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)

The Timms Review will report its final recommendations to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in late autumn. It will then be for the Secretary of State to consider the findings, before deciding any changes.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he makes of the mobility criteria in PIP, following no explicit reference in the Timms Review draft recommendations and principles.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)

The emerging recommendations of the Timms Review are not the final recommendations of the Review and are currently being considered by the Review’s steering group ahead of it publishing its final report.

The review will report to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with its final recommendations in late autumn 2026, and the findings will be considered before any next steps are decided.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to ban rodenticides as part of the Government's animal welfare strategy.

Answered by Jenny Riddell-Carpenter - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

While Defra recognises concerns associated with rodenticides, and has welcomed recent changes restricting their use, policy responsibility for rodenticides lies with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and the Government’s animal welfare strategy, published in December 2025, did not include any commitment to ban them.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many cases of death and serious injury of people facing HMRC action for disguised remuneration cases has HMRC referred to the Independent Office of Police Conduct.

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

As of 22 October 2026, HMRC has made 41 death or serious injury referrals to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) involving separate individuals who had used a disguised remuneration scheme.

The government and HMRC take the safeguarding of individuals extremely seriously. HMRC has a statutory obligation to refer incidents of death or serious injury of a customer where there is an indication that HMRC contact may have directly or indirectly contributed to the event.

Following each referral, HMRC has conducted internal investigations and has found no evidence of misconduct by any HMRC officer. HMRC is taking forward organisational learning to strengthen the support provided to individuals who need extra help.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of using Alternative Dispute Resolution to resolve the dispute with the Women Against State Pension Inequality campaign.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 26 June 2026 to Question UIN 10714.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to help tackle the enablers of illicit finance in financial and legal services.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

Tackling illicit finance remains a key priority for this Government. We recognise the role of professional enablers who exploit the integrity of their professions to facilitate serious and organised crime and corruption.

The Anti-Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Strategy identifies the abuse of professional and financial services as a priority threat, and the Government is committed to intensifying its response including by investing in financial investigators, forensic accountants and cryptoasset capabilities. The Strategy will also deepen collaboration between Government, law enforcement and the private sector to identify criminal networks earlier and support faster disruption and asset recovery.

The Government is also reforming anti-money laundering supervision and intends for the Financial Conduct Authority to take responsibility for supervising professional services, including the legal sector. This will support a more consistent, proportionate and effective approach to supervision and help prevent professional services firms from being abused for money laundering.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps she is taking to ensure that Border Force have adequate vessels, personnel and capability to perform their role of intercepting and escorting illegal vessels attempting to enter the UK by water.

Answered by Anna Turley - Minister of State (Home Office)

Border Security Command Maritime vessels engaged in Safety of Life at Sea operations are directed and coordinated by HM Coastguard in response to dangerous and illegal small boat crossings. Border Security Command Maritime and HM Coastguard continually review vessel availability, personnel and wider maritime capability to ensure an effective response that combines lifesaving activity with border security. Maritime resources are kept under constant review, and capability will be adjusted where operationally necessary to meet changing operational demands.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department are taking to ensure the effective implementation of (a) fines, (b) a moratorium on performance-related remuneration to senior executives and (c) other consequences for Wessex Water for increases in sewage overflows in the last 12 months.

Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

In December 2025, Ofwat concluded an investigation into Wessex Water, confirming that the company will fund an £11m enforcement package after the company failed to operate, maintain and upgrade its wastewater network adequately to ensure that they could cope with the flows of sewage and wastewater.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate his Department has made of the potential cost to the public purse of pursuing litigation with the Women Against State Pension Inequality campaign compared with seeking a resolution through Alternative Dispute Resolution.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

We estimate that the legal costs on litigation brought by Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) in the Administrative Court will be in the region of £120,000 plus VAT. Final costs will depend on the progression and outcome of the litigation. With respect to the portion of the question that asks about seeking resolutions through Alternative Dispute Resolution, I refer my honourable friend to the answer I gave on 26 June 2026 to Question UIN 10660.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to help ensure that written forms are accessible to all users, including those with learning disabilities.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government) (Equalities)

The Department is committed to ensuring that its services are accessible and inclusive for all customers, including disabled people and those with learning disabilities.

The Department designs and reviews its forms and digital services to support a wide range of user needs. Forms are developed using user-centred design principles and are regularly tested with customers to ensure they remain clear, accessible and effective. We work to ensure that forms and supporting guidance use plain language wherever possible and continue to meet user needs.

The Department provides information in a range of alternative formats, including Braille, large print, coloured paper and screen-reader compatible formats such as Word and accessible PDF documents. Our online documents comply with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 standards and are designed to be accessible for customers who use assistive technology.

Where customers require additional support to access our services or complete forms, the Department can provide reasonable adjustments and tailored support, including assistance through Jobcentres, telephony services and, where appropriate, home visits.

Should a home visit be required, the Department's Visiting Service provides tailored, face-to-face support for customers who may have difficulty accessing services independently, including customers with learning disabilities. Visiting Officers can help customers understand DWP processes, complete forms, provide supporting evidence and access the benefits and services to which they may be entitled.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much his Department has spent on legal fees and associated costs relating to litigation brought by the Women Against State Pension Inequality campaign since 1 January 2026.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Department has spent £24,433.63 on litigation costs in relation to the litigation brought by the WASPI campaign in 2026.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the British Embassy in China has had discussions with their Chinese counterparts on the case of Wang Wang and the issue of animal welfare.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The British Embassy in China has not raised this specific incident with the Chinese Government. However, more generally we encourage China to adopt robust animal welfare standards through membership of international organisations such as the World Organisation for Animal Health. We continue to work with international partners to emphasise the importance of phasing out low welfare practices, explore opportunities for sharing approaches that have worked well, and collaborate on mutual challenges.

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 ensure that blind and partially sighted electors can take part in elections independently and without relying on a third party to complete their ballot paper for them.

Answered by Florence Eshalomi - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Government is committed to ensuring that all eligible voters can participate fully in our democracy. In pursuit of that goal, the Government is bringing forward new measures in the Representation of the People Bill to strengthen support for blind and partially sighted electors at polling stations.

Usdaw's Respect for Shopworkers Week

Service charge transparency and protection of essential services for leaseholders

Macbeth by Kraken Theatre Group

Reading spaces in Best Start Family Hubs

Congratulations to Fleetwood Town Football Club for beating Arsenal in the League Cup

Arrests of Friends of Standing Together and British nationals in the West Bank

Industrial action at The Lancet

Ending the criminalisation and stigmatisation of victims of sexual exploitation

Publication of the final report of the Right to Food UK Commission

Cleaners on Merseyrail

BBC Scotland TV's reductions to services

Temporary accommodation subsidy freeze

Oil and chemical spills at sea

Student finance

Neurodivergent educators

World Menopause Day 2026

Support for outsourced gatesolutions catering workers at LNER

UK Disability History Month

Arrest of Leicester journalists

Livelihoods of civil servants

Imprisoned Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant workers

International panel on inequality and the UK's 2027 G20 presidency

Seafarers and the Employment Rights Act 2025

Cable Street 90th anniversary