Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to tackle the backlog of cases at the Financial Ombudsman Service.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) is non-governmental body and is independent from the Treasury.

The Financial Conduct Authority’s rules on how the FOS should handle complaints state that ‘the ombudsman will attempt to resolve complaints at the earliest possible stage’. The FOS should deal with all cases in a timely manner.

Ensuring timely outcomes is one of the FOS’s main priorities for 2025-26, as outlined in its annual Plans and Budget published on 1 April 2025. A number of factors may affect the time it takes for the FOS to resolve complaints that are referred to it. In 2023-24, the FOS resolved over half of its cases within three months.

The FOS regularly publishes data on its casework, including progress against its annual performance targets. The latest complaints data is available at https://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/data-insight/our-insight and its Annual Reports and Accounts can be found at https://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/who-we-are/governance-funding/annual-reports-accounts

My officials will continue to raise the important issue of waiting times in their regular meetings with the FOS.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what regulatory safeguards are in place to protect consumers from excessive premium increases following the transfer of life insurance policy liabilities.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

Insurers make commercial decisions about the pricing of insurance policies following an assessment of the relevant risks. However, the Government expects that insurers deliver good outcomes to consumers and firms are required to do so under Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) rules.

These rules require firms to ensure their products offer fair value. This means the price paid by consumers must be reasonable compared to the benefits they receive. The FCA monitors firms and has robust powers to act against firms that breach its rules.

The FCA and the Prudential Regulation Authority review the terms of transfers of business between insurance providers to ensure an appropriate degree of consumer protection, and the views of both regulators are considered by the Courts as part of the transfer process. The FCA would, for example, expect to see evidence that policyholders would not be adversely affected by any changes to the way their policies will be administered (including with respect to pricing) after a transfer.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps her Department is taking to regulate the pricing of legacy life insurance policies following provider transfers.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

Insurers make commercial decisions about the pricing of insurance policies following an assessment of the relevant risks. However, the Government expects that insurers deliver good outcomes to consumers and firms are required to do so under Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) rules.

These rules require firms to ensure their products offer fair value. This means the price paid by consumers must be reasonable compared to the benefits they receive. The FCA monitors firms and has robust powers to act against firms that breach its rules.

The FCA and the Prudential Regulation Authority review the terms of transfers of business between insurance providers to ensure an appropriate degree of consumer protection, and the views of both regulators are considered by the Courts as part of the transfer process. The FCA would, for example, expect to see evidence that policyholders would not be adversely affected by any changes to the way their policies will be administered (including with respect to pricing) after a transfer.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what support her Department is providing to small independent funeral directors in response to market pressures from large direct cremation providers.

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

The government provides comprehensive support for small businesses across all industries, including the UK funeral sector. Resources such as the Business Growth Service, via business.gov.uk, and local Growth Hubs can support small independent funeral directors as they face market pressures from large direct cremation providers.

In addition, the recently announced Small Business Plan sets out this Government’s approach for economic transformation alongside the Modern Industrial Strategy and Trade Strategy. The Plan includes proposals to tackle the scourge of late payments, modernise the tax system, improving access to finance, revitalise high streets and equip small businesses with digital skills.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to help support people who were underpaid wages by their former employers.

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

The Government takes enforcing the minimum wage very seriously. We are clear that anyone entitled to the minimum wage should receive at least the correct minimum wage rate based on their age or apprenticeship status.

HMRC enforces minimum wage regulations on behalf of DBT and considers all complaints from workers. Workers do not need to be currently employed to raise concerns and can complain about underpayments by former employers. If an underpayment of wage is found, HMRC will order employers to pay the workers their money back, and a penalty to the government. HMRC will investigate any underpayments from the last 6 years.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has held discussions with the Department of Health and Social Care on integrating public access defibrillators into housing infrastructure planning.

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

The Government recognises the importance of improving access to automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in public spaces.

We have no current plans to require the installation of public access defibrillators in new housing developments through planning guidance or building regulations. However, we keep planning policies, guidance and building regulations under review.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government regularly engages with other government departments on matters relating to planning policy and guidance.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will issue guidance to local planning authorities and neighbourhood planning groups on encouraging the inclusion of public access defibrillators in new housing developments.

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

The Government recognises the importance of improving access to automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in public spaces.

We have no current plans to require the installation of public access defibrillators in new housing developments through planning guidance or building regulations. However, we keep planning policies, guidance and building regulations under review.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government regularly engages with other government departments on matters relating to planning policy and guidance.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has considered requiring the installation of public access defibrillators in new housing developments as part of (a) planning guidance and (b) building regulations.

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

The Government recognises the importance of improving access to automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in public spaces.

We have no current plans to require the installation of public access defibrillators in new housing developments through planning guidance or building regulations. However, we keep planning policies, guidance and building regulations under review.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government regularly engages with other government departments on matters relating to planning policy and guidance.