Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of councils extending the right to be placed on the rent books of primary tenancies to adults with additional needs on (a) costs to and (b) the provision of social housing by local authorities.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Department has not undertaken an assessment of potential impact of councils right to be placed on the rent books extension.
Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of green levies on domestic energy bills.
Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is committed to ensuring that the costs of the UK’s transition to Net Zero are fair and affordable for all energy consumers, and the potential impacts on policy costs on technologies and consumers are being fully considered. Policy costs, or levies, are added to energy bills to ensure a fair and transparent way to fund social and environmental policies, whilst easing the financial burden on taxpayers. By driving investment in renewables, they have significantly lowered the cost of renewable electricity production over time, leading to a more affordable and sustainable energy future.
Securing funding for these policies in this way helps to build a secure, affordable, and low-carbon energy system. This shift to renewables is making energy cleaner, more stable, and cheaper in the long run. Ofgem, the energy regulator in Great Britain, administers low-carbon energy and social schemes on behalf of the government and ensures that policy targets are met in an economical and consumer conscious way.
Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps her Department is taking to help maintain the level of return on savings in the context of her proposal to consolidate pension schemes that have under £25 billion of assets.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Increasing the returns on savings is a key priority of the Pensions Investment Review. Our proposals to consolidate schemes will improve efficiencies, reduce costs, and allow for more effective investment strategies. Together, the review and measures outlined in the King’s Speech, such as the Value for Money framework, are focussed on improving the levels of pension scheme performance and improving saver outcomes
Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of increasing income tax bands on economic productivity.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government is committed to keeping taxes for working people as low as possible while ensuring fiscal responsibility and so, at our first Budget, we decided not to extend the freeze on personal tax thresholds.
This decision was reflected in the OBR’s spring 2025 forecast which can be found here: https://obr.uk/economic-and-fiscal-outlooks/.
Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of correcting cosmetic surgery undertaken by British Nationals abroad.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department does not have data on the overall costs to the National Health Service for treating complications from cosmetic procedures conducted overseas. We are exploring ways to improve our understanding of the scale of the cost to the NHS.
Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether her Department is taking steps to amend regulations on mechanisms for transferring pensions between scheme providers.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Following commitments made in response to the review, DWP has conducted extensive work with the FCA, HMT, The Pensions Regulator and the pensions industry to consider if the practical application of the transfer regulations could be improved, whilst retaining appropriate levels of protection for pension scheme members.
DWP Officials continue to develop this work and we will look to formally share the outcome as soon as is practical.
Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of mechanisms for transferring pensions.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Occupational and Personal Pension Schemes (Conditions for Transfers) Regulations 2021 were introduced to protect pension savers against the threat of scams by enabling trustees to pause or halt a transfer in certain circumstances.
DWP conducted a year long review of the regulations in 2022, as agreed with the Work and Pensions Select Committee.
The review concluded that the measures had been largely successful in delivering the policy intent, approximately 2000 potentially fraudulent transfers were blocked during the period considered and industry participants confirmed that there remained an ongoing need for the enhanced protection the regulations provide.
However, whilst feedback concerning the protections was positive, findings of the review also suggested that the practical application of some parts of the regulations may have caused administrative issues in certain areas.
DWP officials are conducting work with other government departments and industry representatives to consider if changes could be made to improve the transfer process whilst ensuring that appropriate protections remain in place.
Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the forthcoming Pensions Schemes Bill on the ability of Pension Scheme Administrators to support the the transfer of defined benefit pension schemes to insurance providers.
Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
An Impact Assessment will be published alongside the Pension Schemes Bill.
Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of Section 106 contributions paid to local authorities ahead of a development.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Local authorities are able to seek a section 106 planning obligation from a developer to mitigate the impact of a development in order to make it acceptable in planning terms. The obligation might, for example, specify the periods at which the required contributions must be provided by the developer. Local authorities have enforcement powers to ensure compliance with any such provisions.
The government does not collect data on section 106 contributions paid to local authorities ahead of a development taking place. However, any local authority that has received section 106 contributions is required to publish an infrastructure funding statement at least annually. Guidance recommends that authorities report on the delivery and provision of infrastructure, as well as estimated future income from developer contributions, where they are able to do so.
The government is committed to strengthening the existing system of developer contributions, including section 106 planning obligations, to ensure that new developments provide appropriate affordable homes and infrastructure. Further details will be set out in due course.
Asked by: Peter Bedford (Conservative - Mid Leicestershire)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Football Governance Bill on the financial health of non premier league football clubs.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
Clubs across the football pyramid have suffered from the consequences of reckless spending, unmanaged debts and poor ownership. That is why the government has introduced the Football Governance Bill which aims to improve the financial sustainability of all clubs in scope, including clubs outside the Premier League, by addressing these key issues, improving the systemic financial resilience of the whole football pyramid.
This Bill will take a proportionate and light touch approach to regulation to avoid undue burden and has been designed through extensive consultation with clubs across the football pyramid.