Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential impact of increases to employers National Insurance contributions on home to school transport for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.

Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)

I refer the hon. Member for South Cambridgeshire to the answer of 29 January 2025 to Question 26397.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions she has had with (a) the Country Land and Business Association and (b) other industry bodies to support working farms, in the context of her proposed changes to (i) agricultural property relief and (b) business property relief.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

As the Minister responsible for the UK tax system, I have participated in several meetings with agricultural organisations since Autumn Budget 2024 to listen to views. Similarly, ministers from other Departments, such as the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, have also held meetings with these organisations to listen to their views.

Most recently, on 18 February 2025, the Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs and I met with representatives from various agricultural organisations, including the President of the Country Land and Business Association.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the capacity of electricity distribution networks, in the context of meeting the Government's net zero targets.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The National Infrastructure Commission published recommendations on 21 February¹ on making the electricity distribution network fit for net zero. Their modelling demonstrates that nationally, £37-50 billion of investment in the distribution network could be needed to meet net zero targets by 2050, taking into account expected increases in electricity demand. We are reviewing the study with our key delivery partners and will publish a formal response this spring.

1 https://nic.org.uk/app/uploads/Electricity-Distribution-Networks-report-21-Feb-2025.pdf

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to increase the capacity of electricity distribution networks.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government is committed to expanding the electricity network to support its Clean Energy Superpower mission and is working closely with Ofgem and industry to mobilise the required investment. Under the most recent price control for electricity distribution, covering 2023-2028, Ofgem has allowed £22.2bn for upfront network investment, of which £3.1bn is set aside for network upgrades to ready the grid for low carbon technologies.

The National Infrastructure Commission published recommendations on 21 February [1] on making the electricity distribution network fit for net zero. We will review the study with our key delivery partners and will publish a formal response this spring.

[1] https://nic.org.uk/app/uploads/Electricity-Distribution-Networks-report-21-Feb-2025.pdf

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to help ensure that people in (a) low-paid and (b) insecure work receive an adequate income in retirement.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The new State Pension has been designed to provide a foundation for private saving, supported through Automatic Enrolment (AE). The new State Pension improves State Pension outcomes for those who often did less well under the previous system, including those on low incomes. Alongside qualifying through work or self-employment, there is also a wide range of National Insurance credits available, ensuring people can achieve the best possible State Pension outcome.

We have made a commitment to the Triple Lock throughout this Parliament which will mean spending on people’s State Pensions is forecast to rise by over £31 billion. As a result, over 12 million pensioners will receive up to £1,900 a year more by the end of the Parliament. Pension Credit also provides a means-tested safety-net for those on low-incomes in retirement.

AE has succeeded in transforming retirement saving with over 11 million employees having been automatically enrolled into a workplace pension since 2012. AE has been a particular success for lower earners with participation for eligible employees earning between £10,000 and £20,000 in the private sector, increasing from 17% in 2012 to 75% in 2023. However, we know we need to do even more to build on the success of AE in getting people into saving by ensuring security in retirement for all.

The first phase of our review is focused on investment and growth with the twin objectives of increasing investment in the UK and delivering improved returns for savers. In November 2024 we published the interim report of this review with consultations on unlocking the UK pensions market for growth and reforming the Local Government Pension Scheme. These consultations closed in January, and we expect to provide our response in Spring 2025.

However, it is also important that we then consider the broader question of adequacy and how to build on the success of AE to ensure that people are saving enough for retirement. Therefore, the second phase of the review will in due course look at further steps to improve pension outcomes, and pension adequacy for all.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to support green technologies.

Answered by Kerry McCarthy - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government is committed to supporting the growth and scaling-up of green technologies, including through the creation of GB Energy, as part of its Clean Energy Superpower Mission. A combined total of £1.3 billion has been committed through the 2021-25 Net Zero Innovation Portfolio (NZIP) to accelerate the commercialisation of green technologies supporting around 5,500 jobs and leveraging £750 million in private investment. The Government will set out its full approach to seizing the growth opportunities from clean energy industries in the forthcoming Industrial Strategy.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking to improve road safety for vulnerable road users.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Government treats road safety with the utmost seriousness, and we are committed to reducing the numbers of those killed and injured on our roads. My Department is developing our road safety strategy and will set out more details in due course.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to promote nature-positive renewable energy.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government will ensure that the protection of nature is embedded into the delivery of clean power and we will be driving for nature to not only be protected but restored through clean power infrastructure.

As part of our Clean Power Action Plan, we are considering how to use development to fund nature recovery unlocking a win-win outcome for the economy and for nature. We are working with nature delivery organisations, stakeholders and the sector to consider how we can better support the delivery of infrastructure whilst driving better environmental outcomes.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to ensure that the rollout of offshore wind is not detrimental to halting species decline by 2030.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government is committed to delivering clean power by 2030, to accelerating to net zero and to restoring nature. New energy infrastructure should be built in a way that protects the natural environment and supports nature recovery, by following a “mitigation hierarchy” to avoid damage to marine protected areas, and minimising, restoring and delivering compensation when damage cannot be avoided. On 29 January 2025, the Government announced reforms in infrastructure consenting to unlock up to thirteen major offshore wind infrastructure projects while protecting the marine environment and the Government’s commitment to protect 30% of our seas for nature by 2030.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to ensure that the deployment of offshore renewables is not detrimental to blue carbon stores.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government is committed to delivering clean power by 2030, to accelerating to net zero and to restoring nature. The Government needs to ensure that the UK’s marine ecosystems are healthy and capturing and storing carbon too. This means that new energy infrastructure needs to be planned and developed in a way that protects the natural environment and supports nature recovery.

Assessment and mitigation of environmental impacts are a core part of the Government’s planning processes, and future spatial plans will support rebuilding the UK’s natural infrastructure at the same time as building the new energy infrastructure the UK needs for the twenty-first century.

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 potential impact of the Local Government Pension Scheme on levels of economic growth in local communities.

Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) already invests approximately 30% of its assets in the UK, as part of its duty to invest to pay pensions. The government believes that the LGPS can make a distinctive contribution to local economic growth building on its local role and networks, through increasing its long-term investment in local communities.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what steps he is taking to support industrial electrification.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Fuel switching from fossil fuels to electricity has the potential to significantly reduce annual industrial emissions, making a critical contribution to our carbon budget commitments contributing between 15% and 40% of the necessary carbon abatement in industry by 2050. The Government remains committed to supporting industrial electrification and addressing the barriers to investment that were highlighted in the 2023 call for evidence on enabling industrial electrification. This includes further development of policy options to address the high cost of electricity relative to natural gas, and the implementation of planning reforms to speed up infrastructure development and unblock issues on grid connection delays.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will take steps with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to encourage occupational pension schemes to invest in clean energy (a) projects and (b) infrastructure.

Answered by Kerry McCarthy - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government is committed to working with the pensions sector to transition to net zero. DESNZ collaborates with DWP and others in Government on this.

Pension schemes in scope of DWP’s requirements must produce an annual Taskforce on Climate-related Financial Disclosures report. In the manifesto, we committed to mandate listed companies, financial institutions and pension funds to develop and implement credible transition plans that align with the 1.5°C goal of the Paris Agreement. The Government will consult in the first half of this year on how best to take this forward.

The Government is also exploring ways to unlock the investment potential of the Local Government Pensions Scheme, through asset pooling for investment into climate-related projects.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she plans to increase the active travel budget.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Government has already increased the active travel budget by £100 million for 2025/26 compared to 2024/25. On 12 February, the Government announced the details of almost £300 million of funding for active travel in 2024/5 and 2025/6. This will help local authorities to provide high-quality and easily accessible active travel schemes across England and will enable more children to walk and cycle to school.

Decisions on funding for active travel from 2026/27 onwards, as well as on other areas of transport expenditure, will be taken as part of the Government’s Spending Review.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he has had discussions with local authorities to maximise the recycling of household waste.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Waste is a devolved policy area. The upcoming Simpler Recycling reforms in England will ensure that people will be able to recycle the same materials, whether at home, work or school - to make recycling easier and improve recycling rates. Defra has previously consulted local authorities and other key stakeholders on these reforms, and we continue to engage through regular forums and newsletters. Defra has established a joint sounding board with the Local Government Association to support policy development and implementation for local authorities. Furthermore, the Minister for Nature recently held a roundtable with local authorities to discuss our work on the Circular Economy including Simpler Recycling.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of implementing a clawback mechanism into the proposed changes to APR and BPR.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government believes its reforms to agricultural property relief and business property relief from 6 April 2026 get the balance right between supporting farms and businesses, and fixing the public finances. The reforms reduce the inheritance tax advantages available to owners of agricultural and business assets, but still mean those assets will be taxed at a much lower effective rate than most other assets. Despite a tough fiscal context, the Government will maintain very significant levels of relief from inheritance tax beyond what is available to others and compared to the position before 1992.
A “clawback” would mean inheritance tax would only be due if the relevant assets are sold within a specified time period after a death. Introducing this mechanism, as some have suggested, could mean some of the wealthiest estates pay less inheritance tax compared to the proposed reforms. The Government disagrees with suggestions that a clawback would raise the same revenue as the reforms being introduced from 6 April 2026; it would raise much less, which would mean raising taxes elsewhere or lowering public spending. It would also add complexity to the tax system and continue to attract the very wealthiest to tax plan since beneficiaries could hold onto the assets over the specified clawback period just to escape the tax.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what guidance her Department has issued to staff on (a) contacting and (b) assessing benefits claims for (i) victims and (ii) survivors of domestic violence and economic abuse.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

All staff have access to regularly reviewed guidance products which includes information on contacting and assessing benefit claims for victims and survivors of domestic and economic abuse.

For broader support, we will signpost claimants to gov.uk to enable them to get the help and advice they need.

The most relevant UC Guidance is attached (059. Domestic abuse-Guidance V28.0)

The relevant Working Age Operational Instructions are also attached (Domestic Abuse and Victims of domestic abuse).

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 the resources of the Planning Inspectorate in dealing with (a) local and (b) national planning appeals within target timeframes.

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

The Inspectorate is performing well across a number of key areas such as local plan examinations, nationally significant infrastructure project applications, s62a applications, and planning appeals proceeding by hearings and inquiries. It is, for example:

• meeting all statutory timeframes for national infrastructure applications;
• increasingly deciding planning appeals by hearing and inquiry in around 26 weeks (the Ministerial measure), having already cleared a backlog of casework; and
• beginning to decide enforcement appeals by hearing and inquiry in around 26 weeks (the ministerial measure) for the first time in many years, as it clears a long-standing backlog of casework.

The Inspectorate is implementing actions to maintain performance in these areas and to improve end-to-end times for other casework including by:

• Focusing available capacity of both salaried and contract (non-salaried inspectors) on reducing the amount of open appeals. The number of open planning appeals by written representations has reduced significantly during 2024 and continues to reduce.
• Using contract (non-salaried) inspectors to the full extent of their availability and expanding the range of casework they determine.
• Moving more inspectors onto enforcement written representations casework in Spring 2025 once the work on improving hearings performance has progressed further.

In addition, the Inspectorate has designed and developed a new digital Appeals Service currently in Beta phase. This new service improves the process for submitting appeals, including reducing the number of invalid appeals submitted. In turn, this reduces the number of validation checks required and is speeding up the time taken to validate appeals. The new service has been expanded to cover all local planning authority areas.

In five pilot local authority areas the digital Appeals Service is now being used to progress the appeal from receipt through to decision. This provides an interface for Local Planning Authorities and appellants to manage appeals and automate notifications which are expected to save time for participants, improve their experience of the appeals service and be a foundation for further improvements.

The Planning Inspectorate is an Arm's Length Government Body with responsibility for allocation of resources, prioritisation and overall operational performance. The Inspectorate publishes updates on its performance on its website regularly.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to help improve equity of access to CAR-T therapy; and what assessment he has made of the potential merits of making it available as a first-line treatment for eligible leukaemia patients.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is the body responsible for developing independent, evidence-based guidance for the National Health Service on whether licensed medicines should be routinely funded by the NHS, based on an assessment of their costs and benefits. The NICE only makes recommendations on medicines within their licensed indications through its technology appraisals programme. There are currently no CAR-T therapies licensed as first-line treatments for leukaemia, and the NICE has therefore not made recommendations on their use at that stage in the treatment pathway.

The NICE has evaluated and recommended several CAR-T therapies for blood cancers, including leukaemia, within their licensed indications. CAR-T therapy is available in line with the NICE’s recommendations.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to paragraph 3.11 of the Autumn Budget 2024, published on 30 October 2024, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of investments by occupational pension schemes on the (a) place, (b) people and (c) net zero pillars of the growth mission.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government published the Interim Report of the Pensions Investment Review at Mansion House, which sets out proposals to reform the UK Pensions system. These reforms could unlock up to £80 billion in new productive investment including in businesses and infrastructure. Amongst other things this would help improve returns for savers and support the net-zero transition.

The proposed reforms to the defined contribution workplace pension market will accelerate consolidation, creating fewer, larger schemes. This will allow schemes to deliver better value, governance, and investment opportunities, through larger ‘mega-funds’ more able to undertake productive investment.

The Review also proposes reforms to the Local Government Pension Scheme (England and Wales) to tackle fragmentation and inefficiency. The LGPS manages £392 billion worth of assets, and the Interim Report proposes to require all 86 administering authorities to delegate investment management to pools. This will create large pools of professionally managed capital, in line with international best practice, and enhance the capacity and capability of the scheme to continue to drive national, regional and local investment.

The final Pensions Investment Review report, including the final proposals to be legislated for, will be published in the Spring ahead of the introduction of the Pension Schemes Bill.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she made an assessment of the potential merits of including the (a) role and (b) conduct of HMRC within the terms of reference of the independent review of the loan charge.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government has commissioned an independent review of the Loan Charge to help bring the matter to a close for those affected whilst ensuring fairness for all taxpayers.

The Government does not think it is right for people affected by the Loan Charge to have to wait years for any progress on bringing this matter to a close for them. The Government has therefore ensured that the review has a focused remit, allowing it to report by this summer. The Government will respond by Autumn Budget 2025.

Alongside the review, the Government is committed to tackling promoters of tax avoidance and will consult on measures to tackle promoters of marketed tax avoidance, including new powers focused on those who own or control promoter organisations and options to tackle legal professionals behind avoidance schemes.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will have discussions with Ray McCann on including the role of people who (a) recommended and (b) operated disguised remuneration schemes with the Loan Charge review.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government has commissioned an independent review of the Loan Charge to help bring the matter to a close for those affected whilst ensuring fairness for all taxpayers.

The Government does not think it is right for people affected by the Loan Charge to have to wait years for any progress on bringing this matter to a close for them. The Government has therefore ensured that the review has a focused remit, allowing it to report by this summer. The Government will respond by Autumn Budget 2025.

Alongside the review, the Government is committed to tackling promoters of tax avoidance and will consult on measures to tackle promoters of marketed tax avoidance, including new powers focused on those who own or control promoter organisations and options to tackle legal professionals behind avoidance schemes.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of the Independent Review of the Loan Charge.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government has commissioned an independent review of the Loan Charge to help bring the matter to a close for those affected whilst ensuring fairness for all taxpayers.

The Government does not think it is right for people affected by the Loan Charge to have to wait years for any progress on bringing this matter to a close for them. The Government has therefore ensured that the review has a focused remit, allowing it to report by this summer. The Government will respond by Autumn Budget 2025.

Alongside the review, the Government is committed to tackling promoters of tax avoidance and will consult on measures to tackle promoters of marketed tax avoidance, including new powers focused on those who own or control promoter organisations and options to tackle legal professionals behind avoidance schemes.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the level of leukaemia cases diagnosed in an emergency setting on (a) patient outcomes and (b) NHS resources.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

We recognise the importance of earlier diagnosis of cancer to survival, and we know that patients with cancer who are diagnosed via an emergency route are most likely to have poor survival. Whilst a specific assessment on leukaemia has not been made, we are determined to take all the necessary steps to improve early diagnosis for all cancers, including blood cancers such as leukaemia. To accomplish this, the National Health Service is implementing non-specific symptom pathways for patients who present with symptoms such as weight loss and fatigue, which do not clearly align to a tumour type. Blood cancers are one of the most common cancer types diagnosed through these pathways.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help improve the level of participation in clinical trials for (a) leukaemia patients diagnosed with acute subtypes and (b) all leukaemia patients.

Answered by Ashley Dalton - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department is committed to maximising our potential to lead the world in clinical trials and ensuring that clinical trials are more accessible.

The Department funded National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR) funds research and research infrastructure, which supports patients and the public to participate in high-quality research, including clinical research on leukaemia. NIHR research expenditure for all cancers was £133 million in 2023/24, reflecting its high priority. These investments are pivotal to informing efforts to improve cancer prevention, treatment, and outcomes, including leukaemia research.

The NIHR provides an online service called Be Part of Research which promotes participation in health and social care research, including research into leukaemia and the acute subtypes of leukaemia, by allowing users to search for relevant studies and register their interest. This makes it easier for people to find and take part in health and care research that is relevant to them.

Mobile phone usage in schools

Open Doors 2025

SEND in schools

Support for young disabled people after education

Royal Mail's universal service obligation

Colleges Week 2025

Chronic urinary tract infections and women's health

Road safety in rural areas

Future of the adoption and special guardianship support fund

Building consensus on a pathway to spending 3% of GDP on defence

Tackling the climate and nature crisis

Community pharmacies

Covid-19 Day of Reflection 2025

Convoy of Hope partnership for Ukraine

50th anniversary of Solace Women's Aid

Ending the sale of tickets to captive orca and dolphin shows

Postural Tachycardia Syndrome

Impact Assessments of changes to Official Development Assistance

NHS targets

Social care day of action

Found: present: Mr Toby Perkins (Chair); Julia Buckley; Ellie Chowns; Barry Gardiner; Anna Gelderd; Pippa Heylings

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Found: Taylor John Milne Anna Sabine Tim Farron Jess Brown-Fuller Olly Glover Victoria Collins Pippa Heylings

Found: Taylor John Milne Anna Sabine Tim Farron Jess Brown-Fuller Olly Glover Victoria Collins Pippa Heylings

Found: Taylor John Milne Anna Sabine Tim Farron Jess Brown-Fuller Olly Glover Victoria Collins Pippa Heylings

Found: Taylor John Milne Anna Sabine Tim Farron Jess Brown-Fuller Olly Glover Victoria Collins Pippa Heylings

Found: Taylor John Milne Anna Sabine Tim Farron Jess Brown-Fuller Olly Glover Victoria Collins Pippa Heylings

Found: Taylor John Milne Anna Sabine Tim Farron Jess Brown-Fuller Olly Glover Victoria Collins Pippa Heylings

Found: Taylor John Milne Anna Sabine Tim Farron Jess Brown-Fuller Olly Glover Victoria Collins Pippa Heylings

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