Asked by: Ruth Cadbury (Labour - Brentford and Isleworth)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of a cap on the Cycle to Work scheme on a) employees’ ability to access e-bikes and e-cargo bikes and b) disabled employees’ ability to access specially-adapted cycles.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government keeps all taxes under review as part of the policy making process. The Chancellor will announce any changes to the tax system at fiscal events in the usual way.
Asked by: Ruth Cadbury (Labour - Brentford and Isleworth)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, on what dates South Western Railway plans to retire its fleet of Class 455 electric multiple units; and what plans it has to maintain current levels of passenger capacity on their retirement.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Southwestern Railway is planning to retire the Class 455 fleet by the end of December 2025. The Arterio fleet introduction programme will fully occupy all of the previously formed Class 455 diagrams.
Since May the number of new trains in service has quadrupled. The Arterio trains will provide 50 per cent increased capacity compared to the current 455 fleet in service. They will also provide accessible toilets, air conditioning, charging points at every seat, real-time information screens, onboard wi-fi and walk through carriages.
Asked by: Ruth Cadbury (Labour - Brentford and Isleworth)
Question
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of existing powers to tackle ageism in (a) recruitment and (b) the workplace.
Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The UK has a strong history of protecting against direct and indirect discrimination. The Equality Act 2010 has protections that enable people to challenge age discrimination across a range of fields, including the provision of services, employment and recruitment processes. Where age discrimination cannot be objectively justified and is unlawful, individuals can seek redress in the courts or, where relevant, at an employment tribunal.