Asked by: Sarah Green (Liberal Democrat - Chesham and Amersham)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what her planned timetable is for laying regulations under the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 to increase standard lease terms to 990 years.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Governments intend to act quickly to provide homeowners with greater rights, powers, and protections over their homes by implementing the provisions of the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024. These include a new right to a lease extension for leaseholders of both houses and flats, for a term of 990 years at a peppercorn ground rent on payment of a premium, and reforms to drive up the transparency of service charges to make them more easily challengeable if leaseholders consider them to be unreasonable. We will set out details in due course about the extensive programme of secondary legislation need to bring the Act into force.
Asked by: Sarah Green (Liberal Democrat - Chesham and Amersham)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of planned increases to audit exemption thresholds on rates of tax evasion.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The proposal to increase the monetary thresholds for company size are based on findings from a call for evidence on non-financial reporting, which the Department for Business and Trade undertook last year. Most respondents supported amending the qualifying criteria that determine company size, particularly raising the monetary thresholds.
Under the proposals around 14,000 companies will be reclassified from medium-sized to small and therefore may be eligible for the small company audit exemption. Many of these companies are owned and operated by family members, who are well-versed in the company’s operations. The benefits of audit are more limited for such businesses.
Asked by: Sarah Green (Liberal Democrat - Chesham and Amersham)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of adopting the International Standard on Auditing for Audits of Financial Statements of Less Complex Entities.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
It is for the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) to decide whether the International Standard on Auditing for Audits of Financial Statements of Less Complex Entities (ISA for LCE) provides proper and proportionate scrutiny of financial statements. The Government expects to see the FRC act in line with the requirements placed on it to consider the proportionality of its decisions and its impacts on economic growth. These requirements will continue to apply to the new Audit, Reporting and Governance Authority (ARGA) once it is created.
Asked by: Sarah Green (Liberal Democrat - Chesham and Amersham)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to Section 15 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015, if she will make an assessment of the adequacy of the planning application notification requirements for ensuring that local residents are aware of proposals to build large developments in their area.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
The Government is committed to ensuring that local residents are adequately informed about planning applications, particularly those involving large developments that may significantly impact their communities.
Article 15 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015, requires public notification of planning applications, including via site displays and notices in local newspapers for at least 21 days. In addition, we are exploring methods to improve community engagement, such as leveraging digital platforms and social media to reach a broader audience.
Asked by: Sarah Green (Liberal Democrat - Chesham and Amersham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress her Department has made on establishing an independent inquiry into HS2.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government is currently reviewing the position it has inherited on HS2 and wider rail infrastructure and will set out more detailed plans in due course.
Asked by: Sarah Green (Liberal Democrat - Chesham and Amersham)
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 support further research into levels of prostate cancer amongst black men.
Answered by Andrew Gwynne
Research is crucial in tackling cancer. The Department spends £1.5 billion each year on research through its research delivery arm, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), with cancer the largest area of spend at more than £121.8 million in 2022/23. NIHR spends more on cancer than any other disease group, reflecting its high priority.
On 19 November 2023, the Government and Prostate Cancer UK announced a £42 million screening trial to find ways of detecting country’s most common male cancer earlier. Prostate Cancer UK is leading the development of the trial with the Government contributing £16 million through the Department.
The TRANSFORM trial will aim to address some of the inequalities that exist in prostate cancer diagnosis today. For example, 1 in 4 black men will develop prostate cancer, double the risk of other men, and often at a younger age. Yet previous research has failed to involve and recruit enough black men and so has not been able to provide evidence needed to diagnose them earlier using a targeted approach. The TRANSFORM trial will ensure that at least 10% of the men who are invited to participate in the trial are black.
Asked by: Sarah Green (Liberal Democrat - Chesham and Amersham)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of Not for EU labelling requirements on British businesses that export to the European Union but not to Northern Ireland.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The previous Government carried out a consultation on extending Not-for-EU labelling requirements across Great Britain, including assessing the impacts on those businesses who export to the European Union but not to Northern Ireland. After reviewing that consultation, this Government has confirmed we will not introduce mandatory ‘not for EU’ labelling across Great Britain as proposed. This Government will continue to do everything required to support Northern Ireland's integral place in our internal market.
Asked by: Sarah Green (Liberal Democrat - Chesham and Amersham)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make it her policy to reduce beer duty in line with cider.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
Alcohol duties collectively raise over £12bn a year, helping to fund vital public services and addressing the harms caused to society and public health by excessive or irresponsible drinking.
Under the recent alcohol duty reforms, there remains a small number of disparities for products between 3.5 per cent and 8.5 per cent ABV, owing to concerns about the impact on the cider industry at the time of the reforms.
The Government is closely monitoring the impact of the recent reforms and rates that took effect on 1 August 2023, and the Chancellor has confirmed that she will set out plans for tax – as well as spending and borrowing – in the usual way at the Budget on 30 October.
Asked by: Sarah Green (Liberal Democrat - Chesham and Amersham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing funding for the British Council’s Higher Education Scholarships for Palestinians scheme.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Higher Education Scholarships for Palestinians (HESPAL) programme is delivered by the British Council, with funding and support from the Department for Education, UK universities and a range of other UK and international funders. The decision to increase funding lies with these organisations. The HESPAL programme demonstrates UK commitment to education for young Palestinians, helping to create the next generation of senior academics who can maintain international quality standards at Palestinian universities and develop renewed and sustainable links between Palestinian and UK universities. More information can be found here: https://www.britishcouncil.ps/en/study-uk/scholarships/hespal
Asked by: Sarah Green (Liberal Democrat - Chesham and Amersham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the number of Chevening scholarships available for students from Gaza.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Chevening programme is currently open for applications and closes on 5 November. Given the difficulty potential applicants from Gaza face and evolving situation on the ground, the FCDO will review exact numbers from Gaza for the 2025/26 academic year in spring 2025 once all applications have been received. The 2024/25 cohort includes 11 Palestinians, of which one is from Gaza. The FCDO recognises the challenging situation facing many Palestinian applicants, and as such, we have offered to defer arrival for specific cases.