Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of enabling people over 65 who are not eligible for the mobility component of Disability Living Allowance to access mobility vehicle support.

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

Disability Living Allowance is aimed at providing additional help with the extra costs of disability to people who are severely disabled early, or relatively early, in life and who as a result, have had fewer opportunities to work, earn and save. Those who become disabled, or develop mobility needs, after reaching the age of 65 will have had no disadvantage on grounds of their disability during their working lives. It is normal for pensions and benefits systems to contain different provisions for people at different stages of their lives, because the help provided needs to reflect varying priorities and circumstances.

We will keep the policies of the department under review, to ensure they meet current needs.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to support first time buyers with stamp duty.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

At Autumn Budget 2024, the higher rates of Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) for additional dwellings were increased by two percentage points from 3% to 5%. This measure will ensure that those looking to move home, or purchase their first property, have a greater advantage over second home buyers, landlords, and companies purchasing residential property. The OBR certified costing estimates that increasing the higher rates of SDLT by two percentage points is expected to result in 130,000 additional transactions over the next five years by first-time buyers and other people buying a primary residence.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment his Department has made of the human rights situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

We recognise that there are human rights concerns in both India-administered-Kashmir and Pakistan-administered-Kashmir. We encourage all states to ensure domestic laws are in line with international standards. Any allegation of human rights violations or abuse is deeply concerning and must be investigated thoroughly and transparently.

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Sarah Owen (Chair); David Burton-Sampson; Rosie Duffield; Kirith

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Sarah Owen (Chair); Alex Brewer; David Burton-Sampson; Kirith Entwistle

Found: Tuesday 29 October 2024 Members present1 Sarah Owen , in the Chair 2 Alex Brewer David Burton

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Sarah Owen (Chair); Alex Brewer; David Burton-Sampson; Kirith Entwistle

Found: III: Sarah Owen.

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Sarah Owen (Chair); Alex Brewer; David Burton-Sampson; Kirith Entwistle

The Committee will hear evidence from charities, researchers, HR professionals, employers and trade unions about workplace support for women and their partners who experience miscarriage and pregnancy loss.  This will include examining the case for extending eligibility for parental bereavement leave.

The Women and Equalities Committee will examine community cohesion at a local and national level in the UK.  This inquiry aims to gather diverse evidence and investigate barriers to cohesion, examples of best practice and how to ensure cohsion for the next generation.

Submit Evidence (by 31 Jan 2025)

Unequal division of childcaring responsibilities is a key driver of wider gender inequality and the gender pay gap. The Women and Equalities Committee is examining options for reform of the statutory shared parental leave scheme and statutory paternity rights with the aim of identifying the most effective ways of incentivising more equal sharing of childcare and wider domestic responsibilities between mothers and their partners.

This is a one off session examining issues around gendered Islamophobia.