Oral Answers to Questions

Sarah Smith Excerpts

Tuesday 10th November 2026 Commons Chamber

[Alex Norris]

The hon. Member raises a really important issue. I have taken part in the Dead Slow campaign with the British Horse Society on two occasions. We are a nation of animal lovers, and I do not think that people would see things quite in the spirit that the law always does, so I am interested in having a conversation with him and the BHS to see what might be done.

[Sarah Smith (Hyndburn) (Lab)]

I strongly welcome the steps that this Government are taking to help young people who lack the capacity to access their child trust funds. Can the Minister outline how many people he thinks that will benefit? What value will that have to families?

[Jake Richards]

We simply would not have got to this point without the almost constant championing of this cause by my hon. Friend, so I am very grateful to her. We estimate that up to 120,000 families will benefit from the changes that we are bringing about with my hon. Friend the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury. The average amount is £2,600, which will have a transformative effect for many families—I know that for one family in my constituency it means that they can go on holiday for the first time in three years. This is a really important step that this Labour Government are taking.