Seamus Logan

The Government is working closely with DHSC and other relevant departments and organisations to give the recommendations full consideration. We will provide an update to Parliament on the progress we are making to respond to the Inquiry’s recommendations by the end of the year, as the Inquiry recommends. The Government will pay compensation to infected and affected victims of infected blood.

The Government asked Sir Robert Francis KC to hold an engagement exercise with the infected blood community to give recommendations on the composition of the Infected Blood Compensation Scheme. The Infected Blood Compensation Authority is committed to engaging with the infected and affected community in an open and transparent way so that it can deliver the compensation scheme as quickly as possible, and in a way that meets the needs of the community.

The Government recognises the importance of seafood exports to the economies of many coastal communities around the United Kingdom. We will tackle trade barriers through seeking to negotiate a veterinary/SPS agreement. We will continue to work closely with seafood exporters to ensure that they can continue to sell their world-class produce to markets around the world.

The Government recognises the importance of seafood exports to the economies of many coastal communities around the United Kingdom. We will tackle trade barriers through seeking to negotiate a veterinary/SPS agreement. We will continue to work closely with seafood exporters to ensure that they can continue to sell their world-class produce to markets around the world.

The farming budget beyond this year will be part of the Government’s spending review.

This Government recognises that food security is national security. We said we would provide stability for farmers and we are delivering on this commitment and have confirmed that the first Sustainable Farming Incentive agreements are now live. We will confirm plans for rollout of schemes and our wider approach as soon as possible.

No such assessment has been made.

The Social Security Administration Act 1992 requires the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to review benefit and State Pension rates each year to see if they have retained their value in relation to the general level of prices or earnings. Where the relevant benefit or State Pension rates have not retained their value, legislation provides that the Secretary of State is required to, or in some instances may, up-rate their value.

Following this review, benefit and State Pension rates are increased in line with statutory minimum amounts and others are increased subject to Secretary of State’s discretion.

Following the Secretary of States’ up-rating decisions for 2025/26, DWP expenditure on state pensions and benefits will increase by £6.9 billion.

No such assessment has been made. As part of the Universal Credit (UC) review, at the Autumn Budget the Chancellor announced the Fair Repayment Rate will be introduced from April 2025, reducing the UC deductions overall cap from 25% to 15%. This measure will help approximately 1.2 million of the poorest households benefit by an average of £420 a year.

The Government is committed to reviewing Universal Credit to make sure it is doing the job we want it to, to make work pay and tackle poverty. We have already begun this work with the announcement of the Fair Repayment Rate in the Budget, giving 1.2 million of the poorest households an average of £420 per year.  I will lead the review work, engaging with people over the coming year and inviting views on how to improve UC. We will regularly update Parliament on findings and progress.

We know that good work can significantly reduce the chances of people falling into poverty. This will be the foundation of our approach to tackling poverty, including reducing dependence on emergency food parcels. The Get Britain Working White Paper has set out how the Government will seek to grow the economy, using work as a route out of poverty and to improve living standards.

The Government is committed to properly funding the National Health Service. However, money alone will not be enough, and it must come with reform. As Lord Darzi’s report sets out, health system models in other countries where user charges, like social or private insurance, play a bigger role can be more expensive. That means it is important to look beyond simple international comparisons of funding. The budget later this month will finalise the funding position for the NHS in 2024/25 and 2025/26, with the 10-year plan and phase two of the Spending Review next year setting out the details of the reform needed in response to Lord Darzi’s report findings, as well as providing funding certainty.

A response has been sent to the Member for Aberdeenshire North and Moray East regarding his correspondence of 18 October 2024 about VAT on private school fees.

I am proud to champion Scotland’s products and services, including whisky, globally through Brand Scotland. I have just returned from a visit to South East Asia where I was pleased to support the Scotch Whisky industry at a range of meetings with industry and Government in this key market. 90% of Scotch Whisky is already exported and therefore pays no duty. Increases on duty are in line with inflation and under the previous Government, duty was increased by 10.1% following the duty review. This does not detract from my support of the industry and I will continue to work closely with it to maximise opportunities and growth through Brand Scotland.