Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer of 20 October 2025 to question 82343, what steps her Department is taking to help customers in receipt of PIP to transact with the DVLA.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) remains committed to working with the Department for Work and Pensions to review and improve the process for customers who receive the standard rate mobility component of Personal Independence Payment (PIP), which entitles them to a 50 per cent reduction in the rate of vehicle excise duty payable. Customers who receive the enhanced rate mobility component of PIP and whose vehicles are licensed in the disabled taxation class can already renew their exemption online.

The DVLA will develop and introduce a digital service for customers in receipt of the standard rate of PIP. This work will not start until after the delivery of electric Vehicle Excise Duty changes in 2028.

In the interim the DVLA is developing a temporary solution for customers in receipt of the standard rate of PIP that will allow them to submit their application through digital means. The technical discovery on this work is expected to start shortly.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential physical and psychological impact for those who faced financial exclusion from the Covid‑19 Business Support schemes during the pandemic.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Module 10, the final module of the Covid Inquiry, will consider impact on mental health and wellbeing. There was however a wide range of support available to businesses during Covid delivered by the Devolved Administrations in their areas. The Covid-19 Business Support Grant Schemes which the Department for Business and Trade was responsible for, were delivered via Local Authorities across England, included discretionary allocations which allowed each authority to consider applications from those businesses which did not fit the eligibility criteria for the mainstream schemes. The Scottish Government were responsible for Covid Business Support in Scotland.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether there was ant cost to the public purse of settling the case in the United States between Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Virginia Giuffre in 2022.

Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

No public money was used to pay the legal or settlement fees to which the Hon Member refers.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what discussions he has had with his counterparts in the devolved Administrations on treatment for people with pulmonary fibrosis.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Department ministers have regular discussions with their counterparts in Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland on matters of cross border interest. There have been no specific meetings held recently on treatment for people with pulmonary fibrosis.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, on what legal basis Peter Mandelson was dismissed from his post as Ambassador to the USA.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon. Member to the Government's response to the Urgent Question tabled on 12 February, the Written Ministerial Statement in the name of the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister that same day, and Oral Statement on the 23 February which set out an update on the Government's process. We will set out further details in due course. The Government wishes to ensure that Parliament's instruction is met with the urgency and transparency that it deserves.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what information her Department holds on the date Peter Mandelson ceased being employed by her Department.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I refer the Hon. Member to the Government's response to the Urgent Question tabled on 12 February, the Written Ministerial Statement in the name of the Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister that same day, and Oral Statement on the 23 February which set out an update on the Government's process. We will set out further details in due course. The Government wishes to ensure that Parliament's instruction is met with the urgency and transparency that it deserves.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions he has had with her Ukrainian counterpart on the import of Ukrainian drones to the UK.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Although the Government works closely with the Government of Ukraine to share knowledge and insight around the use of drones, neither I nor the Secretary of State for Business and Trade have had discussions on the import of drones from Ukraine with our counterparts.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions he has had with representatives of the Scotch Whisky industry on US tariffs.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

We have had extensive and regular discussions with representatives of the Scotch Whisky industry throughout our negotiations with the US, as we do in relation to many other markets around the world. This engagement has helped us secure significant tariffs cuts in our other trade deals like with India.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when she will answer Question 110820 relating to Peter Mandelson which was due for answer on the 9th of February.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

I apologise for the delay in responding to the Hon Member. The question was answered on 27 February.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of leaving the EU on conservation transfers between zoos in the UK and the EU.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

Since leaving the EU, live animal movements between zoos have continued in line with the EU’s importation requirements for Third Countries.

Defra continues to work closely with the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA), to address immediate challenges to the cross-border movement of endangered species.

This Government is pursuing an SPS Agreement that will establish a UK-EU Sanitary Zone aimed at reducing trade barriers and includes facilitating the safe and efficient movement of terrestrial and aquatic zoo animals for conservation. The principles and framework of a future agreement have been established and negotiations are ongoing. Our aim is to reduce regulatory barriers while maintaining the UK’s high biosecurity standards. We expect the SPS agreement to reduce costs and delays associated with certification and border checks, easing burdens on UK zoos and aquariums.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment has she made of the potential financial impact of the proposed pay-per-mile charge for electric vehicles for those with hybrid vehicles, who also pay fuel duty.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

As announced at Budget 2025, the Government is introducing Electric Vehicle Excise Duty (eVED), a new mileage charge for electric and plug-in hybrid cars, recognising that electric vehicles (EVs) contribute to congestion and wear and tear on the roads but pay no equivalent to fuel duty. The taxation of motoring is a critical source of funding for public services and investment in infrastructure.

PHEVs have the capacity to drive in either electric or petrol mode and will continue to pay fuel duty on miles driven in petrol mode. In recognition of this, they will be subject to a reduced eVED rate of 1.5 pence per mile upon its introduction in April 2028 – half the rate that will apply to fully electric cars.

An average EV driving 8,000 miles per year will pay £240, or £20 a month in eVED (and no fuel duty), with a PHEV paying £120 in eVED (and fuel duty on petrol/diesel used). In contrast, an average petrol/diesel car driving the same distance will pay around £480 in fuel duty.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential financial impact for electric vehicle owners caused by the Vehicle Excise Duty becoming payable on EVs.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) is a tax on vehicles used or kept on public roads. As announced by the previous Government at Autumn Statement 2022, from April 2025, zero emission and hybrid cars, vans and motorcycles now pay VED in a similar way to petrol and diesel vehicles. Revenue from motoring taxes helps ensure we can continue to fund the vital public services and infrastructure that people and families across the UK expect.

The rates payable by electric vehicle owners are set out in the V149 rates tables published by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/rates-of-vehicle-tax-v149

The Tax Information and Impact Note published alongside Autumn Finance Bill 2022 set out the expected individual, business, equalities and other impacts of the change, and it can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/introduction-of-vehicle-excise-duty-for-zero-emission-cars-vans-and-motorcycles-from-2025/introduction-of-vehicle-excise-duty-for-zero-emission-cars-vans-and-motorcycles-from-2025

The government remains fully committed to the electric vehicle transition, and at Budget 2025 announced £3.6bn of additional support for the electric vehicle market. This included £1.3 billion of additional funding for the Electric Car Grant, £200 million for chargepoint rollout, and increasing the Expensive Car Supplement threshold to £50,000 for electric vehicles.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of undertaking a strategic review of her Department's priorities.

Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Foreign Secretary has recently concluded the process of updating the FCDO’s priorities for the next financial year, alongside the department’s senior management team. The Foreign Secretary will write to the Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee shortly setting out the conclusions of that process, and we look forward to making progress on the updated list of priorities over the year ahead.

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what was the total expenditure on press and communications, including staffing costs, for financial year 2024/5, and for 2026 for the office of the Secretary of State for Scotland.

Answered by Kirsty McNeill - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Scotland Office)

The total expenditure on press and communications, including staffing costs, for financial year 2024/25 was £1.944m.

Departmental spend on communications staff for financial year 2024-25 was £1.744m, including all on-costs such as pension contributions, national insurance and VAT.

The total Communications budget for the financial year 2025-26 is £1.949m.

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what was the expenditure on paid-for social media advertising and promotion, such as on Facebook and X for financial year 2024/5 and the budget for 2026 for the office of the Secretary of State for Scotland.

Answered by Kirsty McNeill - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Scotland Office)

In the financial year 2024-25, the total amount spent on social media advertising and promotion was £2,806.

The social media marketing budget for the financial year 2025-26 was £10,000.

Question to the Scotland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what was the expenditure on advertising for financial year 2024/5 and what is the budget for 2026 for the office of the Secretary of State for Scotland.

Answered by Kirsty McNeill - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Scotland Office)

The Department has spent the following on advertising:

Please note, budgets for financial year 2026-27 will be agreed at the beginning of the next financial year.

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30th anniversary of the Dunblane Primary School tragedy

Government response to Israel’s West Bank annexation plan