Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 20 December 2024 to Question 19379 on Marginal Tax Rates, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of people earning just under £100,000 (a) working additional hours and (b) receiving a pay rise on the (i) 60% effective marginal rate of taxation and (ii) loss of childcare support.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
As set out previously, within the personal tax system, withdrawal of the Personal Allowance affects those with income over £100,000 a year. It was introduced in 2010-11 and occurs gradually, with £1 of allowance lost for every £2 of income above the income limit of £100,000, implying an effective marginal income tax rate of 60 per cent. This reduction continues until the Personal Allowance is completely withdrawn for those with incomes above £125,140.
The Government recognises that because of this, taxpayers with incomes within the taper band face a higher a marginal tax rate and that it introduces some complexity into the tax system. However, removing this would be expensive and regressive.
Families are not eligible for the 30 free hours or tax-free childcare offers if one parent earns over £100,000. The income cap is per person and aligns with an existing boundary in the tax system. This means there is no incentive for the lower earner in the household to reduce their income in order to be eligible.
The Government is committed to managing the public finances in a balanced and responsible way, and this means continuing to target support at those who need it most.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs on the implications of the use of Artificial Intelligence on the water supply.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
My department has discussed the implications of Artificial Intelligence with DEFRA, and representatives from UK water companies, on multiple occasions. We also engage the AI data centre industry to understand how water is used and explore potential alternatives or ways to minimise any potential impact on supplies and output of wastewater. Data centres, and the compute they provide, will also play a major role in powering the high-tech solutions to environmental challenges.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he is taking to help increase the numbers of leading international scientists who choose to undertake their research in the UK.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The UK boasts a world-leading science base, supported by top universities and research institutions. We are open for business in science and technology and aim to be the destination of choice for globally mobile top talent.
DSIT is committed to working with the R&D sector, including academia and industry, to attract and retain top talent in the UK. This includes funding through UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the National Academies, which offer prestigious fellowships and professorships.
The UK's association with the Horizon Europe programme has also opened more opportunities for British scientists and researchers, providing access to extensive funding streams and a collaborative environment that attracts top-tier talent globally.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what recent discussions he has had with (a) local businesses and (b) residents on the coverage of full-fibre broadband in (i) Slough constituency and (ii) South East England.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The government is committed to delivering 2030 nationwide gigabit connectivity coverage, with 86% of premises now able to access a gigabit-capable connection thanks to a pro-competition regulatory environment. There is now a thriving market of over 100 providers, investing over £40bn rolling out gigabit broadband all over the UK.
Project Gigabit primarily focuses on the rural areas which are the hardest to reach commercially. We anticipate that the majority of urban areas will receive gigabit-capable broadband through commercial investment. While there is no planned build in Slough under Project Gigabit, the government continues to review the best ways to address gaps in coverage in urban areas.
CityFibre and Gigaclear are delivering Project Gigabit-funded contracts across the South East of England. Alongside them, we continue to engage closely with local businesses and residents regarding rollout.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps he has taken to increase coverage of full-fibre broadband availability in Slough constituency.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The government is committed to delivering 2030 nationwide gigabit connectivity coverage, with 86% of premises now able to access a gigabit-capable connection thanks to a pro-competition regulatory environment. There is now a thriving market of over 100 providers, investing over £40bn rolling out gigabit broadband all over the UK.
Project Gigabit primarily focuses on the rural areas which are the hardest to reach commercially. We anticipate that the majority of urban areas will receive gigabit-capable broadband through commercial investment. While there is no planned build in Slough under Project Gigabit, the government continues to review the best ways to address gaps in coverage in urban areas.
CityFibre and Gigaclear are delivering Project Gigabit-funded contracts across the South East of England. Alongside them, we continue to engage closely with local businesses and residents regarding rollout.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what recent assessment he has made of the availability of full-fibre broadband in Slough constituency.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The government is committed to delivering 2030 nationwide gigabit connectivity coverage, with 86% of premises now able to access a gigabit-capable connection thanks to a pro-competition regulatory environment. There is now a thriving market of over 100 providers, investing over £40bn rolling out gigabit broadband all over the UK.
Project Gigabit primarily focuses on the rural areas which are the hardest to reach commercially. We anticipate that the majority of urban areas will receive gigabit-capable broadband through commercial investment. While there is no planned build in Slough under Project Gigabit, the government continues to review the best ways to address gaps in coverage in urban areas.
CityFibre and Gigaclear are delivering Project Gigabit-funded contracts across the South East of England. Alongside them, we continue to engage closely with local businesses and residents regarding rollout.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what estimate he has made of the number of data centres built in England in each of the last five years.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government has not historically collected figures on the growth of data centre capacity but has monitored the market periodically and through industry engagement. Other sources for this historical data are available, for example through Tech UK or CBRE's market outlooks.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, how much compensation was provided for (a) childcare, (b) other care, (c) food and drink, (d) travel and (e) parking costs to people on jury duty in real terms in each of the last five years.
Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)
Jurors can claim an amount towards loss of earnings and other costs incurred as a direct result of jury service, subject to a daily maximum. They can also claim travel costs and a contribution towards their refreshments.
HMCTS does not collect or collate data specifically on all categories of expenses requested here but can disaggregate certain payments made. Parking charges are incorporated into the travel costs and all types of additional care (e.g. childcare and care of vulnerable adults) are amalgamated. The information available is set out in the following table.
Costs in 2024 prices (using CPI data)
Year | Travel | Food & Drink | Additional Care |
2020 | £ 3,395,508 | £ 2,437,651 | £ 199,625 |
2021 | £ 6,906,633 | £ 4,468,960 | £ 347,862 |
2022 | £ 6,175,245 | £ 4,433,536 | £ 345,551 |
2023 | £ 6,932,989 | £ 5,177,718 | £ 361,356 |
2024 | £ 7,170,537 | £ 5,227,048 | £ 353,180 |
The expenses covered in the table above represent only a proportion of total expenses paid to jurors each year. For example, in 2024, a total of £36.5 million was paid in juror allowance, including the £12,750,765 set out under the categories requested in the question asked.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking tackle skills gaps within the defence industry.
Answered by Maria Eagle - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) recognises that attracting and retaining the right mix of skills is critical to sustaining a vibrant, innovative and competitive UK defence sector. This is an important area of focus in the development of the Defence Industrial Strategy and will be a topic given close attention by the Defence Industrial Joint Council. The MOD continues to work closely with the Department for Education, the Department for Business and Trade and defence sector companies to ensure the sector has access to the skilled workforce it requires.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what estimate his Department has made of the number of vacancies for welders within the defence industry.
Answered by Maria Eagle - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The demand for craft skills, including welders, is recognised across the defence sector and is a particular area of interest for the joint Government and industry Shipbuilding Skills Delivery Group. Meeting this demand is also recognised as a challenge across the economy and not solely as an issue for defence. As part of the ongoing Defence Industrial Strategy work, the Ministry of Defence is closely engaged with the Department for Education to identify additional opportunities and approaches to meet the future demand.