Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the budget allocation for the Money and Pensions Service for community-based debt advice in the period between 2023 and 2025 on the number of compulsory redundancies of advisors; and whether he has had recent discussions with (a) the Citizen's Advice Bureau and (b) other providers on this issue.

The Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) recently extended grants for community-based debt advice for 26 months starting from 1 February, as part of a £76 million total package for debt advice services in England this year. The package includes three-year contracts to provide national and business debt advice and administration of debt relief orders and is expected to increase the volume of debt advice sessions.

As part of the transition phase of implementing the new grant arrangements and contracts, MaPS are in regular discussions with their funded providers, which includes discussions about resourcing arrangements. The Government continues to work closely with MaPS to monitor the transition to these new arrangements.