Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much (a) her Department, (b) its agencies and (c) its public bodies has spent on lanyards since 4 July 2024; what designs of lanyards have been purchased; and what the cost and number of each lanyard design purchased was.
Answered by Stephen Morgan - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Since 4 July 2024, core Defra (excluding its agencies and arm’s-length bodies) has spent £7,251 on lanyards, purchasing a total of 12,870 items. These comprised ‘staff’, ‘escorted’ and ‘unescorted’ designs used to facilitate access to Defra group buildings. This includes lanyards procured centrally for use across shared buildings, including for sites recorded under the Environment Agency property centre, and where agencies and arm’s-length bodies request that purchases are made on their behalf. Unit costs vary depending on the quantity ordered.
The Forestry Commission has two design types of lanyards. A generic green lanyard with 'staff' is used in Forest Research; these are purchased at a cost £59.75 (per 100) per annum. Lanyards for the other offices contain the organisation logo with a bulk purchase of 2,700 at a cost of £1,593.00 following the introduction of ID cards for all staff in August 2025.
Ofwat has purchased 970 lanyards since 4 July 2024. This has cost £551.80. Ofwat uses the generic lanyard design, but with three options: for staff (black), visitors (yellow) and contractors (blue/orange).
Since 4 July 2024, the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) has spent a total of £4,588.00 on lanyards. The below breakdown details the designs of lanyards purchased, the number of each lanyard design purchased, and the cost of each lanyard design purchased.
Design of Lanyard Purchased | Number of Lanyard Design Purchased | Cost of Lanyard Design Purchased |
Unknown Design | Unknown | £1,064.12 |
25mm Flat Lanyard | 300 | Unknown, part of a larger order with other items |
Announce Textile Lanyard with Badge Reel | 170 | Approx. £2.07 each, £351.12 in total |
Durable Enclosed Security Pass ID Card Holder for Lanyards 54x87mm Clear | 10 | £2.00 each, £20.00 in total |
Durable Name Badge Lanyard 20mm Black | 30 | Approx. £1.00 each, £30.09 in total |
Durable Name Badge Lanyard 20mm Blue | 10 | Approx. £2.00 each, £20.06 in total |
Durable Security Pass Plastic ID Card Holders for Lanyards Clear | 30 | Approx. £2.63 each, £78.88 in total |
Durable Soft Bamboo ECO Lanyard with Clip and Breakaway Black | 10 | Approx. £1.98 each, £19.84 in total |
Durable Soft Lanyard with Clip and Safety Release Black | 30 | Approx. £1.34 each, £40.12 in total |
Durable Soft Lanyard with Clip and Safety Release Blue | 20 | Approx. £1.34 each, £40.12 in total |
Durable Soft Premium Lanyard with Clip and Safety Release Blue | 10 | Approx. £1.11 each, £11.07 in total |
Durable Textile Lanyard with Badge Reel Black | 50 | Approx. £1.20 each, £60.12 in total |
Durable Textile Lanyard with Snap Hook 15mm Midnight Blue | 30 | Approx. £1.48 each, £44.28 in total |
Blue Plain Textile Lanyards | 10 | Approx. £1.52 each, £15.21 in total |
APHA can only collate financial spend data where requisitioners have specified the spend is on lanyards. When staff join APHA they are issued with a pass and lanyard, either from Defra Estates or from the organisation which owns the building.
Cefas has identified the following spend on lanyards:
Item | Cost | Date |
Lanyards – other plain | £19.99 | 28/11/2024 |
Plastic wallets for lanyards | £12.80 | 03/06/2025 |
Black lanyards | £19.99 | 03/06/2025 |
Blue lanyards | £12.74 | 09/09/2025 |
Lanyards – other plain | £6.71 | 18/11/2025 |
Plastic wallets for lanyards | £44.00 | 18/11/2025 |
Total | £116.23 |
All of the listed lanyards were plain, and therefore there was no spend on design. Numbers can only be estimated at around 100, as such details are not routinely held on Cefas’s systems. Other lanyards used by Cefas are provided through Defra Property Services, who report these costs.
The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) does not hold centrally recorded information on expenditure on lanyards. Lanyards are provided to the RPA as part of facilities management services under contracted arrangements, with stock procured and managed by the Department’s facilities service provider.
Since 4 July 2024, total expenditure on lanyards by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) is £112.74. The lanyards purchased were VMD-branded. A total of 60 lanyards were procured at a unit cost of £1.879, giving a total cost of £112.74.
RBG Kew has spent £2,440 on lanyards since July 2024. Due to disproportionate costs and time, RBG Kew cannot provide any further detail.
The Consumer Council for Water has not purchased any lanyards for its staff since 4 July 2024.
The Environment Agency occupies a shared Defra group estate and as such, lanyards are provided through its shared Facilities Management arrangement with Defra. The expenditure for these is covered within Defra's figures.
The Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) has not purchased any lanyards for its staff since 4 July 2024 because it has an existing stock of lanyards purchased in February 2024. These are plain green with JNCC printed in white.
Since 4 July 2024, total expenditure on lanyards by the Marine Management Organisation is £144.95 (including VAT). This related to the purchase of 100, 20mm dye sub lanyards, with the Marine Management Organisation and Government crest printed on them.
Natural England has conducted a search of all programme budget reports since 4 July 2024 and has identified two transactions for lanyards in this period:
Details of the numbers and design are not available.
The Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) has not purchased any lanyards directly in this time period. They are supplied by the OEP’s landlord, along with the security pass for access to the building. They are charged for within the costs of managing security access, and not separately. All the OEP’s lanyards are plain black.
Seafish has spent £458 on lanyards since 4 July 2024, mainly relating to international expos with a small number for safety training instructors. The lanyards purchased for expos are for staff and exhibitors to wear at the various trade exhibitions that Seafish attends.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to her Department's guidance entitled Budget 2025: Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Factsheet, published on 28 November 2025, for what reason licensed betting offices are classified as financial services for business rates purposes.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with HM Treasury)
In October 2024, the Government laid a statutory instrument defining the retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties that will be eligible for new, lower business rates multipliers from April 2026.
Since they were announced at Budget 2024, the Government has been clear that scope of the RHL multipliers would broadly reflect the scope of the current RHL relief. The previous Government made the decision to exclude betting shops from the relief. This Government considered the issue in the round, and decided to continue the treatment the previous Government chose to ensure the tax cut is appropriately targeted.
The classification of betting shops as financial and professional services is a planning use class and is not assigned by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) for business rates purposes. The VOA values land and buildings based on physical features and how the property is occupied. Planning use classes do not affect how the VOA value betting shops.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what comparative assessment her Department has made of the equity of eligibility for Retail, Hospitality and Leisure relief of licensed betting offices and other gambling leisure premises, including adult gaming centres and bingo halls.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with HM Treasury)
In October 2024, the Government laid a statutory instrument defining the retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties that will be eligible for new, lower business rates multipliers from April 2026.
Since they were announced at Budget 2024, the Government has been clear that scope of the RHL multipliers would broadly reflect the scope of the current RHL relief. The previous Government made the decision to exclude betting shops from the relief. This Government considered the issue in the round, and decided to continue the treatment the previous Government chose to ensure the tax cut is appropriately targeted.
The classification of betting shops as financial and professional services is a planning use class and is not assigned by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) for business rates purposes. The VOA values land and buildings based on physical features and how the property is occupied. Planning use classes do not affect how the VOA value betting shops.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of Autumn Budget 2025 on licensed betting offices; and whether she has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on the classification of betting shops for business rates purposes, including their eligibility for Retail, Hospitality and Leisure relief.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with HM Treasury)
In October 2024, the Government laid a statutory instrument defining the retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties that will be eligible for new, lower business rates multipliers from April 2026.
Since they were announced at Budget 2024, the Government has been clear that scope of the RHL multipliers would broadly reflect the scope of the current RHL relief. The previous Government made the decision to exclude betting shops from the relief. This Government considered the issue in the round, and decided to continue the treatment the previous Government chose to ensure the tax cut is appropriately targeted.
The classification of betting shops as financial and professional services is a planning use class and is not assigned by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) for business rates purposes. The VOA values land and buildings based on physical features and how the property is occupied. Planning use classes do not affect how the VOA value betting shops.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has assessed the potential merits of amending the business rates framework to allow licensed betting offices to qualify for Retail, Hospitality and Leisure relief on the same basis as other gambling leisure premises.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with HM Treasury)
In October 2024, the Government laid a statutory instrument defining the retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties that will be eligible for new, lower business rates multipliers from April 2026.
Since they were announced at Budget 2024, the Government has been clear that scope of the RHL multipliers would broadly reflect the scope of the current RHL relief. The previous Government made the decision to exclude betting shops from the relief. This Government considered the issue in the round, and decided to continue the treatment the previous Government chose to ensure the tax cut is appropriately targeted.
The classification of betting shops as financial and professional services is a planning use class and is not assigned by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) for business rates purposes. The VOA values land and buildings based on physical features and how the property is occupied. Planning use classes do not affect how the VOA value betting shops.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on the exclusion of licensed betting offices from Retail, Hospitality and Leisure relief, including the consistency with other gambling leisure premises.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with HM Treasury)
In October 2024, the Government laid a statutory instrument defining the retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties that will be eligible for new, lower business rates multipliers from April 2026.
Since they were announced at Budget 2024, the Government has been clear that scope of the RHL multipliers would broadly reflect the scope of the current RHL relief. The previous Government made the decision to exclude betting shops from the relief. This Government considered the issue in the round, and decided to continue the treatment the previous Government chose to ensure the tax cut is appropriately targeted.
The classification of betting shops as financial and professional services is a planning use class and is not assigned by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) for business rates purposes. The VOA values land and buildings based on physical features and how the property is occupied. Planning use classes do not affect how the VOA value betting shops.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of Autumn Budget 2025 on licensed betting offices; and whether she has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government on the classification of betting shops for business rates purposes, including their eligibility for Retail, Hospitality and Leisure relief.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with HM Treasury)
In October 2024, the Government laid a statutory instrument defining the retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties that will be eligible for new, lower business rates multipliers from April 2026.
Since they were announced at Budget 2024, the Government has been clear that scope of the RHL multipliers would broadly reflect the scope of the current RHL relief. The previous Government made the decision to exclude betting shops from the relief. This Government considered the issue in the round, and decided to continue the treatment the previous Government chose to ensure the tax cut is appropriately targeted.
The classification of betting shops as financial and professional services is a planning use class and is not assigned by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) for business rates purposes. The VOA values land and buildings based on physical features and how the property is occupied. Planning use classes do not affect how the VOA value betting shops.
Asked by: Baroness Finn (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the membership of the Cabinet Office's (1) Investment Committee, (2) People and Operations Committee, and (3) Resilience and Security Committee, and how many times each of those committees has met in the past 12 months.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Captain of the King's Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard (HM Household) (Deputy Chief Whip, House of Lords)
Between 8 July 2024 and 7 July 2025, the Investment Committee met 12 times. The current membership of the Cabinet Office Investment Committee is:
Cabinet Office Chief Operating Officer (Chair);
Cabinet Office Chief Finance Officer;
Cabinet Office Commercial Director;
Cabinet Office Chief People Officer;
Cabinet Office Strategy Director; and
Cabinet Office Chief Digital Information Officer.
Between 8 July 2024 and 7 July 2025, the People and Operations Committee met 10 times. The current membership of the People and Operations Committee is:
Cabinet Office Chief Operating Officer (co-Chair)
Government Chief Property Officer (co-Chair)
Cabinet Office Chief People Officer;
Cabinet Office Chief Digital Information Officer;
Director, Modernisation and Reform;
SCS Diversity and Inclusion Champion;
SCS Race Champion;
SCS Gender Champion;
SCS Disability Champion;
SCS Social Mobility Champion;
Professional Head of Intelligence Analysis, Joint Intelligence Organisation;
Director, Functional Strategy, Performance and Capability, Government People Group;
Director, Defence and Nuclear, National Security Secretariat;
Cabinet Office Strategy Director;
Head of Cabinet Office and Civil Service Communications; and
Representative from Cabinet Office Race Equality Network (associate member).
Between 8 July 2024 and 7 July 2025, the Resilience and Security committee met 4 times. The current membership of the Resilience and Security Committee is:
Cabinet Office Chief Operating Officer (co-chair);
Director General, Propriety and Constitution Group (co-chair);
Government Chief Security Officer;
Cabinet Office Chief Digital Information Officer;
Cabinet Office Chief Financial Officer;
Cabinet Office Chief Information Security Officer, Government Digital Service;
Chief Operating Officer, Government Property Agency;
Cabinet Office Commercial Director;
Director, Intelligence and Security, National Security Secretariat;
Professional Head of Intelligence Analysis, Joint Intelligence Organisation;
Director, Propriety and Ethics, Propriety and Constitution Group;
Deputy Director, Corporate Services at No 10 and Cabinet Office; and
Chief Digital Information Officer, Crown Commercial Service.
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, whether he has made an assessment of the adequacy of the financial support available for sole traders applying for a patent.
Answered by Feryal Clark
The Government provides a range of support to inventors, including sole traders, so they may identify, protect and commercialise their intellectual property through tools found on GOV.UK.
The Government considers the fees charged by the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) to apply for patents to be accessible and comparatively low compared to other jurisdictions.
The IPO works in partnership with a range of organisations that can help inventors bring ideas to market. In addition, the UK’s innovation agency, Innovate UK, provides a range of support services to help innovators.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what guidance she has issued to local authorities on Anti-Money Laundering checks in relation to (a) working with and (b) loaning funds to developers.
Answered by Emma Reynolds - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
Guidance for local authorities on investments is available here: Guidance_on_local_government_investments.pdf
It is for local authorities to determine their own capital strategies as they are best placed to understand local needs and are accountable to the local electorate. In doing so, local authorities have a duty to comply with the Prudential Framework and must have regard to statutory guidance to ensure plans are prudent, affordable, and sustainable.
Property developers are in scope of the Money Laundering Regulations if they act as estate agents (i.e. they sell their properties through a separate legal entity) or provide relevant financial services and products. Guidance on how such firms should comply with the Regulations is published online by Anti-Money Laundering supervisors, including His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs and the Financial Conduct Authority. The HMRC guidance on estate agents can be found here: Estate and letting agency business guidance for money laundering supervision - GOV.UK