Asked by: Lord Kempsell (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with representatives of Citizens Advice following findings that an increasing number of households are being directed towards Personal Independence Payments when contacting Citizens Advice for financial support.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Department engages regularly with Citizens Advice and a range of other stakeholders on issues relating to the wider benefits system.
The Timms Review, the first ever full review of PIP, seeks to ensure we have a system that supports disabled people to achieve better health, higher living standards and greater independence, including through employment.
Asked by: Baroness Sugg (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what are their priorities for the UK's upcoming presidency of the G20.
Answered by Lord Wood of Anfield - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Planning for the UK's G20 Presidency in 2027 is underway, and the government will set out its priorities in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Neville-Rolfe (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the reply by Lord Livermore on 14 July (HL Deb col 562), what legal advice they have received on the compatibility of a revised UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement with the UK's obligations under the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership and UK-US Economic Prosperity Deal.
Answered by Lord Pitt-Watson - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The UK and EU are committed to building a closer relationship and are negotiating agreements that will boost trade, enhance energy security and create opportunities for young people. The government takes all its international partnerships seriously and will ensure that UK-EU agreements are consistent with the UK’s wider international obligations.
Asked by: Lord Moynihan (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they are planning to increase the Energy Profits Levy.
Answered by Lord Pitt-Watson - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government introduced a temporary windfall tax, the Energy Profits Levy (EPL), on extraordinary profits from oil and gas companies in 2022. The EPL currently levies 38% tax on profits in addition to the 40% rate of tax in the permanent fiscal regime
The EPL will come to an end either on 31 March 2030 or earlier if the Energy Security Investment Mechanism (ESIM) triggers, and will be replaced by the permanent Oil and Gas Revenue Levy (OGRL) which will become a permanent feature of the tax system and operate only in times of high prices to ensure oil and gas companies continue to pay their fair share of tax.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the use of artificial intelligence by the Financial Conduct Authority to support the handling of supervisory cases.
Answered by Lord Pitt-Watson - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The FCA is operationally independent of government, and as such the government has not made an assessment of its use of artificial intelligence (AI). The FCA is accountable to the government and Parliament for the exercise of its functions.
The government is committed to the safe and responsible adoption of AI across the economy, and welcomes regulators considering how they can use AI in a way that improves efficiency, while keeping human judgement central to decision-making.
Asked by: Graham Stuart (Conservative - Beverley and Holderness)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether she plans to replace the Points of Light Award.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government wants to recognise the outstanding contribution of volunteers and encourage all to be involved in delivering positive change. The Points of Light programme closed in 2024. While
individual volunteers are recognised through the Honours system, and groups can be recognised through the King’s Award for Voluntary Service, there is consideration to replace the Points of Light
programme with a similar scheme.
Asked by: Nick Timothy (Conservative - West Suffolk)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, which influencers and content creators his Department has paid to support its campaigns.
Answered by Jake Richards - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
The Ministry of Justice works with a range of influencers and content creators to help us reach audiences who are less likely to engage with traditional government channels. Wherever possible we do this on a low / no cost basis to secure maximum value to the taxpayer.
On occasion and in line with Government Communications Service best practice, we use paid influencers to help deliver campaigns covering key departmental priorities and operationally critical campaigns – for example in the recruitment of frontline staff. This can often provide a more effective and cost-efficient way of reaching audiences than traditional advertising.
The Department considers that disclosing the identities of individual influencers and content creators engaged to support campaigns would be likely to prejudice its commercial interests. The Department works with content creators on a campaign-by-campaign basis, with arrangements varying depending on campaign objectives, audience, content requirements and commercial terms. Disclosure of the identities of paid creators could undermine the Department's ability to negotiate favourable terms, including securing pro bono or reduced-cost support where appropriate, thereby reducing its ability to achieve value for money for the taxpayer in future campaigns.
Asked by: Gordon McKee (Labour - Glasgow South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps the Department is taking to ensure that small businesses, charities and social enterprises are able to participate in the Youth Jobs Grant.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Youth Jobs Grant scheme is open to eligible businesses of all sizes and sectors including small businesses, charities and social enterprises.
The application process has been designed to minimise the administrative burden for employers. Employers can apply here: www.gov.uk/applyyouthjobsgrant. The form takes around 20 minutes to complete, and employers will be asked to accept a short set of terms and conditions as part of the application.
The Department is also actively engaging employers, trade bodies and partner organisations to support delivery of the Youth Jobs Grant through direct discussions, employer networks and webinars that promote the opportunities available through the Youth Guarantee and explain how employers can participate.
These activities are designed to ensure organisations of all sizes, including small businesses, charities and social enterprises, can access practical information on eligibility, the application process and recruitment support available through Jobcentre Plus. Employer webinars for example, provide an opportunity to hear directly from policy and operational leads, ask questions, understand available support and learn how DWP can help recruit and retain young people.
Asked by: Neil Duncan-Jordan (Labour - Poole)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the availability of information on animal offenders recorded on the Police National Computer to relevant third parties; and what proportion of requests for information relating to animal offenders made by organisations involved in animal rehoming and welfare were (a) granted and (b) refused in each of the last 10 years.
Answered by Anna Turley - Minister of State (Home Office)
Access to data in the Police National Computer is restricted to cleared authorised users in the Police Forces and Law Enforcement Agencies and authorisation of its use and data contained is managed via the Police; therefore, the Home Office does not hold this information, as data added loaded is the responsibilities of the Data Controllers.
The Government is committed to strong enforcement of animal welfare legislation and ensuring that those convicted of serious animal welfare offences can be subject to disqualification orders preventing them from owning or keeping animals. Animal welfare and rehoming organisations play an important role in protecting animal welfare and promoting responsible ownership. The Home Office is also working with key partners, including the RSPCA, to strengthen the recording and use of relevant animal abuse information on police systems where appropriate.
Asked by: Richard Fuller (Conservative - North Bedfordshire)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, for each Arm's Length Body (ALB) their Department sponsors, (a) how many people are employed in the following bands of total earnings, or nearest equivalent, (i) under £25,000, (ii) £ 25,001 to £ 35,000, (iii) £35,001 to £50,270, (iv) £50,271 to £100,00, (v) £100,001 to £ 125,140 and (vi) over £125,140, and (b) what estimate they have made of the total unfunded public sector pension liability.
Answered by Jake Richards - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
The information requested could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.