Asked by: Andrew Snowden (Conservative - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the increased bus fare cap on public transport use in Lancashire.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
In the Budget on 30 October, the government confirmed it will invest over £150 million to introduce a new £3 cap on single bus fares in England outside London from 1 January until 31 December 2025. Under the plans of the previous administration, the current £2 cap on bus fares had been due to expire on 31 December 2024, and prior to the Budget, there was no further funding available to maintain the cap beyond this point.
The published interim evaluation of the £2 fare cap showed that patronage continued to recover following the COVID 19 pandemic. The final evaluation of the £2 fare cap will be published in due course.
Considering all its impacts, the fare cap is not financially sustainable for taxpayers and bus operators at £2. Capping fares at £3 will keep bus travel affordable while ensuring the cap is fair to taxpayers, helping millions of people access better opportunities, travel for less and protect vital bus routes, in Lancashire and right across England.
Asked by: Sorcha Eastwood (Alliance - Lagan Valley)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether he plans to introduce votes at 16 before (a) elections to the Northern Ireland Assembly and (b) local elections take place.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
This Government will legislate to lower the voting age to 16 during this Parliament. This change will strengthen our democracy and empower young people to participate in it.
Asked by: Mike Wood (Conservative - Kingswinford and South Staffordshire)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the Speaker's Statement of 28 October 2024, Official Report, column 531, whether she has made an assessment of the compatibility of those fiscal policy announcements with paragraph 9.1 of the Ministerial Code.
Answered by Darren Jones - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The announcement on the changes made to the debt fiscal rules was made in the Budget statement on 30th October.Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the compliance of the announcement of the new debt rules to the media first with section 9.1 of the Ministerial code.
Answered by Darren Jones - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The announcement on the changes made to the debt fiscal rules was made in the Budget statement on 30th October.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what guidance her Department issues to local authorities on whether councillors should declare ownership of property which is (a) rented out to their local authority at a commercial rate and (b) used by their local authority at a commercial rate via a third party.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Local authority members must register and disclose pecuniary and non-pecuniary interests with their authority.
This includes contracts where a member is providing a service to their local authority, as well as any land interests they may have in the local authority area.
The government guidance ‘Openness and transparency on personal interests: guidance for councillors’ provides practical information to councillors about how to be open and transparent about their personal interests.
Asked by: Dan Carden (Labour - Liverpool Walton)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how much his Department has spent on consultancy fees in each year since 2021.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
DSIT was created by a Machinery of Government (MOG) change on 7 February 2023, we have not provided data prior to DSIT becoming a fully operational department. Departmental Group consultancy spend in financial year 23-24, as disclosed in 2023-24 Annual report & Accounts (ARA), was £24.0 million.
We recognise the Government is committed to restoring the public finances and delivering value for the taxpayer. As part of this wider mission, the Government has pledged to reduce wasteful spend on non-essential and expensive consultants in order to save over £1.2 billion by 2026.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, in which local authority areas combined authority mayoral elections will take place in 2025.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
There are two scheduled combined authority mayoral elections in 2025; the Mayor for West of England Combined Authority which includes the local authority areas of Bristol City, Bath and North East Somerset and South Gloucestershire, and the Mayor for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority which includes the local authority area of Peterborough City Council and the local authorities in Cambridgeshire. Subject to parliamentary approval to the legislation establishing a new Mayoral Combined Authority for Hull and East Yorkshire, their first mayoral election will also take place in 2025 including the local authority areas of Hull City Council and East Riding of Yorkshire Council.
Asked by: Oliver Dowden (Conservative - Hertsmere)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what criteria she uses to create regional authorities.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
This government believes that the benefits of devolution are best achieved through the establishment of combined authorities or combined county authorities over sensible economic geographies and supported by a mayor. We want every part of England to take its place on the Council of Nations and Regions, with strong and effective partnerships in place with councils and other partners to deliver the missions we have set out to transform the country.
Asked by: Uma Kumaran (Labour - Stratford and Bow)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to (a) reintroduce maintenance grants and (b) another scheme to support students from low income families with the cost of living.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government recognises the impact that the cost of living crisis has had on students. That is why we are increasing maximum loans for living costs for the 2025/26 academic year by 3.1%, in line with the forecast rate of inflation based on the RPI All Items Excl Mortgage Interest (RPIX) inflation measure, to ensure more support is targeted at students from the lowest income families. In addition, vulnerable groups of students eligible for benefits, such as lone parents and some disabled students, qualify for higher rates of loans for living costs.
The department publishes an Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) each year which sets out the impact of changes to student support on students with protected characteristics and from disadvantaged groups. We plan to publish an EIA for the 2025/26 academic year early in 2025.
There is much more to do to expand access and improve outcomes for disadvantaged students. That is why we have announced that we expect the higher education (HE) sector to do more to support students by working with the government and the Office for Students, and by making the most of the Lifelong Learning Entitlement.
The government’s longer term plan for HE reform will be set out by summer 2025.
Asked by: Uma Kumaran (Labour - Stratford and Bow)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of support available for students from low-income families.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
The government recognises the impact that the cost of living crisis has had on students. That is why we are increasing maximum loans for living costs for the 2025/26 academic year by 3.1%, in line with the forecast rate of inflation based on the RPI All Items Excl Mortgage Interest (RPIX) inflation measure, to ensure more support is targeted at students from the lowest income families. In addition, vulnerable groups of students eligible for benefits, such as lone parents and some disabled students, qualify for higher rates of loans for living costs.
The department publishes an Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) each year which sets out the impact of changes to student support on students with protected characteristics and from disadvantaged groups. We plan to publish an EIA for the 2025/26 academic year early in 2025.
There is much more to do to expand access and improve outcomes for disadvantaged students. That is why we have announced that we expect the higher education (HE) sector to do more to support students by working with the government and the Office for Students, and by making the most of the Lifelong Learning Entitlement.
The government’s longer term plan for HE reform will be set out by summer 2025.