Question

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the prevalence and impact of ageism, particularly against people aged 50 and over; and what steps they are taking to address age discrimination across public services and workplaces.

Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Government is committed to equality and opportunity for all. Ageism has no place in our society, which is why the Government is supporting inclusion, challenging stereotypes and enabling more people in later life to be happy, healthy and active. The Equality Act 2010 provides strong protection against direct and indirect age discrimination in employment, recruitment process and the provision of services. Age discrimination is generally prohibited, unless the differential treatment can be objectively justified.

The Government values the wealth of skills and experiences that people aged 50 and over bring both to the workplace and the economy. The Department for Work and Pensions is committed to supporting midlife workers through a wide-ranging strategy that promotes inclusion, flexibility and progression, helping to tackle age discrimination across public services and workplaces.

The Government also recognises that we have an ageing population living with multiple health conditions, and therefore we require more seamless services. We are committed to improving outcomes for older people through a range of cross-cutting strategies and initiatives. Addressing healthcare inequalities is a fundamental part of the 10 Year Health Plan, to ensure the NHS is there for anyone who needs it, whenever they need it. This includes how services can be better integrated and tailored to improve quality of life and reduce inequalities in later life.

We continue to monitor and support legislation to tackle age discrimination.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to introduce legislation to levy inheritance tax on the estate of the Monarch.

Answered by Lord Livermore

Inheritance tax is paid in the normal way on the gifts and bequests from any member of the royal family, with the exception of the Monarch because the relevant enactments do not apply to the Crown.

The King has instead agreed that inheritance tax will be paid voluntarily on any gifts and bequests he makes, with an exception for assets passing to the next Monarch. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Royal Taxation, first agreed in 1993 and most recently renewed in 2023, sets out the rationale for not charging inheritance tax in relation to assets that pass to the next Monarch.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the merit of replacing the Sovereign Grant by a Royal Duties Grant similar to the former Civil List which would be considered and approved by Parliament annually.

Answered by Lord Livermore

The rules governing the Sovereign Grant are set out in the Sovereign Grant Act 2011. This Act requires a review following every five-year period to ensure the percentage of Crown Estate profits used in the calculation of the Grant remains appropriate.

The most recent Sovereign Grant Review was published on 26 June this year. The Royal Trustees concluded that a reference rate of 20.5 per cent is appropriate for the funding formula from 2027-28 onwards, which equates to a 2027-28 Grant amount of £99.9 million, a reduction against the £137.9 million in 2026-27.

The Government is committed to bringing forward legislation to enable the Grant to be reset to that lower level from 2027-28 and will bring forward the Sovereign Grant Bill when parliamentary time allows. This Bill will also introduce a mechanism so that in future years, the Grant can be reduced from one year to the next, preventing inappropriately high funding without the need for further primary legislation. This legislation will enable further parliamentary debate to occur.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government how many officials within the Cabinet Office are currently assigned to the review of historical records for transfer to The National Archives; and what contingency measures are in place to prevent the indefinite suspension of statutory reviews when a single case officer becomes unavailable.

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)

There are currently 11 sensitivity reviewers (equivalent to 5 Full-Time Equivalent staff) within the Cabinet Office scrutinising historical records for transfer to The National Archives.

Because the workload is distributed across a team rather than relying on an individual, the absence of a single case officer would not lead to the indefinite suspension of statutory reviews. Work would be reassigned among the remaining team members to ensure legal obligations continue to be met.

Found: 2026 from James Dipple-Johnstone, Interim Chief Ombudsman, Financial Ombudsman Service to Lord Foulkes of Cumnock