Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that major acquisitions in the care home sector do not reduce choice or increase costs for residents and local authorities.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Under the Care Act 2014, local authorities have a duty to shape their care market to meet the diverse needs of all people, and to develop and build local market capacity. This includes commissioning a variety of different providers and specialist services that provide genuine choice to meet the needs of local people and that offer quality and value for money.

These duties are complemented by the Care Quality Commission’s (CQC) role in monitoring the financial health of the largest and most difficult to replace adult social care providers in England through the Market Oversight Scheme. The CQC continues to monitor all providers in the scheme.

Furthermore, whilst fee rates are set by providers of adult social care, all businesses are required to comply with the Consumer Rights Act 2015 by ensuring that they use fair and clear terms in their standard agreements with customers.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Twycross on 23 October (HL10981), how many people have (1) attended the independent Arts Council England review’s formal roundtables, (2) attended its formal in-person meetings, and (3) made formal submissions to it, as part of its consultation of the public and arts sector.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Baroness Hodge will share her findings with the government in the Autumn of 2025. When the government publishes the conclusions of the review along with the government’s response in 2026 it will include information about the methodology of the review including how many people and organisations have contributed.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to address the continuing shortfall in recruitment of secondary music teachers, in the light of the Department for Education’s data showing that recruitment targets have been missed in 11 of the past 12 years.

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

​​Initial teacher training (ITT) bursaries are offered to incentivise more applications to ITT courses. The department reviews the bursaries annually to take account of ITT recruitment to date, forecast economic conditions, and teacher supply need in each subject. The bursaries we offer also take account of the high earning potential of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) graduates. Whether a bursary is offered or not, student trainee teachers can access a tuition fee loan, maintenance loan and additional support dependent on their circumstances, such as the Childcare Grant.

​Between the 2023/24 and 2024/25 academic years, postgraduate ITT recruitment for music increased by 53%, one of the largest increases for any subject. Acceptances for ITT courses starting in the 2025/26 academic year indicate a further improvement. At the same time, demand for music trainee teachers has fallen due to this higher ITT recruitment and more favourable teacher retention forecasts. As a result, the postgraduate ITT target in music reduced by 31% for courses starting in 2025/26.

​As part of our Opportunity Mission, we want high quality music and arts education for every child in all state-funded schools. This is why we announced our intention to launch a new National Centre for Arts and Music Education to deliver excellent continuing professional development for teachers in all the arts subjects, including music. The Curriculum and Assessment Review final report is also considering all the arts subjects, and final report and government response will be published shortly.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effect of removing the initial teacher training bursary for music on access to the teaching profession for candidates from lower-income backgrounds.

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

​​Initial teacher training (ITT) bursaries are offered to incentivise more applications to ITT courses. The department reviews the bursaries annually to take account of ITT recruitment to date, forecast economic conditions, and teacher supply need in each subject. The bursaries we offer also take account of the high earning potential of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) graduates. Whether a bursary is offered or not, student trainee teachers can access a tuition fee loan, maintenance loan and additional support dependent on their circumstances, such as the Childcare Grant.

​Between the 2023/24 and 2024/25 academic years, postgraduate ITT recruitment for music increased by 53%, one of the largest increases for any subject. Acceptances for ITT courses starting in the 2025/26 academic year indicate a further improvement. At the same time, demand for music trainee teachers has fallen due to this higher ITT recruitment and more favourable teacher retention forecasts. As a result, the postgraduate ITT target in music reduced by 31% for courses starting in 2025/26.

​As part of our Opportunity Mission, we want high quality music and arts education for every child in all state-funded schools. This is why we announced our intention to launch a new National Centre for Arts and Music Education to deliver excellent continuing professional development for teachers in all the arts subjects, including music. The Curriculum and Assessment Review final report is also considering all the arts subjects, and final report and government response will be published shortly.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government why the decision to remove the initial teacher training bursary for music was taken before the Curriculum and Assessment Review has published its final report on the future of creative subjects in schools.

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

​​Initial teacher training (ITT) bursaries are offered to incentivise more applications to ITT courses. The department reviews the bursaries annually to take account of ITT recruitment to date, forecast economic conditions, and teacher supply need in each subject. The bursaries we offer also take account of the high earning potential of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) graduates. Whether a bursary is offered or not, student trainee teachers can access a tuition fee loan, maintenance loan and additional support dependent on their circumstances, such as the Childcare Grant.

​Between the 2023/24 and 2024/25 academic years, postgraduate ITT recruitment for music increased by 53%, one of the largest increases for any subject. Acceptances for ITT courses starting in the 2025/26 academic year indicate a further improvement. At the same time, demand for music trainee teachers has fallen due to this higher ITT recruitment and more favourable teacher retention forecasts. As a result, the postgraduate ITT target in music reduced by 31% for courses starting in 2025/26.

​As part of our Opportunity Mission, we want high quality music and arts education for every child in all state-funded schools. This is why we announced our intention to launch a new National Centre for Arts and Music Education to deliver excellent continuing professional development for teachers in all the arts subjects, including music. The Curriculum and Assessment Review final report is also considering all the arts subjects, and final report and government response will be published shortly.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government how the decision to withdraw initial teacher training bursaries for music aligns with the objectives set out in the National Plan for Music Education, published in June 2022, and the ambition for every child to have access to high-quality music education.

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

​​Initial teacher training (ITT) bursaries are offered to incentivise more applications to ITT courses. The department reviews the bursaries annually to take account of ITT recruitment to date, forecast economic conditions, and teacher supply need in each subject. The bursaries we offer also take account of the high earning potential of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) graduates. Whether a bursary is offered or not, student trainee teachers can access a tuition fee loan, maintenance loan and additional support dependent on their circumstances, such as the Childcare Grant.

​Between the 2023/24 and 2024/25 academic years, postgraduate ITT recruitment for music increased by 53%, one of the largest increases for any subject. Acceptances for ITT courses starting in the 2025/26 academic year indicate a further improvement. At the same time, demand for music trainee teachers has fallen due to this higher ITT recruitment and more favourable teacher retention forecasts. As a result, the postgraduate ITT target in music reduced by 31% for courses starting in 2025/26.

​As part of our Opportunity Mission, we want high quality music and arts education for every child in all state-funded schools. This is why we announced our intention to launch a new National Centre for Arts and Music Education to deliver excellent continuing professional development for teachers in all the arts subjects, including music. The Curriculum and Assessment Review final report is also considering all the arts subjects, and final report and government response will be published shortly.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what factors they considered when deciding to continue to offer teacher training bursaries for subjects such as chemistry and mathematics, but not for music or other creative subjects for the 2026–27 academic year.

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

​​Initial teacher training (ITT) bursaries are offered to incentivise more applications to ITT courses. The department reviews the bursaries annually to take account of ITT recruitment to date, forecast economic conditions, and teacher supply need in each subject. The bursaries we offer also take account of the high earning potential of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) graduates. Whether a bursary is offered or not, student trainee teachers can access a tuition fee loan, maintenance loan and additional support dependent on their circumstances, such as the Childcare Grant.

​Between the 2023/24 and 2024/25 academic years, postgraduate ITT recruitment for music increased by 53%, one of the largest increases for any subject. Acceptances for ITT courses starting in the 2025/26 academic year indicate a further improvement. At the same time, demand for music trainee teachers has fallen due to this higher ITT recruitment and more favourable teacher retention forecasts. As a result, the postgraduate ITT target in music reduced by 31% for courses starting in 2025/26.

​As part of our Opportunity Mission, we want high quality music and arts education for every child in all state-funded schools. This is why we announced our intention to launch a new National Centre for Arts and Music Education to deliver excellent continuing professional development for teachers in all the arts subjects, including music. The Curriculum and Assessment Review final report is also considering all the arts subjects, and final report and government response will be published shortly.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the likely impact of the removal of the Initial Teacher Training bursary for music on the recruitment and retention of secondary music teachers in England.

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

​​Initial teacher training (ITT) bursaries are offered to incentivise more applications to ITT courses. The department reviews the bursaries annually to take account of ITT recruitment to date, forecast economic conditions, and teacher supply need in each subject. The bursaries we offer also take account of the high earning potential of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) graduates. Whether a bursary is offered or not, student trainee teachers can access a tuition fee loan, maintenance loan and additional support dependent on their circumstances, such as the Childcare Grant.

​Between the 2023/24 and 2024/25 academic years, postgraduate ITT recruitment for music increased by 53%, one of the largest increases for any subject. Acceptances for ITT courses starting in the 2025/26 academic year indicate a further improvement. At the same time, demand for music trainee teachers has fallen due to this higher ITT recruitment and more favourable teacher retention forecasts. As a result, the postgraduate ITT target in music reduced by 31% for courses starting in 2025/26.

​As part of our Opportunity Mission, we want high quality music and arts education for every child in all state-funded schools. This is why we announced our intention to launch a new National Centre for Arts and Music Education to deliver excellent continuing professional development for teachers in all the arts subjects, including music. The Curriculum and Assessment Review final report is also considering all the arts subjects, and final report and government response will be published shortly.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Competition and Markets Authority has undertaken reviews of the acquisitions of (1) Barchester Healthcare, and (2) HC-ONE assets, by Welltower; and whether they considered the proportion of residents in homes run by those companies that are self-funded as part of those reviews.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Merger investigations by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) are independent of Government. The CMA reviews mergers that meet certain criteria, for example the size of the company being acquired, and whether it believes the merger could result in a substantial lessening of competition.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the acquisition of Barchester Healthcare by Welltower on market concentration in the care-home sector in London and the South East of England.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Government has not made a specific assessment of the impact of Welltower’s acquisition of Barchester Healthcare on market concentration in London and the Southeast. Merger investigations on competition grounds are a matter for the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), which operates independently of Government. The CMA determines which transactions to review based on statutory thresholds and whether there is a realistic prospect of a substantial lessening of competition.

The Government keeps the merger control regime under regular review to ensure it remains fit for purpose and works effectively within the current regulatory environment.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to review the thresholds or guidance under which mergers in the care home sector are referred to the Competition and Markets Authority.

Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

Merger referral thresholds and guidance sit within a well-established statutory framework, designed to ensure that the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) can act where there is a realistic prospect of harm to competition. The merger control regime is regularly reviewed to ensure it remains effective and fit for purpose. To improve clarity, the Government will consult on potential amendments to the “material influence” and “share of supply” tests that underpin the CMA’s jurisdiction.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will proceed with the proposed Creative Content Exchange (CCE) before establishing a clear and enforceable framework for copyright, data use and fair remuneration for creators; and what assessment they have made of the risk of the CCE benefitting large technology platforms more than UK rightsholders.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The development of the CCE functions in tandem with the Government’s work on copyright, and we will ensure a copyright regime that values and protects human creativity, can be trusted, and unlocks new opportunities for innovation across the creative sector and wider economy. Supporting rightsholders in licensing their work in the digital age while allowing AI developers to benefit from access to creative material, such as through the CCE, will unlock new opportunities across the whole economy.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they will take to ensure that the proposed Creative Content Exchange does not displace or undermine existing rights management organisations, collecting societies and digital marketplaces that facilitate the licensing and monetisation of creative works.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

We are developing a proof-of-concept pilot scheme for the Creative Content Exchange (CCE) to test the need for a new marketplace for selling, buying, licensing, and enabling permitted access to digitised cultural and creative assets. The pilot scheme is being developed as a research project with the input of a broad range of partners - including public organisations - to design an exchange that best suits the needs of content owners and data users. We are also working with licensing and rights management societies to benefit from their input and expertise.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what evidence they used to support the need for the Creative Content Exchange; and how they will ensure that the proposed Creative Content Exchange complements, rather than competes with, existing industry-led platforms and institutions.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

We are developing a proof-of-concept pilot scheme for the Creative Content Exchange (CCE) to test the need for a new marketplace for selling, buying, licensing, and enabling permitted access to digitised cultural and creative assets. The pilot scheme is being developed as a research project with the input of a broad range of partners - including public organisations - to design an exchange that best suits the needs of content owners and data users. We are also working with licensing and rights management societies to benefit from their input and expertise.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of potential duplication between the proposed Creative Content Exchange and existing commercial licensing, distribution and rights management platforms.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

We are developing a proof-of-concept pilot scheme for the Creative Content Exchange (CCE) to test the need for a new marketplace for selling, buying, licensing, and enabling permitted access to digitised cultural and creative assets. The pilot scheme is being developed as a research project with the input of a broad range of partners - including public organisations - to design an exchange that best suits the needs of content owners and data users. We are also working with licensing and rights management societies to benefit from their input and expertise.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government, with regard to the Non-Domestic Rating (Definition of Qualifying Retail, Hospitality or Leisure Hereditament) Regulations 2025, how they expect local billing authorities to interpret "wholly or mainly" when considering the purpose of a hereditament where that hereditament combines publicly accessible cultural use with private studio or workshop space, and what indicators should be taken into account in determining primary use of a hereditament.

Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government is introducing new permanently lower business rates multipliers for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties with rateable values below £500,000. These new tax rates are worth nearly £900 million per year, and will benefit over 750,000 properties from April 2026, replacing the temporary RHL relief that has been winding down since COVID.

The scope of the new multipliers broadly reflects the scope of the current RHL relief. The Government has laid legislation defining which RHL properties will be eligible for the new multipliers. To assist Local Authorities (LAs) and businesses in interpreting this legislation, the Government has also published guidance on which properties qualify for the new tax rates. This guidance includes details on how LAs should apply the “wholly or mainly test”, how “visiting members of the public” should be interpreted, and how RHL properties doing a mix of in-person and online sales should be treated.

As administrators of the business rates system, it is the responsibility of LAs to determine whether a hereditament meets the legislative definition of RHL and therefore qualifies for the RHL multipliers. The Government cannot comment on individual ratepayers.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government what guidance they have issued to local billing authorities about the interpretation of "visiting members of the public" under the Non-Domestic Rating (Definition of Qualifying Retail, Hospitality or Leisure Hereditament) Regulations 2025, particularly in regard to artist studios that provide public exhibitions, open-studio access or workshops.

Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government is introducing new permanently lower business rates multipliers for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties with rateable values below £500,000. These new tax rates are worth nearly £900 million per year, and will benefit over 750,000 properties from April 2026, replacing the temporary RHL relief that has been winding down since COVID.

The scope of the new multipliers broadly reflects the scope of the current RHL relief. The Government has laid legislation defining which RHL properties will be eligible for the new multipliers. To assist Local Authorities (LAs) and businesses in interpreting this legislation, the Government has also published guidance on which properties qualify for the new tax rates. This guidance includes details on how LAs should apply the “wholly or mainly test”, how “visiting members of the public” should be interpreted, and how RHL properties doing a mix of in-person and online sales should be treated.

As administrators of the business rates system, it is the responsibility of LAs to determine whether a hereditament meets the legislative definition of RHL and therefore qualifies for the RHL multipliers. The Government cannot comment on individual ratepayers.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government, with regard to the Non-Domestic Rating (Definition of Qualifying Retail, Hospitality or Leisure Hereditament) Regulations 2025, whether premises used for community arts activities, educational programmes or public participation workshops qualify as cultural, community or recreational facilities under those Regulations, and whether the presence of private artist workspaces affects eligibility.

Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government is introducing new permanently lower business rates multipliers for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties with rateable values below £500,000. These new tax rates are worth nearly £900 million per year, and will benefit over 750,000 properties from April 2026, replacing the temporary RHL relief that has been winding down since COVID.

The scope of the new multipliers broadly reflects the scope of the current RHL relief. The Government has laid legislation defining which RHL properties will be eligible for the new multipliers. To assist Local Authorities (LAs) and businesses in interpreting this legislation, the Government has also published guidance on which properties qualify for the new tax rates. This guidance includes details on how LAs should apply the “wholly or mainly test”, how “visiting members of the public” should be interpreted, and how RHL properties doing a mix of in-person and online sales should be treated.

As administrators of the business rates system, it is the responsibility of LAs to determine whether a hereditament meets the legislative definition of RHL and therefore qualifies for the RHL multipliers. The Government cannot comment on individual ratepayers.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they will publish examples or case studies to show how artist studios, co-operative creative spaces and small cultural venues may benefit from the retail, hospitality and leisure scheme, under the Non-Domestic Rating (Definition of Qualifying Retail, Hospitality or Leisure Hereditament) Regulations 2025, to assist local billing authorities and cultural organisations in the implementation of that scheme.

Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government is introducing new permanently lower business rates multipliers for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties with rateable values below £500,000. These new tax rates are worth nearly £900 million per year, and will benefit over 750,000 properties from April 2026, replacing the temporary RHL relief that has been winding down since COVID.

The scope of the new multipliers broadly reflects the scope of the current RHL relief. The Government has laid legislation defining which RHL properties will be eligible for the new multipliers. To assist Local Authorities (LAs) and businesses in interpreting this legislation, the Government has also published guidance on which properties qualify for the new tax rates. This guidance includes details on how LAs should apply the “wholly or mainly test”, how “visiting members of the public” should be interpreted, and how RHL properties doing a mix of in-person and online sales should be treated.

As administrators of the business rates system, it is the responsibility of LAs to determine whether a hereditament meets the legislative definition of RHL and therefore qualifies for the RHL multipliers. The Government cannot comment on individual ratepayers.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have made an assessment of the role of artist co-operative studios and cultural organisations in supporting high street regeneration and community cultural engagement, and whether those uses fall within the intended beneficiaries of the Non-Domestic Rating (Definition of Qualifying Retail, Hospitality or Leisure Hereditament) Regulations 2025.

Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government is introducing new permanently lower business rates multipliers for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties with rateable values below £500,000. These new tax rates are worth nearly £900 million per year, and will benefit over 750,000 properties from April 2026, replacing the temporary RHL relief that has been winding down since COVID.

The scope of the new multipliers broadly reflects the scope of the current RHL relief. The Government has laid legislation defining which RHL properties will be eligible for the new multipliers. To assist Local Authorities (LAs) and businesses in interpreting this legislation, the Government has also published guidance on which properties qualify for the new tax rates. This guidance includes details on how LAs should apply the “wholly or mainly test”, how “visiting members of the public” should be interpreted, and how RHL properties doing a mix of in-person and online sales should be treated.

As administrators of the business rates system, it is the responsibility of LAs to determine whether a hereditament meets the legislative definition of RHL and therefore qualifies for the RHL multipliers. The Government cannot comment on individual ratepayers.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government how they expect paragraph 4(a) of Schedule 1 to the Non-Domestic Rating (Definition of Qualifying Retail, Hospitality or Leisure Hereditament) Regulations 2025 to be interpreted for artist studios or galleries that sell work online and provide physical access for exhibition or sale to members of the public.

Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government is introducing new permanently lower business rates multipliers for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties with rateable values below £500,000. These new tax rates are worth nearly £900 million per year, and will benefit over 750,000 properties from April 2026, replacing the temporary RHL relief that has been winding down since COVID.

The scope of the new multipliers broadly reflects the scope of the current RHL relief. The Government has laid legislation defining which RHL properties will be eligible for the new multipliers. To assist Local Authorities (LAs) and businesses in interpreting this legislation, the Government has also published guidance on which properties qualify for the new tax rates. This guidance includes details on how LAs should apply the “wholly or mainly test”, how “visiting members of the public” should be interpreted, and how RHL properties doing a mix of in-person and online sales should be treated.

As administrators of the business rates system, it is the responsibility of LAs to determine whether a hereditament meets the legislative definition of RHL and therefore qualifies for the RHL multipliers. The Government cannot comment on individual ratepayers.

Found: Letter dated 10/11/2025 from Baroness Smith of Malvern to Lord Freyberg regarding the importance of recognising