Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when she will respond to the letter of 3 March 2026 from the hon. Member for Inverness, Skye, & West Ross-shire on Cameron Barracks.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Minister for Border Security & Asylum responded on 31 March 2026.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate her Department has made of the number of independent MOT testing stations that have closed since 2010; and whether she has had discussions with the DVSA on the potential impact of the Class 4 MOT fee on local testing capacity in rural and remote areas.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department understands that rising inflation and operational costs have put pressure on garages.

It is not possible to determine the number of MOT testing centres that have ‘closed’ since 2010 as sites might cease testing and then resume testing at a later date, sometimes under new ownership.

The Department keeps the MOT regime, including the fee and the provision of service in all areas of Great Britain under review. Any consideration of changes must balance the needs of garages and their ability to invest against the interests of drivers in receiving value from the MOT.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department is taking steps to ensure that AI features embedded in platforms such as Google Workspace for Education are (a) disclosed and (b) consented to by (i) schools and (ii) parents before being made available to primary-aged pupils.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.

The department is clear that safety is the top priority when making decisions around artificial intelligence (AI) in education, and any use of AI by pupils should be carefully considered and assessed, evaluating the benefits and risks.

The department’s ‘Generative AI: Product Safety Standards’ updated in January 2026, set out the expectations that AI products should meet to be considered safe for use in education, including safeguarding requirements during set-up of any AI services.

The department continues to encourage industry to ensure their products are compliant with the standards and is considering consulting on a certification scheme for generative AI products in education.

The department has developed ‘Data protection in schools’ guidance which provides sector specific guidance for schools on compliance with data protection legislation and lawful basis for processing personal data. This includes AI, and signposts to tools, policy and standards. If a school relies on consent as the lawful basis to process personal data, guidance states that they must make sure that consent is properly given. This includes getting permission from parents or carers when required.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 30 March 2026 to Question 122630 on Business: VAT, whether her Department has made an assessment on the effect that inflation has had on small business' ability to stay under the VAT threshold over the past decade.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

At £90,000, the UK has a higher VAT registration threshold than any EU country and one of the highest in the OECD. This means the majority of UK businesses are not in the VAT system, reducing administrative burdens for small businesses. The government regularly assesses the level of the threshold taking into account impacts on small businesses, the economy as a whole, and tax revenues. Any changes would be made at a fiscal event, taking into account the position of the overall public finances.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what estimate his Department has made of the total (a) energy and (b) water demands of all proposed AI data centres.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Department’s published Energy and Emissions Projections include growth in power demand from computing services like data centres. To ensure a comprehensive view, the methodology projects at a broader sector level, not disaggregating specific estimates for data centres.

Water use comes under the remit of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Its Water Delivery Taskforce is building an evidence base of data centre water use across England. The Government encourages data centre developers to consider use of non-potable water, embed water efficiency or reuse in design, and contact their proposed water and wastewater supplier early in the planning process.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance her Department provides to local authorities on the use of AI tools on school-issued devices in primary schools.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.

The department has provided a number of guidance documents that are relevant to local authorities and other responsible bodies on the safe and effective use of digital technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) in schools.

The department’s ‘Generative AI in education’ policy paper is clear that any use of generative AI by staff, students, and pupils should be carefully considered and assessed, evaluating the benefits and risks of use in its education setting.

The ‘Generative AI: Product Safety Standards’, updated in January 2026, set clear expectations for child-centred design and safety. The department provides support materials for using AI in education settings which contain advice on safe and effective use, alongside guidance relating to connectivity standards, cyber security, filtering and monitoring, and device management. The support materials are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/using-ai-in-education-settings-support-materials.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has considered introducing (a) business rates relief and (b) National Insurance contribution rebates for small independent MOT testing stations.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

There are a wide range of factors to take into consideration when introducing a tax relief. These include how effective the relief would be at achieving the policy intent, how targeted support would be, whether it adds complexity to the tax system, and the cost.

The Government keeps all taxes under review as part of the policy making process. The Chancellor will announce any changes to the tax system at fiscal events in the usual way.

At the Budget, the Government acted to limit increases in business rates bills, announcing a support package worth £4.3 billion. The Government introduced new permanently lower multipliers for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure properties. These new multipliers are worth nearly £1 billion per year and benefit over 750,000 properties. Additionally, around a third of properties already pay no business rates as they receive 100 per cent Small Business Rate Relief (SBRR), with an additional 85,000 benefiting from reduced bills as this relief tapers.

Businesses are able to claim employer NICs reliefs for under-21s and under-25 apprentices. This means employers pay no employer NICs for apprentices under 25 or employees under 21 on earnings up to £50,270. These reliefs are estimated to be worth around £2.5 billion in 2025/26.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to Question 108150 answered on 29 January 2026, what progress the cross-departmental team has made on reducing Capita's backlog of Civil Service Pension Scheme Payments.

Answered by Satvir Kaur - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)

The Cabinet Office is responsible for the management of the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

The Cabinet Office awarded the contract to administer the Civil Service Pension Scheme to Capita in November 2023 under the previous government.

The issues and delays facing a number of civil servants and pension scheme members in receiving their pension quotes are unacceptable. I want to reassure you that this Government has taken firm action to help put things right as soon as possible. We have agreed a clear recovery plan with Capita, which includes specific milestones and accountability targets for delivery. For priority cases, we have deployed additional resources and improved communication with affected colleagues, so that staff, both former and serving, receive the quality of service and support they deserve.

Existing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) have been enhanced and strengthened to deliver improved performance and higher penalties for failure, including financial penalties. These have already applied in respect to Capita's performance with recent issues and delays in administering the Civil Service Pension Scheme.

Capita prioritised the most urgent cases and by the end of February, all death in service cases were either settled or progressed to the final stage or awaiting a member response. The same position was reached for ill health retirement applications by mid-March.

Capita has made lump sum payments to 8,747 members, the majority of whom have retired but are not yet receiving their pension, and are on track to bring these members into regular pension payments by the end of April.

To provide immediate financial support to those who may need it, arrangements are in place for interest-free bridging loans typically up to £5,000 or £10,000 in exceptional cases to most recent retirees facing payment delays. This is alongside interim lump sum payments being made to provide immediate funds to retiring members. The pension scheme continues to make monthly pension payments to approximately 730,000 existing pensioner members on time.

The latest position of the Civil Service Pension Recovery Plan Update is available at this weblink: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-pension-recovery-plan-updates

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to FOI2025/189761 dated 2 January 2026, what assessment she has made of the value for money of HMRC's compliance and enforcement activities relating to the Loan Charge.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

This Government recognised that concerns were raised about the Loan Charge under the previous government and that some felt strongly that it had not been handled appropriately.

The Government therefore commissioned a new independent review of the Loan Charge to bring the matter to a close for those affected, ensure fairness for all taxpayers and ensure that appropriate support is in place for those subject to the Loan Charge.

The Government’s response to the review represents a fair and proportionate attempt to provide a route to resolution for those who have not yet been able to settle with HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). In turn, this requires those individuals or employers to now come forward and engage with HMRC in good faith.

Whilst HMRC assesses the overall resources needed to carry out Loan Charge compliance activity, this is not based on detailed case-by-case forecasts. HMRC is required to collect tax due under the law. The progression and resolution of Loan Charge cases depend on a range of variable and often uncertain factors. These include the extent to which taxpayers choose to engage with HMRC to settle their enquiries.

In line with most tax policy changes, Tax Impact and Information Note (TIIN) setting out HMRC’s assessment of the impacts of the Loan Charge were published when the Loan Charge was announced in 2016. Further TIINs were published alongside subsequent changes to the Loan Charge.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Oral Question of 24th March 2026, what steps his Department is taking to introduce a trial for free wind power for people living near energy infrastructure.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

In line with statements made to Parliament on 24^th March 2026, the Department is working with UKRI to launch a trial this winter.

The trial will test the removal of final consumption levies from increased consumer demand that responds to instances where there is abundant local renewable energy in grid constrained areas.

This will enable energy suppliers and flexibility service providers to offer periods of discounted power to households and businesses in such areas so that more of this power can be used.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if she will (a) introduce a dedicated employment status for foster carers, (b) establish an independent register and appeals system for foster carers and (c) launch a public inquiry into the fostering system.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Fostering is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.

The government does not believe that fostering should be considered a form of employment. Foster care is a family-based vocation and fostering homes should feel like family homes with people who love them, not a workplace with staff. Foster carers should not need to be considered workers to get the support and respect they deserve.

The department recently launched a Call for Evidence on a national fostering register, including purpose, scope, design features and safeguards. We are analysing responses and will publish results and our response in the summer. The Independent Review Mechanism provides independent panels that review decisions made by fostering providers.

Our focus is on delivering on our ambitious action plan to renew foster care, published in February 2026. By April 2029, we will create 10,000 more foster places, providing a foster place for every child who needs one. We have no current plans to launch a fostering inquiry. There have been several independent reviews into fostering and the wider care system, including ‘Foster Care in England’ (2018), the ‘Independent Review of Children’s Social Care’ (2022) and the Education Select Committee’s 2025 inquiry into Children’s Social Care.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether his department has considered working with Ofcom to help ensure that mobile network operators share masts and/or sites where possible.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Department works closely with Ofcom on a range of issues including those related to the deployment of mobile networks and infrastructure and continues to engage on how sharing of masts and sites can be encouraged where appropriate.

Duties and obligations relating to telecommunications installations are included in the Electronic Communications Code (Conditions and Restrictions) Regulations 2003, which include requirements to share apparatus where practicable.

The Code of Practice for Wireless Network Development also sets out best practice guidance for mobile network operators and local authorities on deploying wireless infrastructure, including considerations for siting equipment. It complements existing legislation and provides clear, practical advice to support all stakeholders involved in the deployment process.

The Communications (Access to Infrastructure) Regulations 2016 further gives operators the right to request access to another operator’s infrastructure.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether he has held discussions with its counterpart in the Faroe Islands on the rollout of 5G coverage.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

There have been no specific conversations with this Secretary of State and the Faroese authorities on the topic of 5G rollout. As part of the policy development process, we do consider approaches in other countries, particularly approaches that have addressed specific challenges.

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Patricia Ferguson (Chair); Dave Doogan; Lillian Jones; Mr Angus MacDonald

Found: of Commons, and secured the support of parliamentarians such as Fabian Hamilton, Alex Sobel, Angus MacDonald

Found: Members in attendance were: ● Maureen Burke MP ● Dave Doogan MP ● Lillian Jones MP ● Mr Angus MacDonald

Found: As individuals, we have written to our Member of Parliament, Angus MacDonald, on this very issue as

Found: Watch the meeting Members present: Patricia Ferguson (Chair); Harriet Cross; Mr Angus MacDonald; Douglas