Asked by: Bradley Thomas (Conservative - Bromsgrove)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, how many apprentices her Department recruited in (a) 2022, (b) 2023, (c) 2024 and (d) 2025.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The department did not exist in 2022 and although we have not undertaken external apprenticeship recruitment between 2023 and 2025, we recruit apprentices from within. 57 existing members of DSIT staff are undertaking an apprenticeship or have completed an apprenticeship between 2023 and 2025.(GOV.UK)
Asked by: Bradley Thomas (Conservative - Bromsgrove)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the proposal for unused pension funds and death benefits to be subject to Inheritance Tax on beneficiaries; and if she will make it her policy to cap the level of Inheritance Tax paid on such funds and benefits.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
Most unused pension funds and death benefits payable from a pension will form part of a person’s estate for inheritance tax purposes from 6 April 2027. This removes distortions resulting from changes that have been made to pensions tax policy over the last decade, which have led to pensions being openly used and marketed as a tax planning vehicle to transfer wealth, rather than as a way to fund retirement. These reforms also remove inconsistencies in the inheritance tax treatment of different types of pensions.
The Government has published a tax information and impact note, which is available at www.gov.uk/government/publications/inheritance-tax-unused-pension-funds-and-death-benefits/inheritance-tax-unused-pension-funds-and-death-benefits.
The legislation for this reform is included in Finance Act 2026. A cap on the level of inheritance tax related to unused pension funds and death benefits payable from a pension would be inconsistent with the policy objective and reduce the revenue to help fund public services. More than 90 per cent of UK estates will continue to have no inheritance tax liability in 2030-31 following these changes and the reforms will only affect a minority of those with inheritable pension wealth.
Asked by: Bradley Thomas (Conservative - Bromsgrove)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Solicitor General, how many apprentices her Department recruited in (a) 2022, (b) 2023, (c) 2024 and (d) 2025.
Answered by Ellie Reeves - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
The Attorney General’s Office recruited the following number of apprentices in the years requested.
Year | Law Officer Departments |
2022 | 7 |
2023 | 7 |
2024 | 5 |
2025 | 1 |
Asked by: Bradley Thomas (Conservative - Bromsgrove)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has considered changing the basis for determining Vehicle Excise Duty rates on motorcycles in line with other vehicles; and whether her Department plans to reduce Vehicle Excise Duty on motorcycles.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) is a tax on vehicles used or kept on public roads. Different rates apply to cars, vans and motorcycles, and the rate for each vehicle is calculated according to a range of factors, such as date of first registration, engine size, and CO2 emissions. VED for motorcycles is based on engine size.
Zero emission motorcycles now pay the lowest VED rate which applies to the smallest engine size of 150cc or less (currently £26, and increasing to £27 from 1 April 2026 in line with the Retail Price Index).
The government does not currently have any plans to reform the VED system for motorcycles.
The Government annually reviews the rates and thresholds of taxes and reliefs to ensure that they are appropriate and reflect the current state of the economy. The Chancellor makes decisions on tax policy at fiscal events in the context of the public finances.
Asked by: Bradley Thomas (Conservative - Bromsgrove)
Question to the Wales Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, how many apprentices her Department recruited in (a) 2022, (b) 2023, (c) 2024 and (d) 2025.
Answered by Jo Stevens - Secretary of State for Wales
Apprenticeships are a valuable tool for improving skills, productivity, and social mobility, whilst also supporting the development of our workforce. My Department continues to offer apprenticeships whenever a suitable vacancy arises.
My Department recruited three apprentices in 2022, three in 2023, and none in 2024 or 2025.
Asked by: Bradley Thomas (Conservative - Bromsgrove)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of trends in the backlog of grid connection; and what steps he is taking to help reduce connection times for businesses.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Government has worked closely with the National Energy System Operator and network companies on their programme of connections reforms which have already reduced the queue for generation and storage connections by over half.
Government is also developing further reforms to the grid connection process for demand, to manage the backlog of speculative data centre applications and enable prioritisation of available capacity for strategically important demand projects.
Asked by: Bradley Thomas (Conservative - Bromsgrove)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether he plans to issue guidance to planning authorities on the capacity of the grid for battery projects.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Clean Power 2030 Action Plan outlines an ambition for 23 – 27 GW of grid-scale batteries in Great Britain by 2030 and indicates what proportion of this capacity is required in which part of the country for 2030. It also does the same for 2035.
It is a matter for planning authorities whether to grant permission to proposed battery developments in line with existing planning guidance. Government does not plan to issue additional guidance on this matter.
Asked by: Bradley Thomas (Conservative - Bromsgrove)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of Peter Mandelson’s relationship with Palantir on the award of a contract by his Department in December 2025.
Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
As the Secretary of State has publicly said, Peter Mandelson had no influence or involvement in the Defence Enterprise Agreement with Palantir.
Asked by: Bradley Thomas (Conservative - Bromsgrove)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what progress has been made on introducing legislated protections for freeholders against uncapped service charges.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement made on 4 July 2025 (HCWS780) and the answer given to Question UIN 103549 on 14 January 2026.
Asked by: Bradley Thomas (Conservative - Bromsgrove)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps his Department is taking to (a) tackle kidney disease nationwide and (b) help raise awareness of kidney disease in Bromsgrove and the Villages.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
NHS England is delivering a comprehensive programme to improve the diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes of people with kidney disease through the renal services transformation toolkit published in 2023. Eight commissioned regional renal clinical networks are implementing the toolkit in collaboration with providers.
Integrated care boards (ICBs) in the Midlands, including those covering Bromsgrove, are working to improve pathway flows for renal services. Integrated commissioning will make it easier to deliver upstream interventions in primary care around diagnosis and early treatment of kidney disease, that can potentially prevent or delay the need for dialysis and transplants. In addition, renal care is a core component within the Midlands Clinical Strategy for Acute Specialised Services.