Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps he is taking to provide financial support to parents for childcare.
Answered by Laura Trott - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
At Spring Budget 2023, the government announced the biggest ever investment in childcare in England, meaning eligible working parents in England will be able to access 30 hours of free childcare per week for 38 weeks per year from when their child is 9 months old, to when they start school.
To support this expansion, the Government will spend over £4.1 billion by 2027-28, has provided over £400 million to substantially uplift the hourly rate paid to providers to deliver the existing childcare entitlements in 24-25, and is allocating £100 million capital funding to support childcare settings to increase their physical space. At Spring Budget 2024, the government also announced a commitment to increasing the national average hourly rate providers are paid to deliver the offers in line with the metric used at Spring Budget 2023 in 2025-26 and 2026-27, representing £500m of additional investment.
Parents who are not eligible for the 30 free childcare hours may still be able to access other offers. Parents can find more details on the support available and check if they are eligible at the following link: https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if she will make it her policy to cap energy prices based on the time of day that households use their appliances.
Answered by Amanda Solloway - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
The price cap on default tariffs remains in place. Ofgem are seeking views on how price protections could apply in future, in light of innovations such as time of use tariffs www.ofgem.gov.uk/publications/ofgem-launches-discussion-future-price-cap .
Alongside this the Government is seeking views on how default tariffs should support households in the future https://www.gov.uk/government/calls-for-evidence/default-energy-tariffs-for-households-call-for-evidence.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will extend the offer of a free portrait of King Charles to churches.
Answered by Alex Burghart - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Government does not currently have any plans to extend the offer of a free portrait of The King to churches or other places of worship.
The UK Government launched an Official Portrait scheme in November 2023 to enable certain Public Authorities across the UK to apply for a free, framed official portrait of His Majesty The King for display in their buildings.
The scheme is ongoing and is due for completion by mid year 2024. His Majesty’s accession has marked the beginning of a new reign and the UK Government considers it is right that public authorities, as part of the fabric of our nation, have the opportunity to commemorate this moment, strengthen civil pride and reflect the new era in our history.
A portrait will be available for purchase in due course for those not eligible for this scheme and details will be communicated at the time.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when retired police officers subject to immediate detriment will be contacted with the resolution.
Answered by Chris Philp - Minister of State (Home Office)
The relevant legislation provides that all eligible members of the police pension scheme will be given a choice to remedy the discrimination set out in the McCloud judgment and that information should be provided to eligible members by 1 April 2025.
Adjustments to individual members’ benefits are an administrative matter, and the police pension scheme is locally administered by each of the separate police forces in England and Wales. The Home Office does not hold information on administrative processes in forces.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will introduce alternative arrangements for HMRC to answer calls during the self-assessment telephone helpline closure between 8 April and 30 September 2024.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
HMRC has halted its planned changes to the Self Assessment, VAT and PAYE telephone helplines between April and September 2024 while it engages with stakeholders about how to ensure all taxpayers’ needs are met as the Department shifts more people to online self-service.
HMRC encourages customers to use its online services and the HMRC App where they can. These offer quicker and easier handling of most transactions and queries.
However, for those who are vulnerable, digitally excluded, or have complex tax affairs, HMRC's helpline and webchat advisers will remain available to provide the necessary support.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if she will establish an additional public holiday for St George's Day.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government regularly receives requests for additional bank and public holidays to commemorate a variety of occasions – such as cultural, historical, military and religious events.
While an additional bank holiday may benefit some communities and sectors, the cost to the economy of an additional bank holiday remains considerable. The latest analysis estimates the cost to the UK economy for a one-off bank holiday to be around £2bn.
The current pattern of bank holidays is well established and accepted and we have no plans to change it.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much compensation HMRC has paid in each of the last five years as a result of errors made on calculating taxes about which the relevant person has made a complaint.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
HMRC does not hold the information requested. Information on HMRC complaints can be found within the HMRC monthly performance reports at HMRC monthly performance reports - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether Ukrainian nationals can extend their stay by (a) 18 months and (b) three years.
Answered by Tom Pursglove - Minister of State (Minister for Legal Migration and Delivery)
To provide future certainty, on 18 February we announced that existing Ukraine scheme visa holders who live mainly in the UK, will be able to apply for further permission to remain in the UK for an additional 18 months.
The Ukraine Permission Extension (UPE) scheme provides the same rights and entitlements to access work, benefits, healthcare, and education as the other Ukraine schemes. Those eligible to apply will not be required to pay the Immigration Health Surcharge. Further details on eligibility and application processes will be available before the scheme opens for applications early next year.
The Ukraine Extension Scheme was introduced for those Ukrainians already in the UK at the time of the invasion and who could not return to Ukraine. It provides three years’ temporary sanctuary aligned to the other Ukraine schemes. Those who have been granted permission by 16 November 2023 will have until 16 May 2024 to submit an application under the UES.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he has had recent discussions with (a) housing associations and (b) renter groups on the potential impact of a 53 week rent year in 2024-25.
Answered by Mims Davies - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
There has been no recent conversations with housing associations or renter groups regarding the formula to convert weekly rental liabilities to calendar monthly values in Universal Credit.
Universal Credit always converts weekly amounts to monthly sums using 52 weeks. This may lead to a slight advantage to the claimant when converting weekly incomes and to a slight disadvantage when dealing with outgoings. The system is used because it is simple to operate and understand. The department has considered alternative options for those with weekly tenancies, but each have their own limitations and disadvantages for claimants and so there are no plans to change.
The legitimacy of this calculation formula in Universal Credit was confirmed by the High Court in 2020 who found it to be neither irrational or discriminatory.
Discretionary Housing Payments can be paid to those entitled to Housing Benefit or the housing element of Universal Credit who face a shortfall in meeting their housing costs. Since 2011, the government has provided nearly £1.7 billion in Discretionary Housing Payments to local authorities.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of providing financial support to people who are (a) aged 66 when the State Pension age rises to 67 and (b) unable to continue working until they are 67 due to (i) illness and (ii) disability.
Answered by Jo Churchill - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Financial support is available through the welfare system for working age people.