Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many retail properties in England have become vacant in each of the last three years, and what proportion of those properties were still vacant after three months.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with HM Treasury)

Billing Authorities provide information to HMRC Valuation Office to support the maintenance of the non-domestic rating list. Some Billing Authorities may indicate whether a property was vacant at the time the information was provided. However, HMRC Valuation Office does not routinely collect data on when properties become vacant or how long they remain vacant.

We have introduced powers for high street rental auctions to help fill long-term vacant properties. Through regular engagement with local authorities, we are aware of more than 40 councils that have either implemented or are actively preparing to use HSRAs.

The Government recognises that there are costs associated with implementing the powers and is currently gathering evidence from local authorities to review the HSRA new burdens payments. Through this engagement, councils have highlighted additional costs associated with identifying suitable vacant premises and refurbishment of long-term vacant premises. To that end, the Government has announced a £10 million funding package to support HSRA implementation. Further details will be made available in due course.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of extending business rates improvement relief to property owners as well as occupiers.

Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General

The responsibility for paying business rates falls on the occupier of the property. Property owners could be eligible for Improvement Relief if they meet the eligibility criteria, such as completing qualifying works, and occupying the property during and after the improvement works have taken place.

The Call for Evidence published at Budget sought further evidence on the role business rates and reliefs play in investment, including Improvement Relief and Empty Property Relief. Transforming the business rates system is a multi-year process, and any reforms taken forward will be phased over the course of the Parliament.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact on investment in retail properties of reducing the standard business rates multiplier for retail, hospitality and leisure properties by a further 5p to 38p from April 2027.

Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General

The Government is continuing to review the wider business rates system to ensure it better supports high streets, local economies and small businesses.

Further decisions on wider business rates reforms will be set out in the normal way at the Budget.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of a diagnosis of cancer during (a) pregnancy and (b) maternity leave on a mother's physical health, mental wellbeing and access to treatment.

Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government recognises that a cancer diagnosis during pregnancy or maternity leave can have a significant impact on women and their families.

The National Cancer Plan sets out how we will provide support to people with cancer before, during, and after their treatment, including for pregnant or postnatal women. Everyone should get a personalised needs assessment and personal cancer plan that takes into account their wider psychological and social needs, including the impact of pregnancy where relevant.

Health professionals should provide integrated care for pregnant women facing serious physical illnesses and mental health challenges. Significant progress has been made across England in recent years to transform and increase access to specialist perinatal mental health services.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what guidance her Department provides to (a) Enfield Council and (b) other local authorities on (i) restricting formal call-in procedures to key decisions and (ii) ensuring that such restrictions do not limit the wider powers of overview and scrutiny committees under section 9F of the Local Government Act 2000, as amended by the Localism Act 2011, to scrutinise non-key decisions and other actions taken by those authorities.

Answered by Jim McMahon - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Sections 9F(2)(a) and 9F(4) of the Local Government Act 2000 set out how local authorities should make sure their respective scrutiny committees have the power to review and scrutinise decisions made by the executive, commonly referred to as ‘call-in’ procedures. Guidance on ‘call-in’ procedures was published in 2000 alongside the Act. More recent guidance funded by central government was published in 2023 by the Centre for Governance and Scrutiny.

Enfield Council has not received additional guidance from HMG on the use of call-in powers. Local authorities are responsible for setting their own rules on how call-in should be used, including the thresholds and procedures for using it, whilst ensuring they comply with their obligations under the Local Government Act 2000.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether her Department collects data on the number of NHS complaints that remain unresolved after (a) six months, (b) nine months and (c) twelve months; and what action is taken where NHS trusts exceed those timescales.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department does not collect data relating to National Health Service complaints. Data on NHS written complaints is published by NHS England annually at the following link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/data-on-written-complaints-in-the-nhs

The 10-Year Health Plan confirmed our intention to reform the NHS complaints process, setting clear standards for both the timeliness and quality of responses, to ensure the NHS listens carefully and compassionately, taking forward learnings to improve the quality of care.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether her Department collects data on the time taken by NHS trusts to respond to complaints relating to inpatient mental health services; and what steps she is taking to reduce delays in the resolution of such complaints.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department does not collect data relating to National Health Service complaints. Data on NHS written complaints is published by NHS England annually at the following link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/data-on-written-complaints-in-the-nhs

The 10-Year Health Plan confirmed our intention to reform the NHS complaints process, setting clear standards for both the timeliness and quality of responses, to ensure the NHS listens carefully and compassionately, taking forward learnings to improve the quality of care.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of current NHS complaints procedures in cases where bereaved families have waited more than nine months for a final response from a trust, and whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of introducing maximum response times for complaint investigations.

Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department does not collect data relating to National Health Service complaints. Data on NHS written complaints is published by NHS England annually at the following link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/data-on-written-complaints-in-the-nhs

The 10-Year Health Plan confirmed our intention to reform the NHS complaints process, setting clear standards for both the timeliness and quality of responses, to ensure the NHS listens carefully and compassionately, taking forward learnings to improve the quality of care.

Planned job losses at Greggs plc