Asked by: Ian Byrne (Labour - Liverpool West Derby)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of providing an equivalent paid paternity entitlement to self-employed fathers and partners who are not eligible for Statutory Paternity Pay.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)
The Government recognises the current system could do more to support the many dads and partners who want to be actively involved in caring for their children.
We are undertaking a Review of the Parental Leave and Pay system. All current Parental Leave and Pay entitlements are in scope of the Review. The Review is also considering support for working families who do not currently qualify for them, such as self-employed parents.
The Review will conclude in early 2027 with a set of findings in which the Government will outline next steps for taking any potential reforms forward to implementation.
Asked by: Ian Byrne (Labour - Liverpool West Derby)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of the rate of Statutory Paternity Pay on (a) take-up of paternity leave and (b) the amount of paternity leave taken by eligible fathers and partners.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)
The Government recognises the current system could do more to support the many dads and partners who want to be actively involved in caring for their children.
We are undertaking a Review of the Parental Leave and Pay system. All current Parental Leave and Pay entitlements are in scope of the Review. The Review is also considering support for working families who do not currently qualify for them, such as self-employed parents.
The Review will conclude in early 2027 with a set of findings in which the Government will outline next steps for taking any potential reforms forward to implementation.
Asked by: Ian Byrne (Labour - Liverpool West Derby)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, if he will make it his policy to (a) increase the statutory entitlement to paternity leave to at least six weeks and (b) to pay that leave at 90 percent of average weekly earnings.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)
The Government recognises the current system could do more to support the many dads and partners who want to be actively involved in caring for their children.
We are undertaking a Review of the Parental Leave and Pay system. All current Parental Leave and Pay entitlements are in scope of the Review. The Review is also considering support for working families who do not currently qualify for them, such as self-employed parents.
The Review will conclude in early 2027 with a set of findings in which the Government will outline next steps for taking any potential reforms forward to implementation.
Asked by: Ian Byrne (Labour - Liverpool West Derby)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of nature-based solutions, including peatland restoration and reconnecting rivers with floodplains, on reducing flood, drought and wildfire risk; and how these measures will be reflected in the fourth National Adaptation Programme.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Nature-based solutions play a key role in mitigating natural hazards. The Government continues to enhance the evidence base whilst enabling more, such as developing private markets for investment and investing £300m in natural flood management to 2036. The fourth National Adaptation Programme will consider nature-based solutions in strengthening climate resilience.
Asked by: Ian Byrne (Labour - Liverpool West Derby)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, for what reason has the Trade Remedies Authority has initiated an interim review into potential changes to anti-dumping duties.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Trade Remedies Authority self-initiated an interim review on the existing anti-dumping measure on imports of ceramic tableware and kitchenware from China on 20 July 2026. The TRA publicly set out the reasons for initiating the review on their public file, primarily because there was evidence that the existing anti-dumping duty may not be sufficient to prevent or offset the current level of dumping.
Asked by: Ian Byrne (Labour - Liverpool West Derby)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what comparative assessment he has made of the potential impact to the public purse of the trends in the level of money collected from beer duty paid over the past year compared to 2022-23.
Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General
The Office for Budget Responsibility will publish an updated Alcohol Duty forecast at Budget 2026.
Asked by: Ian Byrne (Labour - Liverpool West Derby)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she plans to bring forward legislative proposals to reform surrogacy law to provide a pathway under which intended parents can become the legal parents of a child from birth, with appropriate safeguards for the surrogate and child; and what assessment she has made of the recommendations of the Law Commission and Scottish Law Commission’s 2023 review of surrogacy law.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 1 July in response to Question 11944.
Asked by: Ian Byrne (Labour - Liverpool West Derby)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will cut the VAT on swimming lessons for children.
Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General
The Department for Education is working with third sector organisations, including Swim England, the Royal Life Saving Society UK, and National Water Safety Education, to support schools in delivering swimming lessons as part of the national curriculum.
Certain sporting and physical education services supplied by ‘eligible bodies’ are already exempt from VAT, including some swimming lessons. Further information can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/sport-supplies-that-are-vat-exempt-notice-70145#an-overview-of-the-exemption-for-sporting-and-physical-education-services
Asked by: Ian Byrne (Labour - Liverpool West Derby)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, when she plans to legislate to prohibit the sale of new leasehold flats except in limited circumstances; and what steps she is taking to prevent developers continuing to sell new flats on leasehold terms before that legislation is in force.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statements on 27 January 2026 (HCWS1278) and on 15 July 2026 (HCWS270).
Asked by: Ian Byrne (Labour - Liverpool West Derby)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what legislative changes she plans to bring forward to address technical defects in the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 before commencing provisions on lease extensions and freehold purchase.
Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
I refer the hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statements on 27 January 2026 (HCWS1278) and on 15 July 2026 (HCWS270).