Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his policies of the report by Independent Age entitled Too Little Too Late, published on 15 May 2025.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government is absolutely committed to supporting pensioners and giving them the dignity and security they deserve in retirement. From the end of this Parliament, as a result of our commitment to protect the Triple Lock, spending on State Pensions is forecast to be around £34 billion more a year, compared with 2024/25. This will see pensioners’ yearly incomes rising by up to £2,100.

We have revived the Pensions Commission which will consider the broader questions of adequacy, fairness, and sustainability to guide the long-term future of our pensions system. Amongst other things, the Commission will look at how to improve retirement outcomes, especially for those on the lowest incomes and at the greatest risk of poverty or under-saving.

Maximising the take-up of Pension Credit remains a key priority. That is why we have been running the biggest ever Pension Credit take-up campaign, promoting Pension Credit to eligible pensioners and their family and friends. And we are making better use of data to directly target potentially eligible households. Since February, all new Housing Benefit claimants who may be eligible have been invited to apply for Pension Credit. Looking ahead, aligning the administration of Pension Credit with pensioner Housing Benefit will help ensure that more pensioners receive the financial support they are entitled to.

The Department keeps policies and processes under regular review, including monitoring poverty through annual statistics and research into retirement planning, as well as considering the contributions of stakeholders such as the reports by Independent Age and others.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will make an assessment of the implications for his policies of the report by Independent Age entitled Jumping Through Hoops, published on 4 March 2025.

Answered by Torsten Bell - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government is absolutely committed to supporting pensioners and giving them the dignity and security they deserve in retirement. From the end of this Parliament, as a result of our commitment to protect the Triple Lock, spending on State Pensions is forecast to be around £34 billion more a year, compared with 2024/25. This will see pensioners’ yearly incomes rising by up to £2,100.

We have revived the Pensions Commission which will consider the broader questions of adequacy, fairness, and sustainability to guide the long-term future of our pensions system. Amongst other things, the Commission will look at how to improve retirement outcomes, especially for those on the lowest incomes and at the greatest risk of poverty or under-saving.

Maximising the take-up of Pension Credit remains a key priority. That is why we have been running the biggest ever Pension Credit take-up campaign, promoting Pension Credit to eligible pensioners and their family and friends. And we are making better use of data to directly target potentially eligible households. Since February, all new Housing Benefit claimants who may be eligible have been invited to apply for Pension Credit. Looking ahead, aligning the administration of Pension Credit with pensioner Housing Benefit will help ensure that more pensioners receive the financial support they are entitled to.

The Department keeps policies and processes under regular review, including monitoring poverty through annual statistics and research into retirement planning, as well as considering the contributions of stakeholders such as the reports by Independent Age and others.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to take steps to reduce the use of large commercial agencies in the supply teaching sector.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Schools, academies and local authorities are responsible for the recruitment of their supply teachers, which includes deciding whether to use private supply agencies to fill temporary posts or cover teacher absence.

The department recognises the role that agencies play in helping to keep schools running when they face teacher shortages and absences. We are committed to helping schools achieve better value for money when using agencies, which is why we have established the agency supply deal in conjunction with the Crown Commercial Service. The deal has established a list of preferred suppliers that schools can access, all of which will be transparent with schools about the rates they charge. Our most recent announcement on maximising value for pupils is available at this link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/maximising-value-for-pupils/maximising-value-for-pupils.

The department has no plans to take steps to introduce a national supply register for teachers.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she plans to take steps to introduce a national supply register for teachers.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

Schools, academies and local authorities are responsible for the recruitment of their supply teachers, which includes deciding whether to use private supply agencies to fill temporary posts or cover teacher absence.

The department recognises the role that agencies play in helping to keep schools running when they face teacher shortages and absences. We are committed to helping schools achieve better value for money when using agencies, which is why we have established the agency supply deal in conjunction with the Crown Commercial Service. The deal has established a list of preferred suppliers that schools can access, all of which will be transparent with schools about the rates they charge. Our most recent announcement on maximising value for pupils is available at this link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/maximising-value-for-pupils/maximising-value-for-pupils.

The department has no plans to take steps to introduce a national supply register for teachers.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to support the night-time economy in Edmonton and Winchmore Hill constituency.

Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Government recognises the significant pressures facing the night-time economy, including those in Edmonton and Winchmore Hill, and the Government is providing support through various measures to help ease these pressures.

We’ve introduced permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality and leisure properties with a ratable value under £500,000, worth nearly £900 million annually, benefitting over 750,000 properties. The new relief rates are permanent, giving businesses certainty and stability, and there will be no cap so all qualifying properties will benefit.

The Chancellor announced a new National Licensing Policy Framework as part of her budget. This sets out a vision for a proportionate licensing system that supports good businesses while continuing to tackle bad operators.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what plans her Department has to improve transparency in (a) method-of-production welfare labelling and (b) country of origin labelling.

Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Government's animal welfare strategy was published on 22 December 2025 and is available here on GOV.UK.

As set out in the strategy, we are committed to ensuring that consumers have access to clear information on how their food was produced. To support this, we will continue working with relevant stakeholders, including the farming and food industry, scientists and NGOs to explore how improved animal welfare food labelling could provide greater consumer transparency, support farmers and promote better animal welfare.

We are also committed to working with stakeholders in ongoing discussions about further improving transparency and consumer trust in country-of-origin labelling.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has undertaken any impact assessment in 2025 ahead of decisions to reduce, maintain or increase financial support in 2026 to the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) and Education Cannot Wait (ECW) multilateral funds.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) published an Equalities Impact Assessment related to Official Development Assistance (ODA) in September 2025. The UK's future commitments to both the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) and Education Cannot Wait are being determined as part of our multi-year budget allocation process, the outcome of which will be set out in due course. The GPE remains committed to supporting children's access to safe, quality education, and the FCDO has been working closely with the GPE on their new Strategic Plan for 2026-2030, including support for safe-school initiatives, and the prevention of violence against women and girls.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking with the Global Partnership for Education to ensure safe schools and reduce violence against girls around the world.

Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) published an Equalities Impact Assessment related to Official Development Assistance (ODA) in September 2025. The UK's future commitments to both the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) and Education Cannot Wait are being determined as part of our multi-year budget allocation process, the outcome of which will be set out in due course. The GPE remains committed to supporting children's access to safe, quality education, and the FCDO has been working closely with the GPE on their new Strategic Plan for 2026-2030, including support for safe-school initiatives, and the prevention of violence against women and girls.