Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate her Department has made of the number of grassroots music venues that will be affected by the new higher multiplier rate of retail, hospitality and leisure relief; and what assessment her Department has made of how they will be affected.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government is creating a fairer business rates system that protects the high street, supports investment, and is fit for the 21st century.

As set out at Autumn Budget 2024, the Government will introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties with rateable values (RVs) below £500,000 from 2026/27. This permanent tax cut will ensure that eligible grassroots music venues benefit from much-needed certainty and support. The Government is sustainably funding this by introducing a higher tax rate on properties with RVs of £500,000 and above.

The final design, including the rates, for the new business rates multipliers will be announced at Budget 2025, so that the Government can factor the revaluation outcomes and broader economic and fiscal context into decision-making. When the new multipliers are set, HM Treasury intends to publish analysis of the effects of the new multiplier arrangements.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she is taking to support grassroots music venues which will have higher business rates under the new multiplier.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government is creating a fairer business rates system that protects the high street, supports investment, and is fit for the 21st century.

As set out at Autumn Budget 2024, the Government will introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties with rateable values (RVs) below £500,000 from 2026/27. This permanent tax cut will ensure that eligible grassroots music venues benefit from much-needed certainty and support. The Government is sustainably funding this by introducing a higher tax rate on properties with RVs of £500,000 and above.

The final design, including the rates, for the new business rates multipliers will be announced at Budget 2025, so that the Government can factor the revaluation outcomes and broader economic and fiscal context into decision-making. When the new multipliers are set, HM Treasury intends to publish analysis of the effects of the new multiplier arrangements.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of increasing (a) the regulation of and (b) enforcement against people driving vehicles for (i) delivery and (ii) courier work with L plates but without valid driving licences.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

The department has not had any discussions with gig economy operators about trends in the level of people working as delivery drivers through their platforms without appropriate driving licences, or steps being taken to prevent such practices. Drivers must hold a full licence to work as a delivery driver. Motorcyclists must hold a valid provisional licence to work as a delivery rider.

Employers have a duty to manage the risks of their work activities, including where driving for work is required. Employees and self-employed workers have a responsibility to drive appropriately and comply with relevant laws.

The department with the Health and Safety Executive updated joint guidance called ‘Driving and riding safely for work’ in September 2021 that sets out those obligations. In December 2024, Minister Simon Lightwood MP wrote to the Chief Executives of the largest food delivery companies to remind them of the importance the Government places on the safety of food delivery riders and other road users, and of their responsibilities and obligations towards them. It is essential that delivery drivers and riders follow The Highway Code.

The department has not made an assessment about people engaged in delivery work without valid documentation on road safety, or about the merits of increasing regulation of people driving delivery and courier vehicles for any reason. We are considering plans to review the training, testing, and licensing requirements for motorcycles. Enforcement of the law is a matter for the police who will decide, on the evidence of each individual case, whether an offence has been committed and the appropriate action to take.

The Road Safety Strategy is under development and will include a broad range of policies. More details will be set out in due course.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of people without valid (a) work and (b) driving documentation being engaged in delivery work on road safety.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

The department has not had any discussions with gig economy operators about trends in the level of people working as delivery drivers through their platforms without appropriate driving licences, or steps being taken to prevent such practices. Drivers must hold a full licence to work as a delivery driver. Motorcyclists must hold a valid provisional licence to work as a delivery rider.

Employers have a duty to manage the risks of their work activities, including where driving for work is required. Employees and self-employed workers have a responsibility to drive appropriately and comply with relevant laws.

The department with the Health and Safety Executive updated joint guidance called ‘Driving and riding safely for work’ in September 2021 that sets out those obligations. In December 2024, Minister Simon Lightwood MP wrote to the Chief Executives of the largest food delivery companies to remind them of the importance the Government places on the safety of food delivery riders and other road users, and of their responsibilities and obligations towards them. It is essential that delivery drivers and riders follow The Highway Code.

The department has not made an assessment about people engaged in delivery work without valid documentation on road safety, or about the merits of increasing regulation of people driving delivery and courier vehicles for any reason. We are considering plans to review the training, testing, and licensing requirements for motorcycles. Enforcement of the law is a matter for the police who will decide, on the evidence of each individual case, whether an offence has been committed and the appropriate action to take.

The Road Safety Strategy is under development and will include a broad range of policies. More details will be set out in due course.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions she has had with gig economy operators on (a) trends in the level of people (i) driving and (ii) delivering through their platforms without appropriate driving licences and (b) steps they are taking to prevent such practices.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

The department has not had any discussions with gig economy operators about trends in the level of people working as delivery drivers through their platforms without appropriate driving licences, or steps being taken to prevent such practices. Drivers must hold a full licence to work as a delivery driver. Motorcyclists must hold a valid provisional licence to work as a delivery rider.

Employers have a duty to manage the risks of their work activities, including where driving for work is required. Employees and self-employed workers have a responsibility to drive appropriately and comply with relevant laws.

The department with the Health and Safety Executive updated joint guidance called ‘Driving and riding safely for work’ in September 2021 that sets out those obligations. In December 2024, Minister Simon Lightwood MP wrote to the Chief Executives of the largest food delivery companies to remind them of the importance the Government places on the safety of food delivery riders and other road users, and of their responsibilities and obligations towards them. It is essential that delivery drivers and riders follow The Highway Code.

The department has not made an assessment about people engaged in delivery work without valid documentation on road safety, or about the merits of increasing regulation of people driving delivery and courier vehicles for any reason. We are considering plans to review the training, testing, and licensing requirements for motorcycles. Enforcement of the law is a matter for the police who will decide, on the evidence of each individual case, whether an offence has been committed and the appropriate action to take.

The Road Safety Strategy is under development and will include a broad range of policies. More details will be set out in due course.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 3 November 2025 to Question 85053 on the Animals (Low-Welfare Activities Abroad) Act 2023, if she will set out a timeline including milestones for the introduction of the regulations under the Animals (Low-Welfare Activities Abroad) Act 2023.

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

The Animals (Low Welfare Activities Abroad) Act 2023 provides a framework for the introduction of future bans on the advertising and offering for sale, in England and Northern Ireland, of low-welfare animal activities abroad.

We continue to engage with stakeholders including the tourism industry and animal welfare groups to explore both legislative and non-legislative options to stop the advertising of low-welfare animal activities abroad.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 3 November 2025 to Question 84975 on Dance and Music: Finance, what data her Department holds on the number of pupils that have left the independent school sector following the (a) application of VAT to private school fees and (b) removal of business rates charitable rate relief from private schools.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government conducted thorough and detailed analysis of the impacts of the VAT policy and at Autumn Budget 2024 published a Tax Impact and Information Note (TIIN) which sets out this analysis. This is a comprehensive assessment of the impacts on individuals and families, businesses and the wider economy, as well as equalities impacts. This can be found online here:

VAT on Private School Fees & Removing the Charitable Rate Relief for Private Schools - GOV.UK

Government analysis on the expected impact of the removal of charitable rate relief from private schools in England can be found online here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/removal-of-eligibility-of-private-schools-for-business-rates-charitable-relief/removal-of-eligibility-of-private-schools-for-business-rates-charitable-relief.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 3 November 2025 to Question 84975 on Dance and Music: Finance, if she will undertake an updated impact assessment on the (a) application of VAT to private school fees and (b) removal of business rates charitable rate relief from private schools.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government conducted thorough and detailed analysis of the impacts of the VAT policy and at Autumn Budget 2024 published a Tax Impact and Information Note (TIIN) which sets out this analysis. This is a comprehensive assessment of the impacts on individuals and families, businesses and the wider economy, as well as equalities impacts. This can be found online here:

VAT on Private School Fees & Removing the Charitable Rate Relief for Private Schools - GOV.UK

Government analysis on the expected impact of the removal of charitable rate relief from private schools in England can be found online here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/removal-of-eligibility-of-private-schools-for-business-rates-charitable-relief/removal-of-eligibility-of-private-schools-for-business-rates-charitable-relief.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what comparative assessment she has made of the potential impact of the proposed higher business rates multiplier for properties with a rateable value above £500,000 on (a) physical retailers and (b) online businesses.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government is creating a fairer business rates system that protects the high street, supports investment, and is fit for the 21st century.

As set out at Autumn Budget 2024, the Government will introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure properties with rateable values (RVs) below £500,000 from 2026/27. This permanent tax cut will ensure they benefit from much-needed certainty and support. The Government is sustainably funding this by introducing a higher tax rate on properties with RVs of £500,000 and above.

The final design, including the rates, for the new business rates multipliers will be announced at Budget 2025, so that the Government can factor the revaluation outcomes and broader economic and fiscal context into decision-making. When the new multipliers are set, HM Treasury intends to publish analysis of the effects of the new multiplier arrangements.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of amending the process for allotment disposal by local authorities.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Under the Allotments Act 1925, in order for local authorities to dispose of allotments they have to seek approval from the Secretary of State for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government and a defined legal threshold must be met before approval. This includes: the allotment to be surplus to requirements, any waiting lists to be considered, public consultation to have occurred, and other local policies to have been considered. At present, we have made no formal assessment of the potential merits of amending the process for allotment disposal by local authorities.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of levels of (a) taxation and (b) regulatory costs on growth in the retail sector.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government closely monitors the health of different sectors across the UK economy and regularly engages with the retail sector, which it recognises plays a vital role in communities and high streets across the country.

From April 2026, the Government intends to introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties with rateable values below £500,000. This permanent tax cut will ensure that eligible RHL properties benefit from much-needed certainty and support.

This tax cut must be sustainably funded, and so the Government is introducing a higher rate on the most valuable properties in 2026/27 - those with RVs of £500,000 and above.

The Government recognises that, ahead of the new multipliers being introduced, RHL businesses need support in 2025-26. So, the Government has prevented RHL relief from ending by extending it for one year at 40 per cent up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business and frozen the small business multiplier.

The final design, including the rates, for the new business rates multipliers will be announced at Budget 2025, so that the revaluation outcomes and broader economic and fiscal context can be factored into decision-making. When the new multipliers are set, HM Treasury intends to publish analysis of the effects of the new multiplier arrangements.

The Government has been engaging widely with the retail sector to understand regulatory barriers to growth. The Small Business Plan, published in summer, aims to tackle late payments, boost access to finance, and remove red tape to help small businesses, including retailers, grow and thrive.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions he has had with gig economy operators on ensuring consumer safety from people working illegally.

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

Through the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, the Home Office is closing an existing gap to make it a legal requirement for all businesses in the UK, including those in the gig economy, to prevent illegal working by checking anyone working for them has the right to do so. Tackling illegal working in the gig economy, as led by the Home Office, enhances public safety and reduces the opportunities for exploitation.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if she will make it her policy to increase the property value threshold for using a Lifetime ISA in line with either inflation or the annual increase in house prices.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

Data from the latest UK House Price Index shows that while the average price paid by first-time buyers has increased, it is still below the Lifetime ISA (Individual Savings Accounts) property price cap in all regions of the UK except for London, where the average price paid is affected by boroughs with very high property values.

As of 2024/25 there were over 1.3 million LISA accounts open and, since its introduction in 2017, the LISA has helped 314,600 people purchase their first property.

The Government keeps all aspects of savings tax policy under review.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 30 October 2025 to Question 83371 on Abiraterone: Finance, what steps he is taking to secure recurrent budget allocation for abiraterone for use in cases of high-risk non-metastatic prostate cancer.

Answered by Zubir Ahmed - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Abiraterone is not licensed for use in the treatment of high-risk, non-metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer, and as such, cannot be evaluated by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) for routine use on the National Health Service. NICE makes recommendations for the NHS in England on the vast majority of new and significant licence indications but does not evaluate medicines that are used outside their marketing authorisations or “off-label”.

These funding decisions are the responsibility of NHS commissioners who are required to make decisions on the basis of the available evidence. For cancer medicines, NHS England is the responsible commissioner and has an established mechanism to do so through its clinical prioritisation process. NHS England considered abiraterone as an off-label treatment for the treatment of hormone sensitive, non-metastatic prostate cancer through its clinical policy development process in 2024/25. Through this process, NHS England confirmed that there was sufficient supporting evidence to support the routine commissioning of abiraterone in this indication and it was ranked as the top priority for routine commissioning. However, it has not been possible to identify the necessary recurrent funding to support the commissioning of abiraterone, or any other treatments within the prioritisation round.

This position takes into account the need to ensure the affordability of introducing any new routine commissioning policies, alongside maintaining existing services for patients, and meeting the NHS’ legal requirement to fund all NICE approved drugs. Abiraterone for the treatment of high-risk, hormone sensitive, non-metastatic prostate cancer remains the top priority for routine commissioning, and its position is being kept under active review.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many enforcement actions have been taken against gig economy companies found to have engaged workers without the legal right to work in the United Kingdom since 4 July 2024.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Home Office does not hold an estimate of the prevalence of illegalworking among people using app-based delivery platforms. The recent jointwork between the Office for National Statistics and the Home Office explainsthe complexities - Measuring illegal migration: our current view - Office forNational Statistics.Through the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, the Government isintroducing tough new laws to clamp down on illegal working, including in thefood delivery sector. This means that for the very first time, employmentchecks will be extended to cover businesses hiring gig economy and zero-hours workers in sectors like food delivery.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent estimate she has made of the prevalence of illegal working among people using app-based delivery platforms.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

The Home Office does not hold an estimate of the prevalence of illegal working among people using app-based delivery platforms. The recent joint work between the Office for National Statistics and the Home Office explains the complexities - Measuring illegal migration: our current view - Office for National Statistics.

Through the Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill, the Government is introducing tough new laws to clamp down on illegal working, including in the food delivery sector. This means that for the very first time, employment checks will be extended to cover businesses hiring gig economy and zero-hours workers in sectors like food delivery.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will publish data on the number of (a) criminal penalties issued, (b) prosecutions undertaken and (c) successful convictions secured for illegal working since 4 July 2024.

Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)

Statistics published by the Home Office are kept under review in line with the code of practice for statistics, taking into account a number of factors including user needs, the resources required to compile the statistics, as well as quality and availability of data. These reviews allow us to balance the production of our regular statistics whilst developing new statistics for future release.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the effectiveness of the Impact 25 legacy programme.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

Since July 2024 the Government has invested £6.7m into the £14.5m Impact 25 programme which is pivotal in cementing rugby as a game for all. The programme has reached 850 clubs as more female-friendly facilities have been built all over the country encouraging female participation in rugby.

The programme has trained 3,385 new female coaches and match officials, making coaching sessions and matches more accessible. Impact 25 has contributed to a 35% increase in female age grade registrations in England rising from 17,700 places in 2022 to 23,900 in 2025. To assess progress against Impact 25’s outcomes the RFU uses a range of data sources which are reported on as part of the programme. We will work with the RFU, Sport England and UK Sport to monitor progress against these outcomes and the RFU’s long term goal of having 100,000 female players in England.

The programme has provided over £5,000 of investment to Dartfordians RFC and Sidcup RFC in Old Bexley and Sidcup. Both clubs have received sanitary product packages which are made freely available in club restrooms as well as kits for their u12s team and access to coaching and match official courses for their members.