Asked by: Mike Reader (Labour - Northampton South)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of implementing the Equality and Human Rights Commission's revised code of practice for services, public functions and associations on single-sex school admissions policies.
Answered by Catherine McKinnell - Minister of State (Education)
I refer my hon. Friend, the Member for Northampton South to the answer of 09 June 2025 to Question 55359.
Asked by: Mike Reader (Labour - Northampton South)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what recent estimate she has made of the cost to local authorities of implementing the Equality and Human Rights Commission's revised code of practice for services, public functions and associations.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
We have not yet made an assessment of the cost and impact on local authorities of implementing the proposed updates to the Equality and Human Rights Commission Code of Practice for services, public functions and associations, which is still open for consultation.
Asked by: Mike Reader (Labour - Northampton South)
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 help support businesses to compete with direct-to-consumer online retailers that are based offshore.
Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
We intend to introduce permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure (RHL) properties, including those on the high street, from 2026-27. This tax cut must be sustainably funded, and so we intend to apply a higher rate from 2026-27 on the most valuable properties - those with a Rateable Value of £500,000 and above. These represent less than one per cent of all properties, but include the majority of large distribution warehouses, including those used by online giants.
Ahead of these changes being made, we have prevented RHL relief from ending in April 2025 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.
We are also working with businesses to understand their barriers to growth and High Streets will be a key pillar of our forthcoming Small Business Strategy.
Asked by: Mike Reader (Labour - Northampton South)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Get Britain Working White Paper, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of young people in supported housing becoming worse off when entering into employment because of benefit rules.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The income taper in Housing Benefit ensures people in work are better off than someone wholly reliant on benefits. In addition to any financial advantage, there are important non-financial benefits of working. These benefits include learning new skills, improved confidence and independence as well as a positive effect on an individual's mental and physical health.
Notwithstanding these positive outcomes from work, the Department acknowledges there is a challenge presented by the interaction between Universal Credit and Housing Benefit for those residing in Supported Housing and Temporary Accommodation and receiving their housing support through Housing Benefit. The department will consider the issue carefully in partnership with stakeholders.
Asked by: Mike Reader (Labour - Northampton South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an asssessment of the potential merits of identifying a National Freight Network.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The UK has a complex national freight system handling millions of transactions every day. The merits of increasing our understanding of this system to inform policy making, regulation and investment interventions are well understood, and this Government is improving its data and analytical capabilities to do so. This will enable stronger interventions, including those that may be delivered through spatial corridor and network approaches.
Asked by: Mike Reader (Labour - Northampton South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of including in the integrated national transport strategy measures to (a) help increase efficiency and (b) support decarbonisation in the logistics sector.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Strategy will set the high-level direction for how transport should change to better serve people and is currently in early development. Government recognises the importance of the logistics sector in delivering its missions and transport priorities, including driving economic growth and achieving net zero. We are committed to working with the sector to achieve this and will set out next steps in due course.
Asked by: Mike Reader (Labour - Northampton South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of including the regulation of self-driving delivery robots alongside other forms of micro mobility.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
This government is determined to seize the opportunities of emerging micromobility and tackle any negative impacts which may arise. We actively monitor the industry and the new vehicle types and business models being developed while carefully considering policy steps to ensure these are operating safely and in the interests of our communities.
Asked by: Mike Reader (Labour - Northampton South)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether she has had made an assessment of the potential role of universities (a) within and (b) outside mayoral combined authorities in local growth programmes.
Answered by Jim McMahon - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Local leadership is at the heart of our mission to deliver growth. Universities have an important role in driving growth across the country, working in partnership with other local stakeholders to deliver improved outcomes for their communities. In mayoral combined authorities and elsewhere in the UK, Investment Zones are leveraging the important role that universities and research institutions play, ensuring they collaborate with industry to promote growth. Local Growth Plans will also play an important role in delivering growth – locally owned and long-term strategic plans that will engage a range of stakeholders, including universities, to build on each region’s unique strengths and opportunities.
Asked by: Mike Reader (Labour - Northampton South)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will bring forward legislative proposals to support the use of autonomous last-mile delivery robots on pavements.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government has no current plans to legislate in this space. However, we are determined to seize the opportunities of emerging micromobility and tackle any negative impacts which may arise. We are actively monitoring the industry, new vehicle types, and new business models, and we will keep under review the case for legislative change.
Asked by: Mike Reader (Labour - Northampton South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of extending VAT relief to (a) heat batteries and (b) other new energy saving technologies that can help decarbonise homes when a heat pump cannot be installed.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The installation of qualifying energy-saving materials in residential accommodation and buildings used solely for a relevant charitable purpose benefits from a temporary VAT zero rate until March 2027.
Last year, a Call for Evidence (CfE) seeking views on additional technologies to potentially include within this relief was run. Heat batteries were one of the technologies put forwards by respondents. As set out in the Government response to the CfE, at that time, the Government was unable to identify sufficient independent data regarding the efficiency of heat batteries, making it difficult to assess the technology’s energy-saving properties objectively.
The Government currently has no plans to add further technologies to this VAT relief. Nevertheless, the Government keeps all taxes under review as part of the policy making process. Changes to the tax system are announced at fiscal events in the usual way.