Asked by: Monica Harding (Liberal Democrat - Esher and Walton)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment HMRC has made of additional software and accountancy costs faced by sole traders and landlords who are required to use separate systems for Making Tax Digital for Income Tax and existing VAT reporting.
Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General
HMRC’s published Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) detailing estimated costs and impacts for businesses with income above £30,000 is at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/extension-of-making-tax-digital-for-income-tax-self-assessment-to-sole-traders-and-landlords
HMRC will evaluate the impacts of MTD for Income Tax as it is rolled out to those with income over £30,000 from April 2027 and for those with income over £20,000 in April 2028.
Asked by: Monica Harding (Liberal Democrat - Esher and Walton)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate HMRC has made of the average change in the amount of time self-employed people and landlords are spending each year on compliance as a result of the introduction of Making Tax Digital for Income Tax.
Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General
HMRC’s published Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) detailing estimated costs and impacts for businesses with income above £30,000 is at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/extension-of-making-tax-digital-for-income-tax-self-assessment-to-sole-traders-and-landlords
HMRC will evaluate the impacts of MTD for Income Tax as it is rolled out to those with income over £30,000 from April 2027 and for those with income over £20,000 in April 2028.
Asked by: Monica Harding (Liberal Democrat - Esher and Walton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the introduction of Graduated Driving Licensing in Northern Ireland on drivers.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Driver licensing is a devolved matter in Northern Ireland. We are aware that Northern Ireland is introducing a Graduated Driving Licensing scheme from 1 October 2026.
My officials meet regularly with their counterparts in the Devolved Governments, including those in Northern Ireland and I have asked my officials to keep me up to date on developments.
Asked by: Monica Harding (Liberal Democrat - Esher and Walton)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she is taking to secure access to omaveloxolone for those affected by Friedreich’s ataxia.
Answered by James Frith - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 29 June in response to Question 11724.
Asked by: Monica Harding (Liberal Democrat - Esher and Walton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policy of the reconstruction in Syria.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
On the reconstruction challenges facing Syria, I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 4 June in response to Question 5915. The UK provided £104 million to Syria for financial year 2025/26, funding life-saving humanitarian assistance, as well as support for Syria's longer-term recovery.
On the specific issue of food security, the World Food Programme reports that conditions are gradually improving. However, more than 80 per cent of Syrian families are still unable to reliably access enough nutritious food. This assessment helps shape UK support through our agriculture and humanitarian assistance programmes, which aim to improve food security, support livelihoods and strengthen resilience.
Asked by: Monica Harding (Liberal Democrat - Esher and Walton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of current levels of food security in Syria.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Minister of State (Cabinet Office) (Jointly with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
On the reconstruction challenges facing Syria, I refer the Hon Member to the answer provided on 4 June in response to Question 5915. The UK provided £104 million to Syria for financial year 2025/26, funding life-saving humanitarian assistance, as well as support for Syria's longer-term recovery.
On the specific issue of food security, the World Food Programme reports that conditions are gradually improving. However, more than 80 per cent of Syrian families are still unable to reliably access enough nutritious food. This assessment helps shape UK support through our agriculture and humanitarian assistance programmes, which aim to improve food security, support livelihoods and strengthen resilience.
Asked by: Monica Harding (Liberal Democrat - Esher and Walton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the impact of UK aid cuts on the spread of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Further to the answer provided on 8 June in response to Question 5558, the UK has now allocated up to £26.9 million to support the Africa-led Ebola response in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda and to accelerate scientific and medical research in relation to this outbreak.
This reflects the Government's modernised development approach, both in the affected region and throughout the world: using UK finance, expertise and diplomacy to support local leadership and strengthen health systems.
Through partnerships with the World Health Organisation, Unicef, the Africa Centre for Disease Control, and national governments, we are also supporting regional preparedness initiatives, including in South Sudan, Zambia and Burundi, to help build more resilient health systems and strengthen health security across the region.
Asked by: Monica Harding (Liberal Democrat - Esher and Walton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the impact of UK aid cuts on health systems in central and southern Africa.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Further to the answer provided on 8 June in response to Question 5558, the UK has now allocated up to £26.9 million to support the Africa-led Ebola response in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda and to accelerate scientific and medical research in relation to this outbreak.
This reflects the Government's modernised development approach, both in the affected region and throughout the world: using UK finance, expertise and diplomacy to support local leadership and strengthen health systems.
Through partnerships with the World Health Organisation, Unicef, the Africa Centre for Disease Control, and national governments, we are also supporting regional preparedness initiatives, including in South Sudan, Zambia and Burundi, to help build more resilient health systems and strengthen health security across the region.
Asked by: Monica Harding (Liberal Democrat - Esher and Walton)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the increase in the probate application fee to £526 on bereaved families, in the context of current costs of living, including on those whose estates lack sufficient liquid assets to meet that fee before a grant of probate is issued.
Answered by Catherine Atkinson
The Government recognises that applying for probate can be a difficult process for bereaved families. Before introducing the increase in the probate application fee to £526, the Ministry of Justice undertook a full Impact Assessment, including an assessment of the equalities impacts of the change in line with its obligations under the Public Sector Equality Duty. This was published alongside the Court and Tribunal Fees (Miscellaneous Amendments) Order 2026 on 19 June 2026. This fee increase is intended to recover the cost of delivering the probate service, taking account of rising costs from inflation and investment in a modern and efficient service and ensuring that the service has the resources necessary to continue to deliver effectively. Estates valued below £5,000 will continue to be exempt from paying a fee.
For those who may be unable to afford a fee, the Help with Fees remission scheme remains available to eligible applicants. In addition, where an applicant does not qualify for Help with Fees, they may ask court or tribunal staff to exercise the Lord Chancellor’s exceptional power to remit fees. This ensures that no one is denied access to justice because they cannot reasonably afford a court or tribunal fee.
Asked by: Monica Harding (Liberal Democrat - Esher and Walton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what progress has been made by the Sudan Atrocity Prevention Coalition to ensure justice for the people of Sudan.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK-launched Coalition on Atrocity Prevention and Justice in Sudan brings together international partners to support justice, accountability, and local peacebuilding and protection efforts in Sudan, including calling for the protection of civilians where risks are clear.
Most recently, for example, the Coalition came together on 18 June at the UN Human Rights Council, to call on the Rapid Support Forces to pull back immediately from their offensive in El Obeid, and for the warring parties to urgently de-escalate, allow civilians to leave safely, and let aid in.
Through the Coalition and wider UK action, we are supporting Sudanese human rights defenders to document and preserve evidence of atrocities, coordinating sanctions against those responsible, and backing international mechanisms including the UN Fact-Finding Mission and the International Criminal Court to ensure perpetrators are held to account.