Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, whether the Timms Review into Personal Independence Payments will include assessments of the potential impact of proposed changes on levels of homelessness.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The Timms Review will be co-produced with disabled people, the organisations that represent them, carers, clinicians, experts, parliamentarians and other stakeholders to ensure a wide range of views and voices are heard.

I have announced that the Review will be co-chaired by myself alongside Sharon Brennan and Dr Clenton Farquharson CBE. We will oversee a steering group made up of a majority of disabled people or representatives of disabled people’s organisations and recruited through an open and transparent Expression of Interest process.

It will be for the Review’s steering group to determine how it runs and what it recommends. The Terms of Reference give the group a broad remit to set out its strategic direction, priorities and workplan.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether his Department has appointed a lead official to cover the issues (a) raised by and (b) that affect the British Chinese community.

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

As a part of my Department’s ongoing work to understand, hear from and support communities, including to drive cohesion, officials engage with a range of ethnically and religiously diverse communities. There are no plans for specific engagement with British Chinese communities at this time.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what steps his Department plans to take to help reduce the number of children living in temporary accommodation.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 83747 on 27 October 2025.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department plans to take to (a) monitor and (b) report on the operational impact of drones supplied to the Ukrainian armed forces; and what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the steps taken by his Department to help the Ukrainian armed forces prepare for (i) future requirements for drone systems and (ii) its defence of critical infrastructure during winter.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)

The UK has worked closely with the Ukrainian Armed Forces to provide military capabilities that meet their needs. This process includes feedback from the Ukrainian Armed Forces on the operational impact of drones supplied, to inform decisions on which drone systems to procure in the future and to focus research and development investment to address the most pressing challenges.

The UK continues to provide air defence capabilities to protect Ukrainian critical infrastructure over the winter. This includes further air defence systems (RAVEN, GRAVEHAWK) and missiles (Lightweight Multi-role Missiles (LMMs), ASRAAM), as well as the work developing the advanced OCTOPUS air defence interceptor drone as part of the UK and Ukraine technology sharing agreement. Most recently, on 24 October, the Prime Minister announced the accelerated delivery of 140 LMM missiles.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will take legislative steps to provide for an excluded contract waiver for charitable memberships in proposed secondary legislation on subscription contracts under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 to protect not-for-profit organisations from (a) undue administrative costs and (b) potential loss of fundraising revenue.

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

The government consulted on the implementation of the new subscriptions contract regime and are analysing the responses, including submissions from the charity and not-for profit sector. Officials have met with relevant representatives and individual organisations to hear their views and we continue to engage with the sector.

The government is committed to ensuring that charities can comply with consumer law and claim Gift Aid on eligible payments. HMRC are working through the technical details and will continue to engage with the sector.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of lowering VAT on restaurant customers.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Government recognises the significant contribution made by hospitality businesses to economic growth and social life in the UK.

VAT is a broad-based tax on consumption, and the 20 per cent standard rate applies to most goods and services. VAT is the UK's second largest tax, forecast to raise £180 billion in 2025/26.

Where restaurants incur VAT in producing the food they sell, this can be claimed back in the normal way, provided that they are registered for VAT. Businesses with a turnover below the £90,000 per year threshold may choose not to register for VAT, in which case they do not charge VAT on their sales and cannot reclaim it on their input costs.

HMRC estimate that the cost of a 5 per cent reduced rate for accommodation, hospitality and tourist attractions would be around £13 billion this financial year. If the scope were also to include alcoholic beverages, the cost would be approximately £3 billion greater.

More broadly, as announced at Autumn Budget 2024, the Government will introduce permanently lower business rates multipliers for retail, hospitality, and leisure properties with rateable values below £500,000 from 2026/27. This permanent tax cut will ensure they benefit from much-needed certainty and support.