Asked by: Patrick Hurley (Labour - Southport)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has assessed the potential merits of introducing a Tax Relief scheme to allow Capital Gains Tax liabilities to be deferred where proceeds from the disposal of a business are reinvested in UK growth businesses.
Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General
At Budget 2026, the Chancellor announced that from April 2027, the new Capital Gains Tax (CGT) Founders' Relief will give founders and early investors a reduced 10% rate of CGT, on gains up to a £10 million lifetime limit.
The Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) also allows investors to defer up to 100% of a capital gain where it is reinvested in eligible EIS shares.
Asked by: Patrick Hurley (Labour - Southport)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of NHS trusts’ financial balance requirements on planned workforce reductions in the North West; and what assessment her Department has made of the potential effects of those reductions on (a) clinical capacity, (b) patient safety and (c) waiting times.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
All NHS trusts are required to manage their spending within the funding provided for their services by local commissioners, and in line with the plans agreed with NHS England. Trusts are expected to make local decisions about how best to deploy their workforce, balancing financial sustainability with the need to maintain safe, effective services for patients.
Asked by: Patrick Hurley (Labour - Southport)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what estimate he has made of the regional distribution of private equity and venture capital investment in manufacturing businesses; and what steps he is taking to encourage greater investment in areas with historically low levels of industrial investment.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The government monitors the regional and sectoral distribution of investment through the British Business Bank’s (BBB) Small Business Equity Tracker. Between 2024 and 2025, investment in Advanced Manufacturing businesses increased significantly, but remains low compared to other sectors. In the same year, the share of investment outside of London continued to increase.
The government encourages investment into regions with low levels of industrial investment through the BBB’s Nation and Regions Funds, which committed £2.2 billion into underserved regions since 2017 and the recently announced Northern scale-up fund, backed by £150 million of BBB capital, investing in scale-ups across the region.
Asked by: Patrick Hurley (Labour - Southport)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what plans he has to expand the British Business Bank's support for investment funds specialising in manufacturing SMEs and lower mid-market businesses.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The British Business Bank invests in funds specialising in manufacturing SMEs and lower mid-market businesses through their Industrial Strategy Growth Capital programme. The British Business Bank invests in a portfolio approach so that they have coverage across the Industrial Strategy sectors and have already supported funds such as Elbow Beach Capital, which specialises in investing in high-growth manufacturing businesses and FPE Capital investing in lower mid-market businesses.
The Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade keeps British Business Bank support for funds across all sectors under active review based upon market conditions and access to capital gaps.
Asked by: Patrick Hurley (Labour - Southport)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of restrictions or pauses in Integrated Care Board funding for ADHD assessments delivered through the NHS Right to Choose pathway; and what steps she is taking to ensure patients do not experience additional delays in diagnosis and treatment as a result of such restrictions.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Hon. Member will be aware that the Independent review into prevalence and support for mental health conditions, ADHD and autism, led by Professor Peter Fonagy, was published on 9 October, providing analysis and recommendations across a wide range of issues relating to the current provision of services in this area, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) assessments.
The Government issued an initial response on the day of publication, but we will set out the action that we are taking in response to the review recommendations in our new mental health strategy to be published later this year, which will be relevant to the issues raised by the Hon. Member. The response is available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-pledges-earlier-support-to-tackle-mental-health-crises
The Government also remains fully committed to developing and publishing a revised cross-Government autism strategy in line with the Autism Act 2009. We will engage on the development of the revised autism strategy, including on whether the scope of the autism strategy should be extended to cover ADHD.
Asked by: Patrick Hurley (Labour - Southport)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of (a) extending Theatre Tax Relief to include the costs of moving productions between UK venues, (b) reducing the qualifying thresholds for touring opera and ballet productions and (c) extending business rates relief to theatres, in supporting the financial sustainability of touring productions and improving access to live theatre in towns and smaller communities.
Answered by James Murray - Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Paymaster General
The Chancellor makes decisions on tax policy at fiscal events, and does not routinely comment on proposals.
Asked by: Patrick Hurley (Labour - Southport)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of reductions in development assistance to Nepal on (a) levels of poverty, (b) humanitarian support and (c) the UK's bilateral relationship with Nepal; and if he will reconsider those reductions in light of Nepal's longstanding contribution to the British Armed Forces through the service of Gurkha soldiers.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is proud to be a longstanding partner to Nepal. We have shared priorities in many areas including Gurkhas in the British Army, who make an outstanding contribution to the UK, and development. We have disbursed £5m in humanitarian assistance in response to the recent flooding and we stand ready to help Nepal build for the future. Our bilateral relationship with Nepal is evolving into a modern partnership which combines expertise, sustainable finance, multilateral investment, private-sector mobilisation and locally led delivery. We are in regular contact with the government of Nepal on how we can support its efforts to deliver for the people of Nepal.
Asked by: Patrick Hurley (Labour - Southport)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of (a) employer-provided health cash plans and (b) other preventative health benefits on (i) sickness absence, (ii) economic inactivity and (iii) demand for NHS services.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Employers are crucial in enhancing employment opportunities and supporting disabled people and those with health conditions to thrive in the workforce. The Department for Work and Pensions and the Department of Health and Social Care’s Joint Work and Health Directorate was set up to co-ordinate Government activity which helps those managing health conditions and disabled people to get into and thrive in work.
The Department for Work and Pensions’ 2024 Employer Survey provides evidence of the impact of different employer health and wellbeing interventions and is available at the following link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dwp-employer-survey-2024
Asked by: Patrick Hurley (Labour - Southport)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of financial mutuals on (a) regional economic growth and (b) the proportion of businesses and financial institutions that are (i) locally and (ii) member owned.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
Financial mutuals, such as building societies and credit unions, have a strong focus on serving local communities for the benefit of their members. This leaves them well placed to make an important contribution to the Government’s priority to drive good growth in every postcode of the UK.
The Government is undertaking a multi-year programme of work to support financial mutuals. This includes, for example, updating the Building Societies Act 1986 to reduce unnecessary administrative burdens and provide greater funding flexibility, reforming the credit union common bond through the Financial Services and Markets Bill, and asking the Prudential Regulation Authority and the Financial Conduct Authority to produce their joint Mutuals Landscape Report, which identified opportunities for growth-focused reform.
Access to capital is a longstanding structural issue for mutual businesses, and one in which the Government takes a close interest. The Mutual and Co-operative Sector Business Council is currently considering this, including the barriers faced by the sector and potential solutions. The Government will review the Council’s work as it develops and consider the proposals it brings forward.
Asked by: Patrick Hurley (Labour - Southport)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential challenges faced by financial mutuals seeking to raise external capital while retaining their mutual status.
Answered by Lucy Rigby - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)
Financial mutuals, such as building societies and credit unions, have a strong focus on serving local communities for the benefit of their members. This leaves them well placed to make an important contribution to the Government’s priority to drive good growth in every postcode of the UK.
The Government is undertaking a multi-year programme of work to support financial mutuals. This includes, for example, updating the Building Societies Act 1986 to reduce unnecessary administrative burdens and provide greater funding flexibility, reforming the credit union common bond through the Financial Services and Markets Bill, and asking the Prudential Regulation Authority and the Financial Conduct Authority to produce their joint Mutuals Landscape Report, which identified opportunities for growth-focused reform.
Access to capital is a longstanding structural issue for mutual businesses, and one in which the Government takes a close interest. The Mutual and Co-operative Sector Business Council is currently considering this, including the barriers faced by the sector and potential solutions. The Government will review the Council’s work as it develops and consider the proposals it brings forward.