Asked by: Rachel Taylor (Labour - North Warwickshire and Bedworth)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department holds data on the average price of train journeys for (a) Atherstone to London, (b) Atherstone to Nuneaton, (c) Atherstone to Tamworth, (d) Atherstone to Birmingham, (e) Coleshill to Birmingham, (f) Water Orton to Birmingham, (g) Birmingham International to Birmingham New St. (h) Bedworth to Coventry, (j) Bedworth to Nuneaton in (i) 2010 and (ii) 2024.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Department does not hold this information. The Rail Delivery Group and individual train operating companies will hold this data.
Asked by: Rachel Taylor (Labour - North Warwickshire and Bedworth)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether the government is considering a bid to host the 2035 Ryder Cup when it returns to Europe.
Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
The Government remains committed to delivering major international sporting events with pride - building upon the UK’s global reputation for excellence in event delivery - and seeking new opportunities to do so. We prioritise support for events based on a range of criteria, which includes how far they help create social and economic benefits for the UK and contribute towards the Government's Plan for Change.
The UK has secured a strong pipeline of events over the coming years, including the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, 2026 European Athletics Championships in Birmingham, the Grand Départ for the Tour De France and the Tour de France Femmes in 2027 and the UEFA European Championships in 2028.
We continue to work closely with our expert arm’s-length body UK Sport to identify opportunities that will strengthen the UK’s major events pipeline and will monitor developments regarding future host venues for the Ryder Cup.
Asked by: Rachel Taylor (Labour - North Warwickshire and Bedworth)
Question to the Attorney General:
To ask the Solicitor General, with reference to the temporary removal of the Unclaimed Estates list from GOV.UK, how many newly referred estates are awaiting advertisement; what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the removal of the list from GOV.UK on entitled heirs; and if she will reinstate the list with (a) verified named‑user access, (b) no bulk downloads, (c) access logging and (d) other enhanced safeguards.
Answered by Ellie Reeves - Solicitor General (Attorney General's Office)
As of 24 September 2025, up to 153 estates await possible advertising since the temporary removal of the Bona Vacantia unclaimed estates list on 7 July 2025.
The future publication of the list is currently under review.
Estates administered as bona vacantia continue to be published in The Gazette.
Asked by: Rachel Taylor (Labour - North Warwickshire and Bedworth)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, if he will take steps to pilot (a) short video interviews, (b) biometric ID checks and (c) other live identity verification for the personal applications of wills.
Answered by Alex Davies-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
HMCTS staff are trained in processing and verifying probate applications, with systems established to identify and escalate cases that present certain features of concern. These procedures are regularly reviewed to ensure they address emerging issues appropriately.
The Department is reviewing how personal applicants are identified for probate, as part of a wider examination of non-contentious probate rules: https://www.judiciary.uk/guidance-and-resources/working-group-members/.
Asked by: Rachel Taylor (Labour - North Warwickshire and Bedworth)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of delaying citizenship for Hong Kong British National (Overseas) visa holders from five to ten years on the economy.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The Government is committed to supporting members of the Hong Kong community who have relocated to the UK and those who may come here in future.
We will be consulting on the earned settlement and earned citizenship schemes later this year and further details of the proposed schemes will be provided then.
Asked by: Rachel Taylor (Labour - North Warwickshire and Bedworth)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to reduce the pension age for ambulance workers to meet the pension age for (a) police and (b) fire service employees.
Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
There are no plans at present to equalise the normal pension ages (NPAs) of all emergency services workforces.
NHS Pension Scheme members do not have to work to the scheme’s NPA to claim their retirement benefits. Flexible retirement options enable members to choose when to retire. Voluntary Early Retirement allows staff to fully retire up to 10 years earlier than the NPA, with an actuarially reduced pension due to the pension being in payment for longer. Alternatively, partial retirement allows members to draw down some or all of their pension while continuing to work and build up further pension benefits. Even when taken before normal pension age, NHS Pension Scheme benefits give exceptional value to staff and can provide for a comfortable living in retirement.
Asked by: Rachel Taylor (Labour - North Warwickshire and Bedworth)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has made an estimate of the total pension savings held by Hong Kong British National (Overseas) visa holders resident in the UK but held in Hong Kong which they are not able to transfer until they gain British citizenship due to Hong Kong’s permanent departure clause.
Answered by Emma Reynolds - Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
This government is deeply committed to supporting members of the Hong Kong community who have relocated to the UK. We are aware that individuals who have chosen to take up the British National (Overseas) (BN(O)) visa route are having difficulties in drawing down early their pensions held in the Hong Kong Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF).
Whilst documentary requirements for withdrawing funds are a matter for the Hong Kong authorities, officials have raised this issue directly with the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government and the Hong Kong MPF Schemes Authority. We have urged them to facilitate early draw down of funds as is the case for other Hong Kong residents who move overseas permanently and have made clear such discrimination of BN(O)s is unacceptable.
Asked by: Rachel Taylor (Labour - North Warwickshire and Bedworth)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has considered the potential impact of the raw cane sugar Autonomous Tariff Quota on (a) consumers and (b) the farming industry.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Secretary of State for Scotland
The Government is currently undertaking a review of the Autonomous Tarif Quota (ATQ) on raw cane sugar following an engagement exercise that closed in March 2025.
We are considering a range of factors including potential impacts on consumers; striking the right balance between supporting domestic sugar beet farmers and refiners and raw cane refining industries; and the UK’s wider strategic trade objectives.
We are carefully considering the potential impact of any changes, and an outcome of this review will be announced in due course.
Asked by: Rachel Taylor (Labour - North Warwickshire and Bedworth)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when the safeguarded land for Phase 2 of HS2 will be released back to the land owners.
Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury
Safeguarding on the route of HS2 Phase 2a (between West Midlands and Crewe) was lifted in January 2024. Safeguarding on the route of HS2 Phase 2b Eastern Leg (between West Midlands and Leeds) was lifted in July 2025. One small area to the south of the existing station in central Leeds, previously required for the new HS2 station, remains safeguarded to allow for potential enhancements to the existing station, including for onward travel.
Safeguarding along the former Phase 2b Western Leg (between Crewe and Manchester) has not yet been changed, and an update on future plans for safeguarding on this section will be provided in due course alongside broader plans for Northern Powerhouse Rail.
Asked by: Rachel Taylor (Labour - North Warwickshire and Bedworth)
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 authority-run social care services of implementing the Equality and Human Rights Commission's revised code of practice for services, public functions and associations.
Answered by Jim McMahon
I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 56659 on 10 June 2025.