Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the availability of fluorinated gases during the planned transition to alternative gases.
Answered by Emma Hardy - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The UK Government is consulting on proposed reforms to the GB hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) phasedown. The consultation closes on 17 December, and the Department will be carefully considering the responses.
The consultation and accompanying De Minimis Assessment outline our modelling assumptions on HFC availability. We have asked respondents to provide feedback on those assumptions.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
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 his policies of trends in the level of discrimination affecting religious-minority women in the garment sector in South Asia; and how this is being addressed through UK development and human-rights programmes.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We remain concerned by the discrimination that affects religious minority women in South Asia's garment sector, and we continue to advocate for their fair treatment, equal opportunities and safe working conditions. UK-funded programmes across South Asia also support women's entrepreneurship, and inclusive trade benefitting vulnerable groups.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of a) changes to Vehicle Exercise Duty and b) introduction of a Electric Vehicle Excise Duty on users of the Motability scheme leasing an electric vehicle.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
As announced at Budget 2025, the Government is introducing Electric Vehicle Excise Duty (eVED) from April 2028, a new mileage charge for electric and plug-in hybrid cars, recognising that EVs contribute to congestion and wear and tear on the roads but pay no equivalent to fuel duty.
eVED is designed to replace fuel duty for electric and plug-in hybrid cars. This means it will apply to cars driven by those who are wholly or partially exempt from Vehicle Excise Duty (VED), but where their petrol or diesel equivalents would be subject to fuel duty. This includes those who receive the mobility component of certain disability-related benefits (principally Disability Living Allowance or Personal Independence Payment). These groups will continue to receive the same VED exemptions as they do now but will not be exempt from eVED, as they are not exempt from fuel duty.
As with petrol/diesel vehicles where fuel duty applies, eVED will also apply to cars that are leased. The leasing company will typically be responsible for paying eVED and can choose how to pass on to their customers.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he plans to publish an Equality Impact Assessment for changes to the Motability scheme.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Motability Scheme is a lifeline for many disabled people and families, supporting their independence by enabling them to lease a car, wheelchair accessible vehicle, scooter or powered wheelchair in exchange for an eligible disability benefit allowance.
The government announced a package of reforms to the Motability Scheme at Autumn Budget 2025, which will ensure the scheme delivers value for money for the taxpayer, while continuing to support disabled people.
An Equality Impact Assessment was undertaken and published by HMT as part of the Autumn Budget and can be found here: Motability Scheme: reforming tax reliefs - GOV.UK
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions she has had with OECD) about updating the OECD counterparts on recognised methods for assessing toxicity in the context of the Government's commitment to phase out the use of the a) LC50 and b) LD50 tests.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The UK has OECD representatives who were involved in developing our strategy to replace animals in science, and will be involved in its delivery. The strategy groups animal tests according to their readiness for replacement, based on maturity of potential alternative methods. These initial baskets will be refined in consultation with stakeholders, noting that two LD/LC50 tests are already in baskets 1 and 2 (botulinum potency and fish acute toxicity tests respectively) so are among the first targeted for phase-out. We will also establish a UK Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods (UKCVAM) to accelerate alternative method uptake.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment has he made of the potential impact of the Government's changes to the Motability scheme on wheelchair users who do not use a wheelchair accessible vehicle.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Motability Scheme is a lifeline for many disabled people and families, supporting their independence by enabling them to lease a car, wheelchair accessible vehicle, scooter or powered wheelchair in exchange for an eligible disability benefit allowance.
Before any announcements were made, Motability Operations confirmed it will continue to offer a broad range of vehicles without an Advance Payment. This will ensure that people who elect to join the Scheme can access vehicles suited to their needs, whether that’s a larger vehicle or extra boot space to carry wheelchairs, whatever their health condition or disability, in exchange for all or part of their mobility allowance.
Motability Foundation will continue to offer means-tested grants to those most in need of financial help. These grants support eligible people who would otherwise struggle to afford the advance payment or adaptations for a vehicle, or a wheelchair accessible vehicle (WAV) through the Motability Scheme.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what discussions she had with (a) the Financial Conduct Authority, (b) Ofwat, (c) Ofgem and (d) Ofcom on ensuring (i) services are accessible to residents who are not online and (ii) issues around digital exclusion are consistently embedded in regulator guidance on dealing with vulnerable customers.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Digital inclusion can transform people’s lives for the better. Families can save money on their groceries and energy bills when they shop online; those looking for work can find better job opportunities and earn more; and people can more easily access the services they need – including the NHS and welfare.
That is why we published the Digital Inclusion Action Plan, which sets out our immediate actions to deliver digital inclusion for everyone across the UK, regardless of their circumstances.
We encourage providers of key services important to people’s daily lives – like banking and utilities – to prioritise inclusive and accessible services for everyone. We are working with industry, the Regulators and the voluntary sector to champion access for digitally excluded customers, including vulnerable people. That is why, for example, the government’s recent Financial Inclusion Strategy highlighted the commitment we have agreed with the financial services industry to rollout 350 banking hubs by the end of this parliament.
We also want to make government digital services easier to access. Legal requirements should ensure public sector websites and apps meet accessibility requirements, and there is published best practice to provide alternative routes such as phone lines, in-person support and paper forms.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she taking to assess the digital inclusivity of services offered through (a) Gov.uk and (b) the wider public sector.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Central Government assesses digital inclusivity of GOV.UK and wider public sector services through service assessment teams within GDS and Departments. These teams review services against the Government Service Standard, requiring user research with diverse groups, ongoing evaluation, and data on uptake and satisfaction. The Government Digital Service also monitors compliance of public sector websites and apps with accessibility regulations.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, when he intends to meet representatives of the Motability Collective Campaign Group.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Ministers regularly meet representative groups of a range of types and every request to meet a Minister is given consideration.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the proposed changes to the Motability scheme on the lived experience of users.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The package of reforms to the Motability Scheme announced as part of the Budget will ensure the Scheme delivers fairness for the taxpayer, while continuing to support disabled people. The Scheme will continue to offer a choice of affordable vehicles to meet a range of accessibility needs and offer vehicles which require no advance payment, meaning that people will be able to access a suitable vehicle using only their qualifying disability benefit. Insurance Premium Tax (IPT) will apply to leases at the standard rate, bringing tax treatment in line with commercial leasing firms.
Existing leases and vehicles substantially designed for, or adapted for, wheelchair or stretcher users will continue to benefit from VAT reliefs on advance payments and the IPT exemption, in recognition of the additional costs associated with these vehicles.
Motability Foundation, the independent charity with responsibility for overseeing the Scheme, will continue to offer means-tested grants to support eligible people who would otherwise struggle to afford the advance payment.